They don’t call it “the place that loves you back” for nothin’

I guess Philadelphia must have overheard my proclamation of love the other day. Because that very day I got this invitation in the mail:

My reporting date is February 14. That’s right, Valentine’s Day. Awwww, how sweet. What should I wear? Oh wait—the website answers my question: “casual dresses are . . . appropriate.”

Honestly, I will be happy to serve. I’ve been called before, but have been unable to serve each time either because I had moved (Tacoma, St. Paul, Minneapolis) or was about to give birth (Philadelphia, 2004). It’s unlikely that I’ll be assigned to a criminal case since I’m Quaker and against the death penalty. I’ve also heard that if you confess to knowing about jury’s rights you’re unlikely to be chosen.

Here's a bizarre Philadelphia thing: You are not allowed writing materials into the courtroom. What a strange rule! As HPR can attest, my memory is not so good (except about gossip and food) (and anything that he does or says that is wrong), so I’ll be forced to convince my fellow jurors with “you know, that thing he said? about that one piece of evidence? . . .”

In other news, HPR makes a media appearance.

In still other news, after the overwhelming response to my pantsuits contest, I am happy to announce that Robyn from Crochet by Faye is our winner! I may have to commission one of those. Robyn, your prize will be in the mail soon.

Also thanks to the non-lurkers who delurked last week! It was cool to find out that I already know who most of my readers are.

I just can't stop. Big congratulations to Family Isoglossia and Family Strangeafeet on their recent announcements.

 

Comments

[Erin]

As you know, I just went in for my jury duty. When I served the last time, I brought a pen and paper with me to take notes before we went in to deliberate. And the judge chastised me in front of the whole court. Apparently that's not allowed.

And congrats to HPR on his media mention. Can I have your autograph, HPR? :)

[Lori]

Wow, I didn't know about the writing implement ban. How WEIRD. I'm supposed to report next Wednesday, Jan. 24 for Jury Duty. (I also served back in December 2005, and though I sat in a courtroom for hours -- and even overheard several witnesses/defendents bad-mouthing the plaintiff, which caused quite a furor among the lawyers and judge -- I did not get chosen for the trial.)

[Lori]

Oh, also? I checked the website to see if it was ok to bring a laptop to the CJ building, but there was no mention of laptops at all. Cell phones must be checked at the door, and we're specifically allowed "something to read", but that's all the info I could get. Hard to believe "can I bring my laptop?" isn't a FAQ. (I've also served in San Francisco, where they have outlets, modem ports, and now wireless, I believe, in the jury assembly room.)

[Niki]

That seems to be going around these parts. My Mr. just finished serving four days of jury duty on a minor criminal trial.

Thanks so much for the congrats and the shout out. And in that realm I recommend the ovulation predictor kits you can buy at the grocery store or drug store. You pee on a stick every day and it gives you the green light for the perfect time frame.

Best of luck to y'all. And let us know when you can come visit.

[Mark]

As Niki said, I just finished serving on a jury this week. And in fact Pennsylvania now allows notetaking in the jury box (at least in criminal cases like the one I heard). They provide each juror with an exam-style blue book that they keep custody of when you're not in court. And don't get too cocky on the Quaker out - the judge made a point in jury selection to note that our case did not involve the death penalty, so those with moral objections to said penalty needn't worry.

Good luck. I never try actively to be excused, which I guess is why I've served on two trials in the past 8 years.

[Thomas]

Wow - it is going around - I have Philly jury duty on 1/29. The first time I gopt called in Philly, about 10 AM they called a panel, took us up to a room and excused us all (with our $9 checks in hand) - I guess they had more jurors than they needed that day. The last time I got called, I was part of a panel for a non-DP murder trial. After telling the judge that I felt I could be fair in a murder trial where the DP was not being sought, I was disqualified for having been a witness to and victim of violent crime on multiple occasions. If other judges apply the same rules, I find it hard to believe that I'd not be struck from any violent criminal trial. Might get seated for a white-collar crime, which is pretty rare at the district court level, I'd think. Maybe I'll get picked for a civil case. And though I'm willing in theory, the best case scenario is not getting picked right now.

[Jo]

I was called into jury duty (here in Denver), but my baby's due date is 2/3, so I postponed. I wonder if a trial was ever delayed due to contractions.

I was called a few years ago, but after sitting in a big room with hundreds of others for five hours, I was sent home after lunch without being called. Sounds like they may do it differently in PA.

Thanks for the link to jury's rights, that was pretty interesting.

Jo

[Thomas]

So, I had my jury duty yesterday. First, I have to say that on the train home, I ran into another CHMM member who has jury duty, next week! I guess they sesnsed a need for expertise in bringing about consensus.

Second - a tip: there is no need whatsoever to make a special effort to get their by 8:15 am. I had an inkling of that, and it was a Herculean-enough effort to take care of my child care drop-off duties and catch a train that should have gotten me to the courthouse by 8:30. However, that train got stuck behind a broken-down train, and I didn't get there until 9:30. Nobody said boo about it. I had missed the fabulous introductory video and the warm welcome and thank-you from the commissioner and administrative judge, but wasn't locked away for contempt or anything. As a first-timer you probably want to get there early enough for the video and the instructions on the forms you have to fill out, say 8:30-8:45.

As for whether you'll get out based on DP opposition and/or belief in jury nullification: the way it works is they call panels of 30-50 jurors for a case, and then attempt to pick a jury from that group, asking for another panel if they need more. If you get eliminated from a panel, you have to go back to the jury room to potentially be assigned to another panel. Yesterday and the previous time I was called I was empaneled for a non-capital violent crime case, but eliminated (for the resons I noted above), and the process of being eliminated was long enough that I was dismissed shortly thereafter - too late in the day to require me on another panel.

Jury nullification didn't come up in either case, perhaps because there's very little danger of it in violent crime cases.

I'm actually not 100% sure why I was eliminated in this case, as the voir dire was run somewhat differently than last time. Last time, the judge dismissed jurors that he found unfit - I don't know if the DA and defendants got any peremptories or not. This time, we all stayed until the jury was seated, and the last step was some sort of back-and-forth challenge/striking of jurors by the two parties. I don't know if the judge had already crossed off some names and then the parties whittled it down or what. All I know is that I was good and hungry for some DiNic's goodness at the Terminal Market by the time I was through...