An old editorial from the Waco Tribune Herald follows. In this instance, I agree wholeheartedly. I have always accepted jury duty as part of being a good citizen. In all honesty, I know few family or friends who agree with my stance on this matter.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

An old witticism holds that the problem with juries is they're made up of people who aren't smart enough to get out of jury duty. One wonders if that will be so amusing after District Clerk Joe Gimble sends out letters informing the 270 people who simply blew off jury summons this month that they can now explain all this to State District Judge Ralph Strother and why they shouldn't be held in contempt of court.

Onerous government overreach? Hardly. And it's high time.

In laying out the Bill of Rights, the Founding Fathers stressed through the 6th Amendment that citizens charged with a crime had a right to trial before an impartial jury, a right that can be traced all the way back to the Magna Carta of 1215. And while this amendment originally applied on to federal trials, the 14th Amendment helped ensure this also applied to trials involving the individual states.

But federal and state justice systems can't function if citizens ignore jury summons, as is reportedly the case in McLennan County. District Clerk Gimble says on average 70% of people summoned for jury duty don't bother to respond to court notices. We're not talking about people who show up for jury duty to then seek waivers before the judge. And, we're not talking about people who understandably seek to change jury service dates because of other unavoidable obligations. We're talking about scofflaws who in the past have probably gotten away with ignoring jury summons and so feel free to do so again. Happily, Judge Strother is giving the 270 people in this particular case a chance to reschedule their service. Our advice: Take the offer...and fast.

Some of us were a little doubtful when district judges and Gimble warned late last year they would take more seriously those who ignore jury duty, but we're glad to see them actually laying down the law. It's overdue. People held in contempt for failing to appear for jury duty can face fines ranging from $100 to $1000. And those who think they can also ignore Gimble's forthcoming letters are subject to a personal visit by a sheriff's deputy with orders to haul them into court.

Americans should revel in jury service, given it's one of the very few obligations a citizen has. It ensures our courts operate properly. And, with controversial trials continually coming up, citizens should be a part of the equation ensuring that any justice dealt is truly just.

An old editorial from the Waco Tribune Herald follows. In this instance, I agree wholeheartedly. I have always accepted jury duty as part of being a good citizen. In all honesty, I know few family or friends who agree with my stance on this matter.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

An old witticism holds that the problem with juries is they're made up of people who aren't smart enough to get out of jury duty. One wonders if that will be so amusing after District Clerk Joe Gimble sends out letters informing the 270 people who simply blew off jury summons this month that they can now explain all this to State District Judge Ralph Strother and why they shouldn't be held in contempt of court.

Onerous government overreach? Hardly. And it's high time.

In laying out the Bill of Rights, the Founding Fathers stressed through the 6th Amendment that citizens charged with a crime had a right to trial before an impartial jury, a right that can be traced all the way back to the Magna Carta of 1215. And while this amendment originally applied on to federal trials, the 14th Amendment helped ensure this also applied to trials involving the individual states.

But federal and state justice systems can't function if citizens ignore jury summons, as is reportedly the case in McLennan County. District Clerk Gimble says on average 70% of people summoned for jury duty don't bother to respond to court notices. We're not talking about people who show up for jury duty to then seek waivers before the judge. And, we're not talking about people who understandably seek to change jury service dates because of other unavoidable obligations. We're talking about scofflaws who in the past have probably gotten away with ignoring jury summons and so feel free to do so again. Happily, Judge Strother is giving the 270 people in this particular case a chance to reschedule their service. Our advice: Take the offer...and fast.

Some of us were a little doubtful when district judges and Gimble warned late last year they would take more seriously those who ignore jury duty, but we're glad to see them actually laying down the law. It's overdue. People held in contempt for failing to appear for jury duty can face fines ranging from $100 to $1000. And those who think they can also ignore Gimble's forthcoming letters are subject to a personal visit by a sheriff's deputy with orders to haul them into court.

Americans should revel in jury service, given it's one of the very few obligations a citizen has. It ensures our courts operate properly. And, with controversial trials continually coming up, citizens should be a part of the equation ensuring that any justice dealt is truly just.

An old editorial from the Waco Tribune Herald follows. In this instance, I agree wholeheartedly. I have always accepted jury duty as part of being a good citizen. In all honesty, I know few family or friends who agree with my stance on this matter.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

An old witticism holds that the problem with juries is they're made up of people who aren't smart enough to get out of jury duty. One wonders if that will be so amusing after District Clerk Joe Gimble sends out letters informing the 270 people who simply blew off jury summons this month that they can now explain all this to State District Judge Ralph Strother and why they shouldn't be held in contempt of court.

