Well, that was interesting

[mitchntx]

I spent all day in the Jury selection process.

Civil trial where a local restaurant was sueing the business manager for damages suffered during the restaurant's construction.

We were told that the trial is expected to take 5-7 days and the dollar amount was substantial. Oh great ... there goes TWS ... I just knew I was gonna be seated.

Voir Dier took over 4 hours ... started with ~150 jurors and had 3 cuts. I was in the final 30 and they were gonna seat 15 jurors ... 12 with 3 alternates. Oh great ... there goes TWS ...

When the last name was called and it wasn't me or the 14 others, there was a collective sigh of relief.

I've served on 2 juries before and while the process is interesting and we all need to serve, I was not looking forward to this one.

[Fbody383]

I've served on 2 juries before and while the process is interesting and we all need to serve, I was not looking forward to this one.

I hear you but I would much rather serve and there be some intelligence and common sense on a jury; just in case I ever need the same.

[jeffburch]

I was the foreman last time I served, thankfully.
I had to borderline bully them a bit.
They wanted to debate issues that were prohibited.
Would've been there several days.
I got us out after only one day
jb

[ShadowBolt]

I spent all day in the Jury selection process.

Civil trial where a local restaurant was sueing the business manager for damages suffered during the restaurant's construction.

We were told that the trial is expected to take 5-7 days and the dollar amount was substantial. Oh great ... there goes TWS ... I just knew I was gonna be seated.

Voir Dier took over 4 hours ... started with ~150 jurors and had 3 cuts. I was in the final 30 and they were gonna seat 15 jurors ... 12 with 3 alternates. Oh great ... there goes TWS ...

When the last name was called and it wasn't me or the 14 others, there was a collective sigh of relief.

I've served on 2 juries before and while the process is interesting and we all need to serve, I was not looking forward to this one.


I served on a wrongfull death jury and it was intersting as hell. I was going to walk out prior to Voir Dier when the judge told us that anyone that wanted to leave could, but then he shamed me by telling us if we wanted to keep seeing deals like the OJ trial don't serve. So I served!

JJ

[AllZWay]

I have been very lucky.... I was called on once back while in college and got out of it.... since then...20+ years and have never been called on again.

[michaelmosty]

It seems like I get called to jury duty every year, only was selected once and it was a great experience.

Trial was a sexual assault case a female crack-head filed on a guy. She was 33 and had been on drugs for 19 years. She was the most pathetic and sad person I have seen in my life.
If I had kids I would have taken them to the trial and told them, "this is what drugs will do to you", it would have solved our nations drug problem. :shock:

OK so it wouldn't have solved our drug problem but she was still pretty darn crazy!!

[mitchntx]

This trial finished Wednesday of this week! :shock:
8 days of testimony!

Jury found in favor of the Plaintiff and awarded the property owner over a million dollars!

[gt40]

I've been called for Jury duty probably 8 or 10 times.

I've sat in exactly ONE jury -- and I think that was because only a very small number of folks actually showed up (I think we barely had enough.) And that was for a flipping SPEEDING TICKET! We pretty much nailed him with the maximum fine for wasting our time.

Every time the lawyers hear I'm an engineer, they toss me out. I don't think they want anyone on a jury that can actually think critically.

[Fbody383]

And that was for a flipping SPEEDING TICKET! Dude doesn't deserve a fair trial? What about being ticketed for a missing front plate? Hit and run? Weapons possession?


We pretty much nailed him with the maximum fine for wasting our time.

Why not give him credit for standing up to "the Man?"

IMHO, the issue is juries trying to not have their "time wasted" instead of making the State prove their case.

The defendant is innocent, until and only after, the state proves their case.

Be the kind of juror you would want to have hearing your case.

[michaelmosty]

And that was for a flipping SPEEDING TICKET! Dude doesn't deserve a fair trial? What about being ticketed for a missing front plate? Hit and run? Weapons possession?


We pretty much nailed him with the maximum fine for wasting our time.

Why not give him credit for standing up to "the Man?"

IMHO, the issue is juries trying to not have their "time wasted" instead of making the State prove their case.

The defendant is innocent, until and only after, the state proves their case.

Be the kind of juror you would want to have hearing your case.
Perfectly said Dave!!!

