Breitbart headline: “Obama wanted by court”.
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I have a few questions. Why was he allowed to show up after 10? Here in Baltimore you have to be there by 8:30. Did he actually sit with all the regular people? I once got called in the same day as our Mayor at that time (Sheila Dixon), but they somehow managed to give her a private office while the rest of us were crammed into two rooms. And, of course, which questions did he give the offensive answers to to be dismissed? Lol. Did he claim he couldn’t be impartial?
I love that guy. Stupid term limits. And I love that he showed up. Jury duty is a civic duty and should be treated with more respect.
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Haaaaaaaahahahahaha…you win!
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It´s $17.20, and potential jurors get it even if not chosen.
Yes, I read about it somewhere beforehand – over the weekend, I think, but I don’t remember where.
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They always call more jurors than they need for a few reasons (no-shows, eliminations by court/defense/prosecution for various causes, etc.). So he was juror 738 or whatever and was never selected for a trial jury pool. It sounds like he never faced voir dire.
Voir dire (jury selection) can get strange. I was eliminated in one case because the judge recognized me, having been a record clerk when he was a municipal court judge. In another, the defense attorney eliminated me. He had a interesting method; he asked each prospective juror two questions, “What’s your zodiac sign?” and “If you could buy any car in the world, what would it be?”. I answered the 2nd question with, “A green Checker sedan”. After that I went home for the day.
As soon as attorneys hear that I am a retired court clerk, I am always excused. I would like to serve on a jury because from my background I feel I am much more open minded than most people. I served on only one jury years ago because the defense attorney ran out of peremptory challenges.
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Things seem to have improved a little in Chicago. During my “Chicago era” I was called to jury duty once that I couldn’t get out of. I took a book with me… and was told I wasn’t permitted to read. Talking also wasn’t allowed. Maddening. This is while waiting to be called up for a jury pool, and that wait can take all day. All there was was TV, and reading and crafts weren’t allowed, nor Walkmans or whatever. Apparently they allow books now. Oh, and I didn’t have the pleasure of watching a Lester Holt video either. (He was probably still in elementary school.)
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I’ve been called four times, but never selected. t was just that by the time they got to my number, they already had enough for a jury. In one case I was eliminated because I didn’t think that anyone carrying a gun was likely to be innocent. The judge tried to argue with me possibly because she herself carried a gun, but the defense lawyer insisted that I be eliminated.
And in another case, I should have been eliminated because one of the lawyers came across as a smarmy schmuck that would never have been hired by a reputable person.
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And he didn’t cash the check anyhow.
Not much of a story. A former president with his secret service entourage would be a distraction and disruption any attorney, prosecutor or defense, could challenge. The courtroom would be a media zoo and its regular business impossible to perform.
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Creme Anglaise sounds a bit treasonous, in a 1776ish kind of way…
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Not going to be a problem for him. I doubt he’ll be leaving the presidency with his citizenship rights intact.
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Many times, the lawyers on one side will be happy to impanel a lawyer but it’s incredibly rare for both sides to be okay with it. So It usually only happens if the side that doesn’t want it is out of peremptory strikes.
Up all of that to the third power in the case of this particular lawyer.
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My wife was my paralegal for many years, Once she was called to jury duty and actually made it to a panel. During the general questioning one of the lawyers ask if anyone on the panel knew any of the parties, either of the lawyers or the judge or anyone on his staff. My wife raised her hand and the lawyer, looking down at the list, asked, “Mrs. Byers, who is it, you know?” She responded “the judge.” “How do you know him.” “My husband and I were at a dinner with him last Friday and he accidentally spilled some of his wine on my blouse. He was embarrassed but it was very funny.” The judge laughed. She looked at him and said, “It came out in the wash.” She was excused. I have been called several times, but have always been excused before Voir Dire.
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True of course; everyone knew from the first he wouldn’t be selected. But what’s not to like about a harmless, upbeat and totally non-political story about a very well liked person? A rather fun change of pace, no?
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I made to voir dire once before the DA used a preemptory on me. The second time, I flat ass forgot about it, frantically ran to the county website and discovered to my relief that my number was among those dismissed without having to appear. Whew.
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