Onerous government overreach? Hardly. And it's high time.

In laying out the Bill of Rights, the Founding Fathers stressed through the 6th Amendment that citizens charged with a crime had a right to trial before an impartial jury, a right that can be traced all the way back to the Magna Carta of 1215. And while this amendment originally applied on to federal trials, the 14th Amendment helped ensure this also applied to trials involving the individual states.

But federal and state justice systems can't function if citizens ignore jury summons, as is reportedly the case in McLennan County. District Clerk Gimble says on average 70% of people summoned for jury duty don't bother to respond to court notices. We're not talking about people who show up for jury duty to then seek waivers before the judge. And, we're not talking about people who understandably seek to change jury service dates because of other unavoidable obligations. We're talking about scofflaws who in the past have probably gotten away with ignoring jury summons and so feel free to do so again. Happily, Judge Strother is giving the 270 people in this particular case a chance to reschedule their service. Our advice: Take the offer...and fast.

Some of us were a little doubtful when district judges and Gimble warned late last year they would take more seriously those who ignore jury duty, but we're glad to see them actually laying down the law. It's overdue. People held in contempt for failing to appear for jury duty can face fines ranging from $100 to $1000. And those who think they can also ignore Gimble's forthcoming letters are subject to a personal visit by a sheriff's deputy with orders to haul them into court.

Americans should revel in jury service, given it's one of the very few obligations a citizen has. It ensures our courts operate properly. And, with controversial trials continually coming up, citizens should be a part of the equation ensuring that any justice dealt is truly just.

An old editorial from the Waco Tribune Herald follows. In this instance, I agree wholeheartedly. I have always accepted jury duty as part of being a good citizen. In all honesty, I know few family or friends who agree with my stance on this matter.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

An old witticism holds that the problem with juries is they're made up of people who aren't smart enough to get out of jury duty. One wonders if that will be so amusing after District Clerk Joe Gimble sends out letters informing the 270 people who simply blew off jury summons this month that they can now explain all this to State District Judge Ralph Strother and why they shouldn't be held in contempt of court.

Onerous government overreach? Hardly. And it's high time.

In laying out the Bill of Rights, the Founding Fathers stressed through the 6th Amendment that citizens charged with a crime had a right to trial before an impartial jury, a right that can be traced all the way back to the Magna Carta of 1215. And while this amendment originally applied on to federal trials, the 14th Amendment helped ensure this also applied to trials involving the individual states.

But federal and state justice systems can't function if citizens ignore jury summons, as is reportedly the case in McLennan County. District Clerk Gimble says on average 70% of people summoned for jury duty don't bother to respond to court notices. We're not talking about people who show up for jury duty to then seek waivers before the judge. And, we're not talking about people who understandably seek to change jury service dates because of other unavoidable obligations. We're talking about scofflaws who in the past have probably gotten away with ignoring jury summons and so feel free to do so again. Happily, Judge Strother is giving the 270 people in this particular case a chance to reschedule their service. Our advice: Take the offer...and fast.

Some of us were a little doubtful when district judges and Gimble warned late last year they would take more seriously those who ignore jury duty, but we're glad to see them actually laying down the law. It's overdue. People held in contempt for failing to appear for jury duty can face fines ranging from $100 to $1000. And those who think they can also ignore Gimble's forthcoming letters are subject to a personal visit by a sheriff's deputy with orders to haul them into court.

Americans should revel in jury service, given it's one of the very few obligations a citizen has. It ensures our courts operate properly. And, with controversial trials continually coming up, citizens should be a part of the equation ensuring that any justice dealt is truly just.

Having been on 4 juries in my lifetime-one summons cost me my job-boss said after I came back to work, "You
didn't try hard enough to get out of it." I can tell you that people who serve on juries are intelligent and actually try hard to determine where the t***h lies. The trials I sat in were 1 DWI-not guilty because it was obvious that her husband was driving, and the sheriff's department's actions in the weeks before indicated they wanted to "get" her for something, so they harassed her each day. Next was an attempted murder with a paring knife-guilty. Next was a murder, first degree with enhancement - used baseball bats-no real motive, which made it sadder. Also guilty. Last was a traffic thing, I think-guilty.

