Sandra Sue Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Because, IrishMiss, race does not always determine
> peers. Sometimes economic status does. Sometimes
> gender does. I was miffed that I was called to be
> selected for a jury in which everyone picked
> except one person was of another race. The person
> on trial was accused of a horrific crime and, for
> some reason, eleven of the jurors must be of his
> race. If they knew they didn't need my race, why
> couldn't I have been at work that day? If I were
> on trial, I would consider my peers people who
> think like me, no matter which race, gender or
> economic status. I guess that's why they quiz the
> people they select.
>
> I wonder if people who are habitual criminals need
> to have a jury of people who have committed
> crimes. Hmm.


They quiz the people they select because the attorneys involved in the case want jurors who are sympathetic to either the victim or defendant. Depends on which party has more money.
IrishMiss's examples with the inner city youths being tried by a jury of old non inner city folks is a great illustration of this.

Actually, in the context of The Constitution, peers would mean citizens. During Colonial times, common citizens were often tried and judged by members of the royal government for the various colonies.

James Bond 007.5 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I had jury duty earlier this year. I listed my
> occupation as freelance writer and photographer,
> and an independent contractor. I wasn't pushed on
> it, but had I been I would have asked to see the
> judge at the bench. And that course of action was
> advised to me by an attorney friend who also knows
> that I shop.


I just got called for jury duty. It really sux because it is the day after Labor Day (I think) and the beginning of the month. How am I supposed to obligate myself to new shops if I have no idea if I will be picked or not?

@ James Bond 007.5 ~ Did you get picked for a jury? Did the IC status help you or hurt you? Yes, I realize that every situation is different but I can not afford to miss more than one day of work.

In Florida, you get a whole $15 per day for jury duty if you are not already paid for you time by your employer. ($30/day after 3 days)

Whoopie! That makes up for one mediocre shop. SMH

Like I said, I can not afford to miss more than one day. I make about $15.00 for every 20 - 30 minutes.

Just say you are biased against the defendant. That you don't know whether you can be objective and not hold your lost earnings against him/her.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/21/2014 06:12PM by BBird0701.

One thing to consider is doing telephone shops from the jury room since most of jury duty consists of sitting around waiting to be told to go somewhere.

But do not book any shops that have to be done from 9 to 5 on a day when you have jury duty, unless the shop is near the courthouse and can be done from noon to 2, which is a typical lunch break for courthouses.

The best way to handle it depends on how your state handles jury duty. In Arizona, it's "one day or one trial," so if you are required to go to the courthouse (as opposed to calling in) then whether you get on a trial or not, you're done for a year. But you could get on a trial that lasts weeks or months. So I wouldn't make any shop plans until you have gone for your first day and know if you will or won't be on a trial. But some states have you on call for 10 days or two weeks or maybe even a month.

In that case, you should go the first day and request to be excused from jury duty because you are self-employed and cannot go more than a day or two without working.

Explain to the judge that the nature of your work is that jobs are offered that must be done in a certain window of time and if you can't do them then, someone else gets the job. It's not like you can do it after you get off jury duty. So that income you could have made is lost forever, but your electric bill still needs to be paid. If you have a day job that pays your salary while your off, don't expect your "side job" of mystery shopping to get you off jury duty unless you can establish that it is a significant part of your income.

Keep in mind, everyone is inconvenienced and loses money on jury duty. You need to convince then that you can't pay your bills without this income.

It's better to be willing to serve, but find yourself prejudiced in some way. I got off a domestic violence case once because I (honestly) had once lived downstairs from a wife beater, was (honestly) upset and traumatized hearing him slap her around, and (honestly) felt "It wouldn't be fair to the defendant if my feelings about that situation influenced me in some way." Some judges just won't let people off unless they are single working mothers with no options for extra child care.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/21/2014 07:55PM by dspeakes.

OJ Simpson Trial: 9 Blacks, 1 Hispanic, 2 White

Gender of Jury Panel: 10 Women, 2 Men.

Don't quote me but I heard (back then) that they were looking for a predominantly black jury panel because they said O.J. was a hero to the black community. (Don't shoot me, I will try to look it up later)

Here: Regarding O.J.

Some other facts about the final jury: (1) None regularly read a newspaper, but eight regularly watch tabloid TV shows, (2) five thought it was sometimes appropriate to use force on a family member, (3) all were Democrats, (4) five reported that they or another family member had had a negative experience with the police, (5) nine thought that Simpson was less likely to be a murderer because he was a professional athlete.

I did not get picked the first day and then inclement weather ended up cancelling the rest of the week. The judge was sympathetic to me but wouldn't budge about the loss of income.

Shop2LiveinFL Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> James Bond 007.5 Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > I had jury duty earlier this year. I listed my
> > occupation as freelance writer and
> photographer,
> > and an independent contractor. I wasn't pushed
> on
> > it, but had I been I would have asked to see
> the
> > judge at the bench. And that course of action
> was
> > advised to me by an attorney friend who also
> knows
> > that I shop.
>
>
> I just got called for jury duty. It really sux
> because it is the day after Labor Day (I think)
> and the beginning of the month. How am I supposed
> to obligate myself to new shops if I have no idea
> if I will be picked or not?
>
> @ James Bond 007.5 ~ Did you get picked for a
> jury? Did the IC status help you or hurt you?
> Yes, I realize that every situation is different
> but I can not afford to miss more than one day of
> work.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/22/2014 08:30PM by James Bond 007.5.

My guess would be that if they knew you were a mystery shopper, both sides would want you to be on the jury (unless they were guilty and trying to hide something). MSers are known to be detail oriented, observant and able to express in words what they saw.

I love the Bathroom Baron. My kids have been grading bathrooms and noting name tags since they were 5 or 6. I think fitness instruction is probably sufficient and I call myself a business services consultant as I create forms, train employees, audit, merchandise etc.

I was called once for a case about harming children. The accused were Hispanic. They picked eleven Hispanics and one white man. When they told us we could leave, I wanted to yell out, "If you didn't want a white woman on the jury, why did you call me?"

Here in AZ, it's just the opposite. My mom served jury duty against a Latina and the entire jury was white. Ten of them were men and at least one was heard during that bit where they interview you to see if you're a good jury member saying we should "shoot 'em all and dump the carcasses back on the other side of the border and see who wants to climb over." And yes, he was picked.