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Start my BigLaw summer job on 7/23. Just got called for jury duty tomorrow... I want to do everything in my power to avoid being on a jury since the case may run long and conflict with my job. What should I do?

Become a zealous overnight advocate for jury nullification?

Answer the question regarding your either or both of your current education or job status honestly and you will get peremptorily struck

"I don't really think it's fair for me to be on a jury, cause I can read thoughts" -Liz Lemon

Anonymous User wrote:Start my BigLaw summer job on 7/23. Just got called for jury duty tomorrow... I want to do everything in my power to avoid being on a jury since the case may run long and conflict with my job. What should I do?

Why didn't you defer till August or something?

almondjoy wrote:

Anonymous User wrote:Start my BigLaw summer job on 7/23. Just got called for jury duty tomorrow... I want to do everything in my power to avoid being on a jury since the case may run long and conflict with my job. What should I do?

Why didn't you defer till August or something?

I got my May date after deferring twice for being at an out-of-state school. They were not receptive to me deferring it again when the date fell during my summer break, unfortunately

It is EXTREMELY unlikely that you would get placed on a jury that runs from May to July (well, any jury, but that is an unusually long-ass case). Any case expected to run that long is going to be serious and complex, and they're not going to seat someone who has a (serious) conflict. If your job is in another city, you will just tell them and that would be a conflict. If it's not, that's less dire, but it's pretty unlikely they'd seat you if it's going to make you miss the start of a new, short-term job.

There's almost zero chance a trial that picks a jury tomorrow will last through July. Most trials don't last nearly that long.

eta: damnit, nony, scooping me

kaytraco1 wrote:

almondjoy wrote:

Anonymous User wrote:Start my BigLaw summer job on 7/23. Just got called for jury duty tomorrow... I want to do everything in my power to avoid being on a jury since the case may run long and conflict with my job. What should I do?

Why didn't you defer till August or something?

I got my May date after deferring twice for being at an out-of-state school. They were not receptive to me deferring it again when the date fell during my summer break, unfortunately

Ah tough break. Chances are high that your service won't last til the 23rd though so I wouldn't worry about it. Idk what to do if you do end up getting caught up in some long trial though, maybe others have more insight.

when would it be appropriate during voir dire questioning to start talking about familiarity with jury nullification?

Seriously though... if you got put on a jury that ran past July 23rd you would be the most incredibly unusual, unluckiest law student in the universe. It's not going to be an issue. If it is an issue, tell them when they're going through potential conflicts. This is not that big a deal.

2014 wrote:Answer the question regarding your either or both of your current education or job status honestly and you will get peremptorily struck

People think this is true. But it isn't. Lawyers end up on juries all the time.

Anonymous User wrote:when would it be appropriate during voir dire questioning to start talking about familiarity with jury nullification?

If this is the OP, and if you're even remotely serious, stop thinking like this. If the judge picks up on what you're doing, and if he or she is a judge who takes jury service seriously (many do), you're potentially creating a major C&F headache for yourself. Messing around with jury service is way more risky than smoking a joint or shoplifting or most of the other things that TLSers are paranoid about.

If u even make it to an actual trial voir dire, just get yourself dqed. If you're smart enough to get an SA you're smart enough to guess what kind of conflicts of interest and/or opinions the judge/parties won't want on that particular jury

I got called for a murder trial and practically everyone was kicked. They had like 2 massive rooms filled with potential jurors to fill the 1 jury and some alternates

They have to do that for something like a murder trial, which is going to be long - tons of people will have conflicts. Your average 2-3 day trial is going to call way fewer people.

But rpupkin is right - lots of judges hate it when people say shit just to get out of jury service (and it's honestly really clear when that's what's going on) and don't want to reward them.

I saw a guy get out of jury duty by saying he doesn't believe that the Constitution allows a federal gov't. Try that, or, alternatively, tell them that you refuse to be pressed into the service of a gov't that did 9/11.

