Ignoring jury duty request

Buddhist ethical conduct including the Five Precepts (Pañcasikkhāpada), and Eightfold Ethical Conduct (Aṭṭhasīla).
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altar
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Re: Ignoring jury duty request

Post by altar »

I just received a summons. I postponed my duty for a year. Personally I think I will basically follow davidbrainerds suggestion even if he was making fun. I wouldn't mind showing up at court for a day but I recoil at the thought of pronouncing someone guilty. Especially because the punishment will be out of my hands.
ieee23
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Re: Ignoring jury duty request

Post by ieee23 »

If you don't do it other citizens will have to. The justice system protects people and it needs jurors to function. Why should other citizens who no more and no less equal than you are have to do that whereas you will not because you simply do not like it? It would be shoving your responsibilities off onto others. No disrespect.
Whatever a bhikkhu frequently thinks and ponders upon, that will become the inclination of his mind. - MN 19
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DNS
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Re: Ignoring jury duty request

Post by DNS »

Perhaps only slightly off-topic, but how about abolishing the jury system? Let's face it, it is mostly only those who don't find an excuse to get off of jury duty who serve. Do we really want our justice system decided by those who couldn't get out of it? I know, there are some very conscientious people who serve and perform their civic duty, but I'm talking about the majority of cases.

And if you have any kind of background in law, law enforcement, criminal justice, corrections, they dismiss you. It is like they want a jury of people who know nothing about the law. Why not hire full-time jurors who serve in that capacity on a full-time basis and know the law? They could be pulled from a variety of backgrounds to make sure it is diverse and would be paid a full-time salary. Or alternatively a panel of judges, of about 3 to 5 deciding the cases.
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altar
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Re: Ignoring jury duty request

Post by altar »

just wrote a letter asking to be excused
mal4mac
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Re: Ignoring jury duty request

Post by mal4mac »

polarbear101 wrote: Fri Sep 29, 2017 3:56 am Just go. You'll likely sit around for a few hours, buy a mediocre sandwich, and then go home after sitting around for a couple more hours. It's not that bad. Of course, if you get selected for questioning or whatever then you'll probably want to find some way to honestly suggest to them that you are not a good candidate for the task.

Good luck!
That may be the case in CA! In the UK they grab you for at least two weeks, maybe many months if it's a big murder case (or the like). They choose 12 people out of 16, so you are likely to be chosen. If you aren't chosen you are still on call for other cases for two weeks. I had a long bus journey (2 hours) to the court, with a long walk in the early winter morning as well. I ended up with vomiting sickness at the end of the two weeks due to the strain, and bad food; at least I got out of the last day due to this! If I'd had to do that journey, followed by the difficulties in court, and eat that food, for several months, I'd have been a total wreck.
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Re: Ignoring jury duty request

Post by mal4mac »

ieee23 wrote: Sat Nov 04, 2017 8:49 pm If you don't do it other citizens will have to. The justice system protects people and it needs jurors to function. Why should other citizens who no more and no less equal than you are have to do that whereas you will not because you simply do not like it? It would be shoving your responsibilities off onto others. No disrespect.
There could be several reasons, in a flawed justice system and a flawed society there is no reason why you should not try to stay in reclusion. In my case the flaws were largely geographical - I live in one of the longest counties in the UK, the court was right at the south, I was right at the north. I have no car so it was an awkward two hours bus journey, with about 40 mins walking on top, and having to set off really early in the morning and wait 90 minutes for the court to open. Reading the fine print afterwards, I might have been able to make a case for not attending on geographical grounds. Once there I did read the fine print and told them they should be providing a taxi for me - and they just laughed, even though it was there in black and white that "unreasonable travel time" would mean a taxi would be provided. Use any true excuse you can think of to get out of it! Read the fine print to find "get out" clauses. If I'm chosen again I'll argue strongly against attending, and if they say "you're doing it!" probably refuse to turn up and suffer the £1000 fine, it's better than two weeks on the hell bus!
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JMGinPDX
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Re: Ignoring jury duty request

