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Kil
Evil Skeptic
USA
13477 Posts |
Posted - 10/17/2006 : 11:39:45
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Just so's ya know. I am now sitting at a computer in a jury waiting room, fulfilling my civic responsibility. Not that I want to be here. I am here because the law says I must be here or else. What is cool for a nominal fee, I get to do this while waiting to be called. Hopefully, I will not be called because I can't really afford to be here. But it could happen. Sigh...
I brought a book. I had no idea that I would have online access. Not that I wouldn't have brought a book anyway, but hey. By the way, this computer sucks. It's fast but I suppose the keyboard has been abused by late in the day jurists who finally went berserk over the boredom of just sitting here, waiting, while hoping to not be called and finally lost it... Stay tuned for my breakdown. I am starting to believe that it would be doing the next person who tries to use this thing a service by finishing it off...
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Uncertainty may make you uncomfortable. Certainty makes you ridiculous.
Why not question something for a change?
Genetic Literacy Project |
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BigPapaSmurf
SFN Die Hard
3192 Posts |
Posted - 10/17/2006 : 12:01:40 [Permalink]
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I just ignore jury duty till it goes away, worked twice already. |
"...things I have neither seen nor experienced nor heard tell of from anybody else; things, what is more, that do not in fact exist and could not ever exist at all. So my readers must not believe a word I say." -Lucian on his book True History
"...They accept such things on faith alone, without any evidence. So if a fraudulent and cunning person who knows how to take advantage of a situation comes among them, he can make himself rich in a short time." -Lucian critical of early Christians c.166 AD From his book, De Morte Peregrini |
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Cuneiformist
The Imperfectionist
USA
4955 Posts |
Posted - 10/17/2006 : 12:08:09 [Permalink]
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Amazingly, when I lived in Baltimore I was called to jury duty 4 times in 6 years. I went twice, and twice got out of it. I was never actually called to do anything, so I spent the day reading the 4th Harry Potter book (the first tour) and translating cuneiform (the second tour). It's easy if you're a grad student and have minimal fixed obligations, but I would have to have missed out on a day's pay for that-- even with the $15 in compensation they give you! |
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Kil
Evil Skeptic
USA
13477 Posts |
Posted - 10/17/2006 : 12:08:59 [Permalink]
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quote: Originally posted by BigPapaSmurf
I just ignore jury duty till it goes away, worked twice already.
They changed the law here. Up to this year, that is what I did too. Now, that can get you a big fine and you will still have to show up at another time. |
Uncertainty may make you uncomfortable. Certainty makes you ridiculous.
Why not question something for a change?
Genetic Literacy Project |
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Original_Intent
SFN Regular
USA
609 Posts |
Posted - 10/17/2006 : 12:50:47 [Permalink]
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The bigger fine the better.
I think there should also be a "community Service" fine of a couple of hundred hours for skipping.
Peace Joe |
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Original_Intent
SFN Regular
USA
609 Posts |
Posted - 10/17/2006 : 12:51:57 [Permalink]
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Oh, and I hope they don't call you.... but I am glad you showed up, even if it was out of fear instead of civic responsibility.
Peace Joe |
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Kil
Evil Skeptic
USA
13477 Posts |
Posted - 10/17/2006 : 13:08:33 [Permalink]
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quote: Originally posted by Original_Intent
The bigger fine the better.
I think there should also be a "community Service" fine of a couple of hundred hours for skipping.
Peace Joe
I hear you Joe. But honestly, for some of us it really is a financial burden to be here. I would love to be able to relax about it and look forward to being on a jury. As a critical thinker, I think it would be fun to do that. (And of course, I might wind up on a jury today, fun or not.)
But I'll tell you what. You could help by donating to the Send Kil To TAM 5 cause, just to show your appreciation for my for being here actively loosing money that I need, by fulfilling my civic responsibility.
I also plan to vote. I wonder what that's worth..? |
Uncertainty may make you uncomfortable. Certainty makes you ridiculous.
Why not question something for a change?
Genetic Literacy Project |
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Dr. Mabuse
Septic Fiend
Sweden
9688 Posts |
Posted - 10/17/2006 : 13:23:03 [Permalink]
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15 lousy bucks! That's insane! For a loosing day's work?