A fellow intern with me last summer got picked to do jury duty for a case that ended up running 2 weeks. It was a pi gig, not biglaw, but nobody cared that the time was missed.

rpupkin wrote:

2014 wrote:Answer the question regarding your either or both of your current education or job status honestly and you will get peremptorily struck

People think this is true. But it isn't. Lawyers end up on juries all the time.

This is probably because there are so many lawyers that once you use your peremptory strikes on neo-nazis and convicted felons and such that you can only get rid of 2 of the 4 or so lawyers inevitably called for duty.

I would love to be called to jury duty. Whether or not I would ever be seated on a jury is a debate among the legal community. A couple of law professors have said that no lawyer would pick an attorney to serve on the jury. I've actually heard other practicing attorneys say they wouldn't have any problem selecting an attorney as a juror, depending on the case.

I seriously walk to my mailbox every day hoping to open it and see a jury duty notification letter. I have come up empty handed every single time.

rpupkin wrote:

Anonymous User wrote:when would it be appropriate during voir dire questioning to start talking about familiarity with jury nullification?

If this is the OP, and if you're even remotely serious, stop thinking like this. If the judge picks up on what you're doing, and if he or she is a judge who takes jury service seriously (many do), you're potentially creating a major C&F headache for yourself. Messing around with jury service is way more risky than smoking a joint or shoplifting or most of the other things that TLSers are paranoid about.

Sounds like you are speaking from experience.

kellyfrost wrote:I would love to be called to jury duty. Whether or not I would ever be seated on a jury is a debate among the legal community. A couple of law professors have said that no lawyer would pick an attorney to serve on the jury. I've actually heard other practicing attorneys say they wouldn't have any problem selecting an attorney as a juror, depending on the case.

I seriously walk to my mailbox every day hoping to open it and see a jury duty notification letter. I have come up empty handed every single time.

Your professors have probably never appeared in front of a jury. I'm a public defender and would never strike an attorney just because of their profession. The concept of reasonable doubt is so hard to quantify for anyone, let alone a lay person, that it could only help to have someone on the jury who regularly deals with burdens of proof.

A. Nony Mouse wrote:It is EXTREMELY unlikely that you would get placed on a jury that runs from May to July (well, any jury, but that is an unusually long-ass case). Any case expected to run that long is going to be serious and complex, and they're not going to seat someone who has a (serious) conflict. If your job is in another city, you will just tell them and that would be a conflict. If it's not, that's less dire, but it's pretty unlikely they'd seat you if it's going to make you miss the start of a new, short-term job.

I think that was a different poster who said May, not OP. But then, I don't have a purple name, so you would know better than me.

In Texas being a student is an automatic excuse (excuse, not postponement). I think we may be in the minority there though.

necroing bc i'm in a similar position as OP. Went in for jury selection today. Selection is ongoing. Judge expects trial to go on for 6-7 weeks. I didn't say anything today because the judge made it sound like missing work was not an appropriate reason for a postponement. Any advice for how I should handle this, either with my firm or when I go back in for jury selection again? If it helps, this is NY Supreme Court (criminal).

Many people have "bucket list" type things that they want to experience in life.

For some, that may be a luxurious beach vacation, it may be seeing your team win a championship in person, or it could be seeing your child become successful in their career and life. Everyone has different types of experiences they dream for.

For me, it is serving on a jury. I really do think about this all of the time and hope that someday the opportunity arises.

For now, I will just keep checking my mailbox each day hoping to receive that seemingly illusive jury summons.

Anonymous User wrote:necroing bc i'm in a similar position as OP. Went in for jury selection today. Selection is ongoing. Judge expects trial to go on for 6-7 weeks. I didn't say anything today because the judge made it sound like missing work was not an appropriate reason for a postponement. Any advice for how I should handle this, either with my firm or when I go back in for jury selection again? If it helps, this is NY Supreme Court (criminal).

Just be honest. Judge might be a hardass, but in general they're understanding. I was told being a student wasn't a reason, but I told the judge I was a student and wasn't comfortable missing class and he dismissed me.