Jury Duty

Started by Invicta1
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Invicta1

Invicta1

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A friend of mine just finished up residency this past summer and started working as a hospitalist in the past month or so and just got summoned for JD. He was saying by California law being a physician does not excuse one... of course I've read elsewhere, but not seen actual documentation or spoke to any officials, etc. I have no clue. I was wondering if any residents or docs in CA have been excused or if you've actually had to go in person, sit and wait for selection, etc... or if just postponing multiple times is a viable option.

I
 
Invicta1 said:
A friend of mine just finished up residency this past summer and started working as a hospitalist in the past month or so and just got summoned for JD. He was saying by California law being a physician does not excuse one... of course I've read elsewhere, but not seen actual documentation or spoke to any officials, etc. I have no clue. I was wondering if any residents or docs in CA have been excused or if you've actually had to go in person, sit and wait for selection, etc... or if just postponing multiple times is a viable option.

I
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Why do you not want to serve on a jury?

It is an essential part of what makes America a reasonable place to live.
Besides, it is likely that most of us will be sitting on the other side of the jury at some point. Wouldn't it be nice to understand how they work ahead of time?

Most trials are short, a week or two. Very few are long dragged out ordeals.It is educational and enlightening and by putting your intellect in the pool, a correct decision will help a.) keep someone out of jail who should not be in jail b.) put someone in jail who should be in jail, c.) compensate someone for a serious harm done to them or d.) fail to compensate someone who was not harmed.

It's what makes our nation one of the best. If not you then who should serve?

In my state, there were no exemptions for anyone. I was on two and it was a good experience. Eyeopening to say the least.
 
He's been in 1 already... as I have as well... so it's not a new experience. Secondly, he's less than one month into his job and just into his loan repayment .. you've gotta love that... so the finances just AREN'T there yet. And no, he doesn't get paid his normal salary while gone to jury duty.
 
3dtp said:
Why do you not want to serve on a jury?

It is an essential part of what makes America a reasonable place to live.
Besides, it is likely that most of us will be sitting on the other side of the jury at some point. Wouldn't it be nice to understand how they work ahead of time?

Most trials are short, a week or two. Very few are long dragged out ordeals.It is educational and enlightening and by putting your intellect in the pool, a correct decision will help a.) keep someone out of jail who should not be in jail b.) put someone in jail who should be in jail, c.) compensate someone for a serious harm done to them or d.) fail to compensate someone who was not harmed.

It's what makes our nation one of the best. If not you then who should serve?

In my state, there were no exemptions for anyone. I was on two and it was a good experience. Eyeopening to say the least.
Click to expand...

:laugh: how lame :laugh:
 
Invicta1 said:
A friend of mine just finished up residency this past summer and started working as a hospitalist in the past month or so and just got summoned for JD. He was saying by California law being a physician does not excuse one... of course I've read elsewhere, but not seen actual documentation or spoke to any officials, etc. I have no clue. I was wondering if any residents or docs in CA have been excused or if you've actually had to go in person, sit and wait for selection, etc... or if just postponing multiple times is a viable option.

I
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True. No exemption in CA. I got called when I was a resident and couldn't get out of it. Even got a letter from the residency explaining that if I got put on a trial I couldn't graduate with my class and would have to stay an extra month. That also would have cost me my job that I and gotten for after graduation too. They didn't care. They are civil "servants." They couldn't care less about anything.
 
3dtp said:
Why do you not want to serve on a jury?
Most trials are short, a week or two. Very few are long dragged out ordeals.
Click to expand...
Like most docs if I'm not working I'm not getting paid. A "short" trial that lasts "a week or two" means I lose a third to half of my month. That means no mortgage payment, bills, loan payment, etc. The "justice" system in this country is so broken the last thing I want to do is waste half a month, sink myself deeper in debt and listen to a pack of lawyers babble.
 
Invicta1 said:
A friend of mine just finished up residency this past summer and started working as a hospitalist in the past month or so and just got summoned for JD. He was saying by California law being a physician does not excuse one... of course I've read elsewhere, but not seen actual documentation or spoke to any officials, etc. I have no clue. I was wondering if any residents or docs in CA have been excused or if you've actually had to go in person, sit and wait for selection, etc... or if just postponing multiple times is a viable option.

I
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As docB notes, there is no law, in California or any other states, that says a physician can be excused or not.

I have been called several times, both as a graduate student in psychology and as a physician. I have never been selected. Was told by a attorney friend of mine that they will often excuse anyone with a psych background or physicians, whom they believe are "more intelligent than the average person" (quotes as the statement is not mine) and wouldn't easily be swayed by either side of the legal system.

Perhaps I just look smarter than docB! 😉
 
As a hospitalist, it would seem that he could probably postpone until he had a planned time cycle off so it shouldn't be a big deal. The Los Angeles County Medical Association also offers assistance to doctors trying to get their Jury Duty rescheduled/reduced/waived. Don't know about other counties. Your friend might try looking to his/her county medical association to see if they offer similar assistance
 
It's a "jury of peers" right? What the hell are we doing there then?

I hear expressing very strong opinions about every single subject is a good way to not get selected.
 
Thanks for the input all. In regards to LACMA apparently they can reduce the appointment to 1 day only and to a court of your choice for the nominal fee of $300 membership for new physicians in their 1st five yrs of practice or $60 for residents.
 
One of my attendings put an end to being called for jury duty. Every time he was called up and interviewed to be put on a trial, he somehow managed to get the statement in: 'I am an orthodox jew, I firmly believe in an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth. I am also pretty sure that that person is guilty, after all he was arrested for the crime, and the police wouldn't arrest an innocent person' .