What was the evidence presented by the state? I've always been curious as to how speeding tickets are presented b/c of the lack of evidence the state has to show.
I have gotten 5 speeding tickets in my life and I have always taken care of them outside of a court room b/c I was in the wrong. If I got one I truely didn't deserve I would want to stand up and fight for it.

I have deserved all the tickets I have received. Has anyone gotten one they didn't deserve and fight it in court? Just curious how the evidence is presented.

[AI#97]

I have deserved all the tickets I have received. Has anyone gotten one they didn't deserve and fight it in court? Just curious how the evidence is presented.

Um, it's presented by state witnesses that are recongized experts as to why you are GUILTY before the verdict...honeslty, it's a complete waste of time to fight it unless you are hoping there was a technicality on the ticket form being filled out incorrectly or that the cop won't show up. Beyond that, the jury will say "GUILTY" for wasting their time and the judge is going to side with the cop. Not what I would call a fair trial so pay the $115 and take defensive driving and be done with it.

Oh, and stay the fuck out of Carrollton...they have NAZI's for cops and a hotlist of people who file complaints on officers...guaranteeing you get a ticket every time they see you!!! MF'rs...

[rpoz27]

Got a racing and speeding ticket in Keller once. Had Martin take the racing part to court. Got out of it because the cop didn't actually witness me pulling a Mustang. All he got was both of us speeding on radar, which happened to be during deceleration, thankfully. Some paragon of society pulled over and harangued the cop into writing the racing ticket. Took less than an hour in court to resolve with the city atty.

Fought one other when I was in my early 20s. Truly didn't deserve the ticket. Once again, took less than an hour to resolve with the prosecutor in Houston. Didn't get me completely off the hook, but made it infinitely more palatable and was worth it because I would have borne the burden of proof in a trial.

Given the option and a reasonable defendant, most cities will prefer to resolve tickets this way rather than with the cost and time of a jury. Won't always get a defendant completely off the hook, but the prosecutor can waive fines and plead down a charge until it's worthwhile to accept the offer.

If you go to a jury, especially without representation and massive proof that you didn't do it, for a ticket, you're probably f@#k'd. Officers are designated official witnesses and their word is considered proof.

[michaelmosty]

Officers are designated official witnesses and their word is considered proof.
Gotcha, that is what I was curious about.

[Fbody383]

Officers are designated official witnesses and their word is considered proof.

Their testimony is considered evidence. The state will argue that an officer is a "trained observer" and should be given credence; it is up to a jury to decide whether or not they are believeable.

I sat on a jury that heard a speeding citation. The foundational issue is that you are innoncent until proven guilty by the state. The officer was not believeable and there were two others members that voted not guilty before I did.

I would have hung the jury on it - over a speeding ticket.

Yes, you read that right. I would have sat in the jury room, spending our tax dollars, until we reached a unanimous verdict or the judge declared it a mistrial. It doesn't matter that it's only a speeding ticket; what matters is that the defendent gets a fair trial.

If you're not willing to listen to all the evidence and weigh it all in context, tell the judge and the attorneys and get dismissed. Don't take away the rights of a citizen to challenge the State to prove its charges in open court.

For disclosure purposes, I am a cop's kid.

Next week's lesson: Jury Nullification

[silversvo]

I recently got a speeding ticket for 80 in a 70 and the officer pulled me and another car over saying we were both going 80 and he didnt even have a radar on. I was actually going 73 which is what my speedo said when I saw the officer coming up on me and the guy in next lane was passing me. I think the officer wanted to mess with me because I was in my mustang. I am fighting the case now in court because I know I wasnt speeding. The other guy pled guilty and took defensive driving. I am sure I will end up taking defensive driving before the trial begins as they usually reset it for trial a few times before jury selection and all teh crap.

I also have had numerous speeding tickets when I had my street bike which I got one for failure to control speed when my rear tire blew out on me doing 80mph on the freeway and caused me crash( I crashed at 20mph or so very minor accident). I took the ticket to court and the officer said that she couldnt prove that I failed to control the speed as the bike was out of the road and was on the kickstand when she showed up. it got dismissed... only time I ever had a ticket dismissed while going to court on it.

[ShadowBolt]

Officers are designated official witnesses and their word is considered proof.

For disclosure purposes, I am a cop's kid.


Me too. My day was a DPS officer for 33 years. Part of that teaching at the academy in Austin.


JJ