Submitted by lcatlow t3_11imbw7 in WorcesterMA
I've been called for jury duty in Worcester and I'm looking for anyones experience. How long did you wait for? Were you chosen? Did you try to get out of it on your questionnaire? I don’t have a vehicle so I’m trying to figure out about how long I’d be there to figure out rides and just the overall process. I know I can’t be unbiased for many reasons and also cannot afford to take time off from my job and pay for rides. Thanks for anyone’s input!
they did that shit
Maybe, but the prosecution fucked up bad, three times in a row.
that’s a fact
Was called for the Tuesday before Thanksgiving. I went, because it's what everyone should do. At 730a there's plenty of parking in the courthouse lot. I had breakfast before, but there was a cart that sold pastries and coffee, but they only take cash. You will be offered water and there is a restroom available in the jury pool. You can play on your phone or bring a book to read. You have to watch a video all about jury duty and how important it is. It's reminiscent of the pre ride videos at Disney World. Then the judge comes out and thanks you, tells you to expect delays, but they're working very hard to get you out as soon as they can.
In my case because it was the last court day before Thanksgiving, all cases scheduled for that day settled and we were dismissed by 1030a.
I moved to MA in 2005 and was summoned 6 times in the first 8 years I lived in the state. I had to report 3 times. Once in Worcester and twice in Fitchburg. One time I had to wait 4 hours as the one case scheduled eventually settled outside of court. The next one was in Worcester. After a few hours, we were brought in and they selected the jury. I was not selected so I was free to go. The last time I was selected, the one case scheduled went to court and I was selected to the jury. The judge picked me as jury foreman.
Basic case of a guy arguing with his girlfriend and the neighbor called the cops. Police had maintenance unlock the door to their apartment and barged right in. The defendant went to check on the noise and greeted with a officer slamming him into a wall as he rounded the hallway corner. As the officer pushes him into the wall, he also wrestles him to the ground. In the process the defendant puts his hands on the officer. They stated he assaulted the officer and resisted arrest and they threw him down on the ground.
3 officers testified, 3 slightly different versions. The guys gf testified that he wasn’t hurting her, they were just arguing. The defendants lawyer’s questions were clearly aggravating the arresting officer, proving he was a hot head. I think we took 5 mins to conclude he was not guilty. It was definitely a good experience, but the waiting around stinks. Bring a book along with lunch.
FYI you can serve both federal and state in the same year because I had too.
If you're unable to take the time off from your job for a trial, you can straight up say that to the judge when they're selecting jury members and they'll thank you for the time you've spent and send you on your way.
I served on a civil jury for a trial over whether a man was financially liable because his son-in-law had climbed up onto his roof without his knowledge to fix something, then fell off while climbing down. Settling this matter took five days, but I live down the street from the courthouse so it was basically paid time off from work.
I had two, the first one took most of the day; went to interview with the judge and jury and it prob would have been long as it was a medical malpractice lawsuit. I told them I probably couldn’t be biased as I recently recovered from a major surgery so I was dismissed (2015). Second time was like after Covid and it was a Friday. Before noon we were all sent home. I didn’t mind as my employers at the time had a jury duty paid time off option. First time could not bring cell phone in, second time no restriction. Just bring water, snack and book.
I've been called 3 times. All 3 times I just hung around in the waiting area for about 4 hours and was then sent home. One time we were told this was because every case set for that day had either pled out or settled that morning.
As to taking time off from your job - your employer is required to pay you your regular earnings for the first three days. After that the state pays $50 a day.
It’s truly an atrotious deal if it winds up being a lengthy trial, $50/day is a joke in 2023
Believe it or not, most states pay less.
It's weird how the 13th Amendment bans all kinds of compulsory labor except as punishment for a crime, and they definitely could have added "except jury duty doesn't count" but they chose not to, and the amendment is written in plain unmistakable English instead of legalese, impossible to misunderstand, but literally every court in the country says "yeah but we're just gonna make jury duty compulsory anyway."
It took a few hrs to ultimately be seated on a jury. A medical malpractice case, which took the entire week. It was more interesting than going to work, for sure. I was compensated in full by my employer, and also got a couple hundred $ from the state. I would happily do it again.
Starting with how you were selected, think of a bingo spinner. I've been called up five times, I know people who have never been called and are now exempt. Every time is different, you can be picked early or late or not at all. If it's a busy day, one way or the other you'll be there all day. You get a lunch break. Once we were dismissed right after lunch. Out of the five times I served I only sat on two juries. One of those cases was a conspiracy case, it was very interesting and we convicted. After that case I, all of the boredom and inconvenience didn't matter anymore because I got to see something our government does right. Everyone in that jury room that day were completely different people. Different genders, race, ethnicities and political views but we were of one mind in our deliberations with no dissent and justice was served.
