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Got a Dallas grand juror summons. What to expect?

14,562 Views | 17 Replies | Last: 5 yr ago by culdeus
culdeus
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AG
This sounds bad. Google isn't super helpful. Had to send back a big questionnaire.

It doesn't sound like they force you to do this. But not totally clear. Might be an on and off three month commit?

Or not. Honestly can't even get the slightest detail here.
powerbelly
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AG
IIRC it is a fairly large, ongoing time commitment.
MW03
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Going off memory here, so probably not 100% accurate...

(1) I believe unlike regular jury duty, grand jury service is totally voluntary
(2) Each grand jury is sworn for 3 months
(3) You usually serve 2 or 3 times a week, and it's usually a half day each time (I actually think there are two panels at any given time, and one meets MWF while the other meets TR, and then it switches)
(4) I think you get paid like $40 per day of service

Goose
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AG
If you have the time and interest and can serve on a grand jury, you'll get to hear about some fascinating stuff you wouldn't ever know about otherwise though.
culdeus
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AG
I live on the far outer edge of Dallas county. It's a 40 min drive in traffic to the courthouse either way, have a job, kids, all that. Would be a huge PITA. If I still lived off mockingbird it wouldn't have been end of the world.

They want me to show up for a discussion with the judge with like 6 people. They keep going I guess until they can come up with 20 for the second quarter.

I'm not dead set against it, but I figure my job will be not super pleased.
wangus12
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AG
If I was still in the entry position at my office, I'd have loved to do it. No it would be darn near impossible to do.
Duncan Idaho
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I would kill to be on a grand jury.

But seriously it would be a cool experience
aggiefan83
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AG
I just did this at the end of last year. I was one of about 300 people, I would guess, in the room.

The judge let us know they were looking for 2 grand juries, one for MWF, and one for TR that meet for 3 months.

They understand that most people aren't able to do this, so they let you know that if that's the case you can use that as your excuse.

At the end, everyone that had an excuse had to stand in one of two lines to tell the judges your excuse for not being able to serve. Mine was that work wouldn't allow it. They probably had 20-30 people stay and fill out the form to move onto the next step in the selection process.

It sounds like you might be doing something a little different, but if not, I would recommend sitting at the front and as close to one side of the room or the other as you can, because they form a line on both sides, and you don't want to be at the back.
culdeus
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AG
I checked with HR and they would support it, but the reality is I'd get so far behind at work I would have to basically work weekends.

I think if it was like a weekly thing not 2-3x a week I could probably swing it for 3 months, but I do travel for work about a week a quarter also, and personal travel as well.

I mean if it's this MWF/TR for 3 months thing I just don't know if I can swing it.
pathAG04
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AG
I was at regular jury duty in dallas 1-2 years ago and when we were in the first big room, before splitting up to go to the different courts, they kind of advertised the grand jury positions. at that time, they said anyone could volunteer. with the time commitment, they suggested retirees. dont know if volunteering is still an option.
duck79
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AG
I was summoned to a grand jury in Collin County last year. IIR, they needed 5 plus 2 alternates and first separated the room into those who "had excuses" and those "interested". From there the judge started calling by summons number to bring each up front. If they didn't have an excuse then they sat in the front row and if they had an excuse he would shame them for a second then send them back to their seat. I believe the necessary seats were filled in the first 20 people and everyone was released.
Joe Schillaci 48
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AG
Years ago when I lived in College Station, I had a friend who was a painting contractor. ie self employed,,,,don't work, don't make money..


College Station is in the federal court district in Houston.

My friend was selected for a Federal Court Grand Jury for a 6 month period. He pled to the judge to release him from the commitment. The judge said he sympathized but he he had to serve.

They did pay hotel and food expenses (plus a few bucks for serving) and they did not meet every day.

Nevertheless he served the whole 6 months.

My wife was selected for a Federal Court jury civil trial. She was selected to serve on the jury. Again they offered a hotel room. Luckily on the first day of the trial they settled the case.



No material on this site is intended to be a substitute for professional sports advice.
Keeper of The Spirits
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I served on a Federal grand jury that met the first Monday of every month for 6 months. I thought it was great. I travel about 80% of the time for my job, but we are committed to our civil responsibilities and made it work. I was basically unreachable from 9am - 12pm and 1pm - 4pm on those days and had to be at the court house. It is interesting to see the wheels of justice turning. We heard 15-20 cases a day, ranging from immigration, bank robbery, guns, drugs, kidnapping and kiddie porn. Our jury had a court's option on extending to Tuesday but the docket was never full enough. It got close once. They would give use a week's notice if the thought it would run two days, but it never did.

It gives you a nice view of how wrong both sides of the legal system can be and how right both can be. Smart people should serve, because many of the people that serve have the belief that they are asking for an indictment they must have done it, they just wanted to vote and leave. They think the trial jury can fix this, but as we know most cases plead out before jury trial rather than risking a jury. Critical thinkers make the process much more fair and help prevent unreasonable indictments.

I live close to the court house so I didn't get a hotel room, but this guy who live 150 miles away got one for 2 nights every time. Total reimbursement for me was about 90 dollars a day.
culdeus
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AG
Yeah they want 2 or 3 full days a week from April to July. Yeah no. Just waiting to GTFO. They could have saved everyone a **** ton of time if they said what this was about.
4133
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So it is voluntary and you just had to show up and then decline?

Otherwise, you should have just rolled into the courthouse brandishing a swastika chain or something. Can't be too hard to earn your disqualification.
Keeper of The Spirits
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AG
They want 2-3 days a week for 3 months. That is crazy, although they told us some of the ones in the DC area are 1 week a month for 18 months, and if you get picked you basically have no choice. One of the practices you will see up close and personal is charge stacking, where the basically charge someone 8 different ways for the same crime and run the potential jail time up so that they can get people to plead out rather than risk trial even if they are innocent. You will likely also hear some stories about some scary ass criminals. You even get to ask the witnesses and prosecutor's questions. The defense and suspect are not present.
Seven Costanza
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This seems like it would be kind of fun if you had the time.
culdeus
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AG
4133 said:

So it is voluntary and you just had to show up and then decline?

Otherwise, you should have just rolled into the courthouse brandishing a swastika chain or something. Can't be too hard to earn your disqualification.


It was completely optional if you showed up.

Those that opted in had to show up again either Thurs or Friday
culdeus
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AG
I will say they had perhaps 500 people there and got 50+ people signing up.
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