Jury duty

[So the Heroes Fall]

So wondering, if during a pre-screening interview I went on some rant along the lines of "I think the justice system is bullsh**t, they won't even let me smoke weed!", would that disqualify me from any jury, or just drug cases?

Also do they do background checks on any prospects? Like let's say in California they find out someone was an active organizer for the Yes on Prop 19 campaign. I think that fact would probably eliminate them from any drug cases.

[Grumps]

So wondering, if during a pre-screening interview I went on some rant along the lines of "I think the justice system is bullsh**t, they won't even let me smoke weed!", would that disqualify me from any jury, or just drug cases?

Also do they do background checks on any prospects? Like let's say in California they find out someone was an active organizer for the Yes on Prop 19 campaign. I think that fact would probably eliminate them from any drug cases.

Background checks?  Seriously?   They can't f[inks]ing people to show up....get serious, brtd.  The courts don't have enough money to cover your parking for the day.

[Torie]

So wondering, if during a pre-screening interview I went on some rant along the lines of "I think the justice system is bullsh**t, they won't even let me smoke weed!", would that disqualify me from any jury, or just drug cases?

You can do better than that. One of my law partners during voir dire states that he as a matter of conscience in PI cases, will not award pain and suffering damages. That does the trick for those kind of cases. You might also say as a grand unified disqualifying that you believe in jury nullification, and will not convict if the penalties involved shock the conscience (as they typically do in drug cases for example, but it goes beyond that). This old right winger actually subscribes to the jury nullification concept myself. Shocking isn't it? 

[So the Heroes Fall]

Well there aren't many people who don't believe in jury nullification in the sense they'd never consider it (and honestly anyone who wouldn't is probably damn near a sociopath.) Although I suppose jury nullification as a legal concept goes beyond something like "I'm not going to convict anyone for weed." I don't even know if I'd say I believe in the philosophical principles behind jury nullification, but I'd never convict someone of something that I don't have a problem with and oppose the illegality of. Quite frankly I view it as a bit of a moral issue too, it'd bug my conscience as much as something like turning in my neighbors to the Stasi in the GDR.

[Inks.LWC Supports Chuck Hagel]

One of my professors for my law classes, who of course was a licensed attorney herself said that it's mandatory that attorneys be barred from juries and she's been called but ruled ineligible on those grounds. In fact I think I've heard that anyone employed by a law firm is barred from jury duty due to a possible conflict of interest, though in that case non-attorneys become eligible again if they leave their job but anyone who was an attorney is barred for life. Maybe just the law in Minnesota.

I don't believe it's banned here in Michigan, but they ask if you or anyone related to you is a lawyer during the jury selection process, and I'm guessing the judge and/or lawyers would toss you off for that reason.

[Free Palestine]

Mention jury nullification.  They'll inks bricks and you'll be off scott-free.

I despise jury duty, but I would also love love love to be on a jury in a drug case, or on the sentencing phase of a first-degree murder case.  So I can save some poor sap's life.

[Grumps]

So what did you decide to do, Joe?