Post by JMGinPDX »

Here's another angle...
How about using the summons, and reporting for duty, and potentially waiting around for hours just to be dismissed....as part of one's practice?
Aren't we all working towards accepting things as they are and not getting caught up in the discriminating mind? Doing something we don't really want to do (that doesn't force us to violate the precepts, that is) seems like a perfect opportunity to put the practice to the test and learn something.
It reminds me of the story about Sumedho going to Ajahn Chah and reporting on how wonderful and non-contentious and smooth everything was at the new monastery, to which Ajahn Chah grunted "you'll never learn anything that way!"

Seems to me going along with the annoying and inconvenient realities of life is part of the way we manifest the teachings.

And, if you DO get selected, what better person to be fair and compassionate and balanced in their judgment than someone who spends large portions of their waking hours cultivating those qualities on a larger scale than most of the others in the jury room? You could actually be of great benefit to other humans in their time of suffering (both the suffering of the plaintiff and the defendant and all the witnesses).
Right now, it's like this...
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m0rl0ck
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Re: Ignoring jury duty request

Post by m0rl0ck »

Many jurisdictions in the US issue bench warrants for ignoring jury duty. Which is not really a big deal until you call the cops or get a traffic ticket and then you could be in for a hefty fine or even jail time.
“The truth knocks on the door and you say, "Go away, I'm looking for the truth," and so it goes away. Puzzling.” ― Robert M. Pirsig
mal4mac
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Re: Ignoring jury duty request

Post by mal4mac »

JMGinPDX wrote: Fri Dec 01, 2017 10:31 pm Here's another angle...
How about using the summons, and reporting for duty, and potentially waiting around for hours just to be dismissed....as part of one's practice?
Yes, I tried that, but it's very difficult. Too many disturbances. Maybe only very advanced mediators should do jury service :buddha1:.
Last edited by mal4mac on Sat Dec 02, 2017 11:54 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Ignoring jury duty request

Post by mal4mac »

mal4mac wrote: Sat Dec 02, 2017 11:52 am
JMGinPDX wrote: Fri Dec 01, 2017 10:31 pm Here's another angle...
How about using the summons, and reporting for duty, and potentially waiting around for hours just to be dismissed....as part of one's practice?
Yes, I tried that, but it's very difficult. Too many disturbances. Maybe only very advanced mediators should do jury service :buddha1:.
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mal4mac
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Re: Ignoring jury duty request

Post by mal4mac »

Sorry, wrong posting, please delete mods!
Last edited by mal4mac on Sat Dec 02, 2017 12:02 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Ignoring jury duty request

Post by mal4mac »

mal4mac wrote: Sat Dec 02, 2017 11:56 am :anjali: :quote: :jumping: :rolleye: :popcorn: :reading:
:sage: :juggling: :tongue: :toast: :shrug:

My jury. I'm the one in the hat-^
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Leeuwenhoek2
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Re: Ignoring jury duty request

Post by Leeuwenhoek2 »

Digity wrote: Tue Sep 26, 2017 9:51 pm Do you see anything morally wrong with being summoned for jury duty and just ignoring the summon even though that's technically not legal?
It being right or wrong probably depends on the reasons for ignoring it.
Also the country that you are a citizen of might make a difference.

So what reason do you have for ignoring the summons?

:embarassed: It's seems odd to me that someone didn't ask you that question much sooner!

Seems a bit un-mindful not to ask.
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Re: Ignoring jury duty request

Post by binocular »

DNS wrote: Sun Nov 05, 2017 2:41 amPerhaps only slightly off-topic, but how about abolishing the jury system?
Yes, the way they have it in probably most countries around the world. And perhaps Americans are so sue-happy because of the jury system ...
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altar
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Re: Ignoring jury duty request

Post by altar »

my request was denied...
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