I had a great experience. It was an assault with a deadly weapon case out of Douglas, MA. The judge was great and ran a very efficient courtroom. 3 white Douglas cops were looking for a white man that just crashed his car. So they did the logical thing and detained a black man singing while walking to his car. When the suspect didn’t 100% comply, they beat him. Defendant represented himself. Oh and the deadly weapon, was his hands. Judge nixed those charges before deliberating. We came back not guilty on all lesser charges with in 5 minutes. In other places I imagine this trial could have taken a week. However the efficiency of the court system had everything done in a 8 hour day.
second time I was called an old guy (72) had had his license pulled for 6 months
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he had had an old Taurus, drove in Uxbridge and lost his license for 6 month sna dhad hired a lwyer to get it back
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the police officer showed up and just laid out the facts ie swerving
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after testimony the officer just left
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our foreman was all set to convict
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when wegot togetehr as a group, our foreman was all set to convict the guy
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and then I spoke
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a) has anyone here every driven an old Taurus? and then I went into detail about how bad the visibility is
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b) I am a"10 " driver for my comapny and I STILL make errors from time to time
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c) I showed how the old guy was punished enough and had to hire a lawyer (I showed him to be poor and might want to have a license just to see his grandkids)
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d) I talked about the area itself (rt 140 in N uxbridge just south of CVS) and how poor the striping is there
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e) his state of mind (grieving)
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The guy;s lawyer did not go into any detail like this
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but I put enough doubt and spoke withconviction the old guy won
Been called 3 times. Each time I waited for 3 to 4 hours before being let go. Bring a book.
I got called in 2017. It was painless. I didn't get chosen due to my employment. It was a 20-something year old assault charge. Otherwise, make sure your phone is fully charged, charger, bring a book, some cash for the snack cart. Snack cart didn't accept cards even at that point.
Thanks for this! I actually got called too for the end of the month and I’m actually excited
Called 4 times: one to East Brookfield (far), 3 times to Worcester (once in old courthouse).
Never made it to jury, 3 times I hung around pretty much all day before they sent me home (blah). Most recent time they cancelled me the night before (better than going in for nothing).
I served a few years ago and was on a trial, but it only took a day. Once you get inside, they give you a # and I was like 7 (out of 100s) so I knew I was going to be actually serving lol
I had jury duty in Worcester a few years ago. No one was called but we waited for at least 4 hours. I fell asleep in the uncomfortable chairs they provided
This is more the norm. Bring a book.
Just a reminder you cannot bring your phone with you when you are waiting so definitely have a book or a Sudoku or something. Don't try to get out of please.
Mine was maybe 13 years ago, so grain of salt.
Get there early and try to get parking in one of the lots. I was there until just before lunch but wasn't called to serve.
Whole thing was smooth, generally. I think it was the 2nd jury duty I ever had so I found the video amusing, still.
Been summoned for jury duty in Worcester twice now, both times i purposely tried not to get selected by wearing regular casual street clothes and generally not trying to get picked. It succeeded both times and it winds up just being a morning of sitting around for 3 or 4hrs and then going home.
(I am a freelancer so I would receive no benefits from being selected and would be completely screwed financially if I had to be a part of a long jury process)
20+ years ago, I showed up at the old dungeon courthouse in a Bud Light tshirt. For a DUI case. I went home quickly.
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June 8th?
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This is absolutely not true. They can and eventually will charge you with a crime for failing to appear as a juror. Do not listen to this person.
Not true. Failing to respond will eventually lead to a felony charge. I had to sit in front of a magistrate and tell them why I had not appeared for prior notices, and was given a date and time to show up with a warning that if I did not a warrant would be issued. Read more here.
hookhands t1_jaz4r2r wrote
I got called a few years ago for a murder case. I didn't try to get out of serving. I waited in the jury pool for about 2 hours. Then got called into the courtroom and was asked a few questions by the prosecution and the defense. I was picked for the jury and was told to report back for the trial the next Monday morning. I was pretty excited and was going to go out of my way not to look up any information on the case and give this guy his fair right to his day in court. Monday came around and we waited and waited, finally the judge came in and told us she was dismissing the jury and the trial would restart with a new jury in a few weeks. Turns out the star witness for the prosecution refused to show up for court. I was disappointed because it sounded very interesting. Once I read about the case online, I knew they wouldn't find the guy guilty. Turns out I was right.