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Dr. Mabuse - "When the going gets tough, the tough get Duct-tape..." Dr. Mabuse whisper.mp3
"Equivocation is not just a job, for a creationist it's a way of life..." Dr. Mabuse
Support American Troops in Iraq: Send them unarmed civilians for target practice.. Collateralmurder. |
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Kil
Evil Skeptic
USA
13477 Posts |
Posted - 10/17/2006 : 13:26:42 [Permalink]
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quote: Originally posted by Dr. Mabuse
15 lousy bucks! That's insane! For a loosing day's work?
No. For loosing two day's work. You get nothing for the first day. $15 bucks for every day after that. |
Uncertainty may make you uncomfortable. Certainty makes you ridiculous.
Why not question something for a change?
Genetic Literacy Project |
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Cuneiformist
The Imperfectionist
USA
4955 Posts |
Posted - 10/17/2006 : 13:28:16 [Permalink]
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quote: Originally posted by Dr. Mabuse
15 lousy bucks! That's insane! For a loosing day's work?
Actually, it's for lunch. There's no compensation for work missed. It's "civic duty". Like Kil, I think that being a juror might be fun. But it does cut into the regular day-to-day activities one normally has planned. Like earning a living!
Again, as a grad student, I didn't have that sort of complication. But plenty of others do! |
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Dave W.
Info Junkie
USA
26022 Posts |
Posted - 10/17/2006 : 14:06:44 [Permalink]
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Some of us work for companies that perform their own civic duty by paying for the time lost to jury duty. Mine will let me charge the time to a jury-duty overhead account, instead of using up my earned vacation time or taking leave without pay. So I'll take all the jury duty I can get, 'cause an extra few dollars for a day that I can spend mostly reading is a good one.
However, if the checks handed out by the court amount to more than $20 a day, I have to sign them over to my employer. |
- Dave W. (Private Msg, EMail) Evidently, I rock! Why not question something for a change? Visit Dave's Psoriasis Info, too. |
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Kil
Evil Skeptic
USA
13477 Posts |
Posted - 10/17/2006 : 18:07:15 [Permalink]
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Okay, here is an update. I got called late in the day along with about 20 others to be possible jurors. So far they have only asked preliminary questions to half of us, me included. That means I will have to go back tomorrow as they continue the selection process until completion. At that time I will either be dismissed or decide a case that the judge says will take up to six days. That is, six days until the jury gets the case…
I'm less than thrilled.
The upside is that if I do wind up on this jury, it is a criminal case and it looks like it could be very interesting. (I'm not supposed to talk about the actual case. I am assuming that means in here as well as anywhere else.) So I will not be bored as I go down the tubes…
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Uncertainty may make you uncomfortable. Certainty makes you ridiculous.
Why not question something for a change?
Genetic Literacy Project |
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Ricky
SFN Die Hard
USA
4907 Posts |
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Kil
Evil Skeptic
USA
13477 Posts |
Posted - 10/18/2006 : 17:56:43 [Permalink]
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Update:
Today, attorneys for both the prosecution and the defense asked us questions. Yesterday, only the judge asked us questions. I was as honest as I could be. That got me dismissed. I was asked more questions than many of the other prospective jurors, perhaps because of my long hair. I dunno…
Anyhow, I can't say that I am unhappy about being sent home. I can now go on earning a living so I will not have to resort to robbing a bank to survive…
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Uncertainty may make you uncomfortable. Certainty makes you ridiculous.
Why not question something for a change?
Genetic Literacy Project |
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Original_Intent
SFN Regular
USA
609 Posts |
Posted - 10/19/2006 : 06:32:25 [Permalink]
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quote: Originally posted by Kil
quote: Originally posted by Original_Intent
The bigger fine the better.
I think there should also be a "community Service" fine of a couple of hundred hours for skipping.
Peace Joe
................ I also plan to vote. I wonder what that's worth..?
Less then your time on jury duty....
Peace Joe |
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Original_Intent
SFN Regular
USA
609 Posts |
Posted - 10/19/2006 : 06:43:34 [Permalink]
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quote: Originally posted by Kil
quote: Originally posted by Original_Intent
The bigger fine the better.
I think there should also be a "community Service" fine of a couple of hundred hours for skipping.
Peace Joe
But I'll tell you what. You could help by donating to the Send Kil To TAM 5 cause, just to show your appreciation for my for being here actively loosing money that I need, by fulfilling my civic responsibility.
Gees......... I didn't come hee to be solicited....LOL
(kidding, which dosen't translate well)
Done. I have actually been meaning too... Next time I am sending a check though...... I hate Paypal.....
Peace Joe |
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