After a couple of cycles they just scratched him from their rolls.
 
Kimberli Cox said:
Was told by a attorney friend of mine that they will often excuse anyone with a psych background or physicians, whom they believe are "more intelligent than the average person" (quotes as the statement is not mine) and wouldn't easily be swayed by either side of the legal system.
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So essentially they are saying they want someone less intelligent that can be easily swayed. Great. That gives me lots of confidence that truth and justice are being diligently pursued in the courts.
 
Go in there wearing a white robe, carry a bible with you, and try to convert everyone you come in contact with. Also talk about the death penalty a lot. They will run you out of there like you've got the plague.
 
boston said:
So essentially they are saying they want someone less intelligent that can be easily swayed. Great. That gives me lots of confidence that truth and justice are being diligently pursued in the courts.
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Unfortunately, too true. Now everyone starts to understand why some of the frivilous law suits have been succesful.

I agree with 3dtp. I have tried to serve on a jury multiple times, but have been excluded. I would appreciate the opportunity to sit as a jury member in either a civil or criminal trial.


Wook
 
docB said:
Like most docs if I'm not working I'm not getting paid. A "short" trial that lasts "a week or two" means I lose a third to half of my month. That means no mortgage payment, bills, loan payment, etc. The "justice" system in this country is so broken the last thing I want to do is waste half a month, sink myself deeper in debt and listen to a pack of lawyers babble.
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Whereas the person working at Walmart for minimum wage does get paid if they're not there? Or someone making $20,000 a year will not be hard pressed to pay their bills if they miss work? I understand the point you're making, but it's the same problem for everyone regardless of position. I don't want to have to waste my time either, but let's be honest- even in residency we have the opportunity (or at least to a greater extent than many) to put a little away for contingencies. With the jury system being as crucial as it is to our justice system, there should be a simple non-violatable law that EVERY employer must continue to pay full time wages for any employee serving on jury duty. At least if we want to fool ourselves into thinking we have anything resembling a system that has an chance of working.
 
DRDARIA said:
Whereas the person working at Walmart for minimum wage does get paid if they're not there? Or someone making $20,000 a year will not be hard pressed to pay their bills if they miss work? I understand the point you're making, but it's the same problem for everyone regardless of position. I don't want to have to waste my time either, but let's be honest- even in residency we have the opportunity (or at least to a greater extent than many) to put a little away for contingencies. With the jury system being as crucial as it is to our justice system, there should be a simple non-violatable law that EVERY employer must continue to pay full time wages for any employee serving on jury duty. At least if we want to fool ourselves into thinking we have anything resembling a system that has an chance of working.
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Nah. Won't work. What about the self employed? What about people who make their money from comissions or tips? We're screwed no matter what. The last thing we need is another unfunded mandate. The current system's a total failure. I suggest professional juries. Smaller, better educated, paid by the state. For civil litigation the plaintiff pays the costs (even if they win, that's the cost of doing business just like my malpractice insurance). Residents need exemption. I really would have lost a whole month, my graduation and my future job if I'd gotton stuck on a case.
 
docB said:
Nah. Won't work. What about the self employed? What about people who make their money from comissions or tips?
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They all file a tax return which can be used as the basis for lost-income reimbursement.
 
turkish said:
Go in there wearing a white robe, carry a bible with you, and try to convert everyone you come in contact with. Also talk about the death penalty a lot. They will run you out of there like you've got the plague.
Click to expand...

f_w said:
One of my attendings put an end to being called for jury duty. Every time he was called up and interviewed to be put on a trial, he somehow managed to get the statement in: 'I am an orthodox jew, I firmly believe in an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth. I am also pretty sure that that person is guilty, after all he was arrested for the crime, and the police wouldn't arrest an innocent person' .

After a couple of cycles they just scratched him from their rolls.
Click to expand...


If you write a letter when you get your summons you can get a deferment for a few months, but if have to go down there using the tactics mentioned above will get you off, just dont over do it and get the judge mad at you.

I think jury duty could be an interesting change for a few days but any longer than that would get painful fast, but as a doctor you are very unlikely to get chosen.
 
To everyone here who things physicians shouldn't be required to attend jury duty:

Get off your f'in high horse and suck it up like everyone else. Nobody likes it, but it's only a few times in your life you have to do it. What makes you any more important than the other schmoes who get called? Give me a break.
 
toofache32 said:
To everyone here who things physicians shouldn't be required to attend jury duty:

Get off your f'in high horse and suck it up like everyone else. Nobody likes it, but it's only a few times in your life you have to do it. What makes you any more important than the other schmoes who get called? Give me a break.
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I think I missed the thread in which someone-anyone, was saying that physicians shouldn't be required to attend jury duty. Rather I thought we were having a discussion about the fact that it is required.
 
Kimberli Cox said:
I think I missed the thread in which someone-anyone, was saying that physicians shouldn't be required to attend jury duty. Rather I thought we were having a discussion about the fact that it is required.
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That's my point. Why should it not be required for us like it is for everyone else.
 
Kimberli Cox said:
Was told by a attorney friend of mine that they will often excuse anyone with a psych background or physicians, whom they believe are "more intelligent than the average person" (quotes as the statement is not mine) and wouldn't easily be swayed by either side of the legal system.
Click to expand...

Wish that was true! I spent 9 days on a criminal jury trial last year, having clearly stated my profession as psychiatrist and my several family members employed in the criminal justice system, but to no avail. Honestly, I think that in my borough of NYC they are so desperate for educated, fluent citizens nothing will discount you as a potential jury member. Everyone on the jury of 12 + 4 alternates had at least a year of college education, there were 3 people with graduate degrees, and 2 police officers.
 
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