Jury duty is a privilege, and an obligation. It is also interesting. I wonder if those who blew off jury duty would be satisfied with a below average in intelligence, honesty and ethics jury panel if they were ever charged with a crime for which a jury trial was necessary.

An old editorial from the Waco Tribune Herald follows. In this instance, I agree wholeheartedly. I have always accepted jury duty as part of being a good citizen. In all honesty, I know few family or friends who agree with my stance on this matter.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

An old witticism holds that the problem with juries is they're made up of people who aren't smart enough to get out of jury duty. One wonders if that will be so amusing after District Clerk Joe Gimble sends out letters informing the 270 people who simply blew off jury summons this month that they can now explain all this to State District Judge Ralph Strother and why they shouldn't be held in contempt of court.

Onerous government overreach? Hardly. And it's high time.

In laying out the Bill of Rights, the Founding Fathers stressed through the 6th Amendment that citizens charged with a crime had a right to trial before an impartial jury, a right that can be traced all the way back to the Magna Carta of 1215. And while this amendment originally applied on to federal trials, the 14th Amendment helped ensure this also applied to trials involving the individual states.

But federal and state justice systems can't function if citizens ignore jury summons, as is reportedly the case in McLennan County. District Clerk Gimble says on average 70% of people summoned for jury duty don't bother to respond to court notices. We're not talking about people who show up for jury duty to then seek waivers before the judge. And, we're not talking about people who understandably seek to change jury service dates because of other unavoidable obligations. We're talking about scofflaws who in the past have probably gotten away with ignoring jury summons and so feel free to do so again. Happily, Judge Strother is giving the 270 people in this particular case a chance to reschedule their service. Our advice: Take the offer...and fast.

Some of us were a little doubtful when district judges and Gimble warned late last year they would take more seriously those who ignore jury duty, but we're glad to see them actually laying down the law. It's overdue. People held in contempt for failing to appear for jury duty can face fines ranging from $100 to $1000. And those who think they can also ignore Gimble's forthcoming letters are subject to a personal visit by a sheriff's deputy with orders to haul them into court.

Americans should revel in jury service, given it's one of the very few obligations a citizen has. It ensures our courts operate properly. And, with controversial trials continually coming up, citizens should be a part of the equation ensuring that any justice dealt is truly just.

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The Jury duties I've served 1. One was drunk driving. 2. The other was burglary. 3 The other case was about a bitter divorce. I convicted these 3 cases based on the evidences presented.

The 4th one I could not make it. It was about murder case. This I could not handle the details and it was dangerous for me to get involved. So, I told the judge I was sick. I said, your honor, I have a heart problem (AF), and am afraid, I can't handle it. I think I lied a little bit, to save myself from that horrible case. So, I was excused when the final se******n was made. What a relief!

Well I can certainly understand that. Not everyone should sit on jury trials in murder cases, I think. In my case, with the murder, they called up over 80 people, and then had to narrow it down to 12 + 2 alternates. There were 5 young men-21 and younger, and a father of one of them-who were charged. The father was charged with hiding a corpse, which he helped to. Each person had their own trial. The young man they murdered was a kind of hanger-on to this group and they did not like him, so they lured him to a park and beat him and when he would not die, and was running away, they pushed his head face first into the river that ran through the park. Then they tried to hide the corpse, figuring they would come back the next day and retrieve the body, cut it up and take it to one of the perp's grandmother's farm and hide it in an old silo. Fortunately, they used cell phones to make arrangements to meet. One of the 5 really felt remorse for his part in it, and confessed readily, though he did nothing to help the victim or try to stop the crime.....so it did not take long for the police to put the story together. We were not sequestered, though we drove to a parking lot away from the courthouse and were picked up by a bus and t***sported to and from same. The judge asked us each day if anyone had tried to talk to us about the case, and if we had watched any news reports or read anything about the case in the newspaper. No one had been contacted throughout the trial, and I asked my neighbor to pick up my paper and he could keep it. Some reporters were outside the courthouse trying to take pictures of the jury, since our names were not given. I worked at the time for the State of WI Dept of Revenue. The policy was that jury duty pay should be turned over to the state because we got our regular paychecks and did not have to take personal time to serve. But about a week before I received my check, the policy changed, and we could keep that money. We were all treated well during this adventure. I would do it again anytime. I was called one more time, but I was retired and over 70 with a hearing impairment, so I was excused. Not sure what that one was for.