Jury duty...interesting concept but ...

High time ...high time Indian judicial system came of age picking things from other countries...how have you been top...not seen you for a while...I called you on one of the posts.

@vandana7 I took a break for vacations. I am not sure that I have seen the discussion where you called me. If it is more than 7 days old it is lost with the notifications. I forgot to add that I do not like juries, but maybe is it because I learned criminal law at college : a professional judge follows the laws, a jury follows the gestures of the lawyers/attorneys. In front of judges, gestures are useless, the only important thing is to have made a robust case. I have noticed that lawyers good in front of a jury, are usually bad when they are in front of 3 judges : it is not the same job.

@LadyDuck I follow you completely : professional judges are independent and impartial. I would not tell the same about a jury : we have had a few cases where obviously innocent people were sentenced by a jury. Although we have now a possibility of appeal, they confirm at 95% the first decision, even when a DNA analysis proves that the accused person is not guilty...

@TheHorse Yes, it is fair because the Jurors are professionals. Switzerland had non professional jurors in the past, but the system did not work because they were too much easy influenced. Sometimes people were discriminated due to their origins, while others were privileged. I think that the actual system is very good.

Does the system seem fair to you? Overall, I think our system works pretty well, in spite of the OJ Simpson fiasco two decades ago.

@vandana7 It's always going to be difficult to account for people's prejudices. I think both sets of lawyers can question the prospective jurors to try to root out those they feel may be prejudiced against either the state or the defendant. But of course people can hide their true feelings during the questioning. On the other hand it's actually a good way to get out of serving on a jury. Just pretend you are prejudiced against the defendant for whatever reason (race, gender, sexuality, religion) and the defending lawyers will have you off the jury in no time.

I felt anxious after spending a week (before I was dismissed) in a gang murder trial. Being in a room with a (not cuffed) man who had shot another in the face was strange. I agree that the effects of jury duty on "normal" citizens should be given more thought.

Ah...that is good, but it should also be our choice to walk out. As WorDazza pointed out...it can be disturbing for some.

No. :) We don't have that system. But I was just curious. How do they decide who should be given that jury duty, and how do they know if that person is going to be impartial. And if that person is not confident of being fair, is it possible for them to say no. I wish we have this system in India. It would help.

@vandana7 there is actually...for marriage disputes. Some years ago my colleague was called on by district administration to appear for jury duty , mostly marital problems. Thats why I thought you had been called for such.

@responsiveme .. Really? Wow..I did not know that...

You all seem to be following India's footsteps...:(

@kamruzzaman5ndc .. Honestly, divided, we will become extinct. Our music is unique, our dances are unique, our food is unique, our way of wearing clothing is unique. But if we keep fighting within ourselves as we are doing right now, all these will disappear. Sad but true, isn't it? Chinese have a different music, Japanese have a different music, African music is different, the music in middle east is different, music in different parts of europe (if we exclude the grammy type of music and consider only folk) is different, and so also in America and south america. It is only our music that will have fewer takers if we kill each other. Western music will always find patronage. :( How are differences helping us? On the other hand, if we could become like East African nations ...India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Shrilanka, we would be a real formidable force!

@vandana7 its not footsteps, its a culture of indian subcontinent

@vandana7 Ek Ruka Hua Faisla (A Pending Decision)

@hora_fugit .. I never even heard of that movie! Will see it, its available on YouTube. :)

And which movie is that..... we need to have such jury system in villages ..instead of panchayats.

Have you ever participated in one? And was it easy to give verdict? Did both sides of arguments seem equally good to you? I read a few depositions, and I felt it is very difficult to take a call on some issues.

@vandana7 I never have Vanny. I was up for jury duty once, but they cancel it for some unknown reason.

I kind of like that.

I agree it can't be fair but I would believe that more people who have experienced something either directly or indirectly are likely to bring the feelings of rights and wrongs to the table, right than one single person or two or three judges. Now, think about situation in our country. There was this appeal about LGBT. How can those who are "straight" take a call on "LGBT" being wrong? Judges declared it to be illegal! Simply because it is against the general public consensus? But aren't we talking about crimes that happen against minor section of population? If LGBT is a small group, and they have no rights to their way of living because general people do not LIKE it and are Anxious about it, think about rapists, whom everybody wants sent to gallows. Now, why does the generous consensus not work here? Obviously, the judge or judges are pushing down the gullet and condemning some people to another generation of pain.

That is terrible...because I can be really prejudiced against gamblers and drunkards and idlers.

@TheHorse our legal system 't work

I hope they nailed her butt to the wall. A lawyer friend of mine was involved in a case where these three young (20s) gals embezzled $500,000 from their employer, and honest Indian (from India) man who ran a truck stop. The DA never filed charges because they had "too many cases to deal with" in that county. The girls lost their boats and sports cars, but never did time.

I learned about jury selection in a Grisham novel (was it A Time to Kill?) before I actually experienced it. It was a murder trial. Usually, it's a traffic offense, or some such, and I get to go home that day after a plea deal is reached.

@TheHorse A Time to Kill was his first novel which also became a movie.

How can you be so honest..