Re: My county

Recently finished my tour of duty with our justice system. I served on two criminal case juries. One case was road rage, the other was sexual assault. These trials were three days each. Very interesting process.
My age would have allowed me to "opt out", but it's your duty to serves as a US citizen. A bit stressful, though, knowing that your decision could send some one to prison.

On the good side, you get to meet some interesting people, hear some amusing stories from the sherifs, and in NH you get paid $20 a day plus milage. Trials start at 9 or 10AM and run to 4PM with an hour for lunch.

Woud I agree to serve again? Yes.

Ed B
(With a Boxster sleeping for the winter)

Wow!
We get $7 here in FL.
Several years ago I got picked to serve on a Federal RICO case.
The trial went on for 7 months!
I was picked ad Foreman of the Jury and after we rendered our (guilty on 22/23 counts) decision the Judge sent us home with police escort.
Happy Serving,
Pedro

Pedro Bonilla
1998 Boxster 986 - 311,000+ miles: [www.PedrosGarage.com]
PCA National Club Racing Scrutineer - PCA National HPDE Instructor - PCA Technical Committee (Boxster/Cayman)

---

Racecar spelled backwards is Racecar

"Racing is life. Anything before or after is just waiting" ... Steve McQueen as Michael Delaney in "LeMans"

"If you wait, all that happens is that you get older"... Mario Andretti

"Being second is to be the first of the ones who lose" ... Ayrton Senna

Were you squestered for the entire time?
How did the business function?

... sequestered during that time.
Our hours were 9:00 to 5:00 Mon-Fri so I would do office work after hours and on weekends.
When you get stuck in one of those very long trials it really is kind of unfair to those who serve and to their companies.
I've been called a few more times but have been dismissed before the trial began.
Happy Porscheing
Pedro

Pedro Bonilla
1998 Boxster 986 - 311,000+ miles: [www.PedrosGarage.com]
PCA National Club Racing Scrutineer - PCA National HPDE Instructor - PCA Technical Committee (Boxster/Cayman)

---

Racecar spelled backwards is Racecar

"Racing is life. Anything before or after is just waiting" ... Steve McQueen as Michael Delaney in "LeMans"

"If you wait, all that happens is that you get older"... Mario Andretti

"Being second is to be the first of the ones who lose" ... Ayrton Senna

I got my notice this week... have to report in Jan.

Seems I get called every year. A few years ago, I was selected for County and then 1 month later was selected for 2 weeks to report for Federal. Fortunately, at the time, I worked for the County and was paid for jury duty. A few years ago, I was picked for the jury (the only time) but had asked to delay because I was receiving an award on one of the trial dates. Judge tried to work it out, but decided it was easier to have someone else serve.

Yes, it's a civil duty and service. What gets me is how many patients request medical excuses to opt out. I won't sign them unless there is a major disability that will preclude them.

Joanne

... and maybe across the Country, you can opt-out at 70 years old.
If you have the time it really is something very interesting to do.
I know I've learned a lot, and its quite different that how its portrayed on TV.
Happy Serving,
Pedro

Pedro Bonilla
1998 Boxster 986 - 311,000+ miles: [www.PedrosGarage.com]
PCA National Club Racing Scrutineer - PCA National HPDE Instructor - PCA Technical Committee (Boxster/Cayman)

---

Racecar spelled backwards is Racecar

"Racing is life. Anything before or after is just waiting" ... Steve McQueen as Michael Delaney in "LeMans"

"If you wait, all that happens is that you get older"... Mario Andretti

"Being second is to be the first of the ones who lose" ... Ayrton Senna

You got called one day and if selected for one trial. Then you were good for 6 months. If you weren't selected, you were out of there in 4 hours. Quite fair I felt.

I was called 3 times, 2 civil, one criminal. Twice foreman. I'm haunted 20 years later by a juror error I didn't know enough to realize was happening at the time during deliberations in the criminal trial.

In my county, you are on call for seven weeks, with three selection dates. Three or four juries are selected at one time, so you could get picked for more than one.
No one wanted to be on the prison gang murder, but no one had objections on being a juror on the drug sale to an undercover police officer. Maybe because the murder trial was scheduled for six days and the drug sale for one.

Ed B

After serving on Jury duty, I was convinced I'd never, ever do anything illegal that could end up in trial. Some of the things my fellow jurors said and believed about the case were pretty shocking. I knew after the trial that I wouldn't want my fate to be placed in their hands. The one case I served on ended up in a hung jury, and no, I was not the lone holdout.

As far as the Boxster and road rage are concerned, My Porsche seems to attract it. On the highway, I actually drive better in it than when I drive my wife's Prius because i don't want people to think "oh, the prick in the Porsche," but still, the car just attracts idiots. My wife's car, never. I no longer use my turn signal when switching lanes on a highway. More times than not, the driver in the lane I'm moving into will speed up and honk or flips the finger at me, as if to say "no jerk in a Porsche is getting in front of me." I passed this one dude on a steep incline, and when I put my signal on to get back to the right, he had sped up to pass me on the shoulder of the highway at well over 70 mph. I think for no other reason than that I was in a Porsche. I definately was well beyond him when I moved back over. I never get honked at or flipped the bird when driving my wife's car. And, yes, I pass people in her Prius. I always believed that if you get passed by a person driving a Prius, you should have to turn in your driver's license.

I live in a semi-rural county where pickups far outnumber Prius and Porsche cars. I'd think this prime country for resentment. Yet never have I ever seen any aggressive behavior toward me in either car. Careless or stupid driving, yes. Deadly accidents or totaled cars, yes. But not directed at me.

I drove 50 miles up to mid-Raleigh today at 63-78 MPH in the Prius. And I was passed on the left by several Prius cars with drivers of varying demographics. Only problem I had was one delivery truck with a fork-lift hanging off the back. The ribbed tires on the forklift had just collected 2 inch clumps of dirt from driving around a construction site. Every time that truck hit a bump, clumps of dirt were dislodged. That explains the 78 MPH for a short stretch while passing him. I got about a half mile ahead and eased back as he wanted to do the speed limit of 70 in a stretch I'm usually content at 65. Oh and there was the lady texting as the light turned green I beeped at. Didn't lay on the horn and she accepted the gentle rebuke.

Sometimes, even in a Prius, you just aren't worried about MPG. I'm not trying to get the max MPG out of the Prius, and typically drive 5 MPH under the speed limit on a deserted interstate but I'm with traffic otherwise and don't lollygag out of traffic lights so maybe I don't come off as a stereotypical Prius driver. I see reports of aggression against Prius drivers on the Prius forums, so why not against me?

It takes all types to make up a jury. It is up to the judge and the lawyers to make sure there are no biases or conflicts before a juror is seated. Anther reason for alternates.
There are amusing things that happen in the courtroom, too. In one trial, a police witness was Chief Pushee and one of his officers was Officer Bossi. There are instances of people getting caught in cracks in the old wooden benches and having to be extricated.

Careless drivers and road rage is everywhere,worse in high population areas. I have more issues with my F250 than with the Porsche.
What's going to happen when we have self driving cars and there is a system failure? " It's not my fault, the car did it"?

Ed B