Re: [OT] Judge reams out people avoiding jury duty

On 2025-05-21 2:08 AM, Ian J. Ball wrote:

On 5/20/25 5:45 PM, Rhino wrote:
 

A judge in Hamilton, Ontario gathered a whole lot of people who had failed to turn up for jury duty and demanded to know why.
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https://www.thespec.com/news/crime/hamilton-courtroom-fail-to-obey- jury- duty-summons/article_6719b3d0-6d16-58bc-801e-62bf15b3fed1.html
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I've only been called once and I showed up. The defendant made a last minute decision to plead guilty and the whole jury pool of 250 was dismissed so I wasn't there very long.
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I'm under the impression that most Americans feel that only fools fail to wiggle out of jury duty. Is this true? I've never heard anyone on this side of the border express contempt for the notion of serving on a jury although I'm sure everyone called finds it inconvenient. Then again, given the lame excuses offered to the judge in this article, willingness to do jury duty may not be as widespread as I assumed.

 I get jury summons at least about every 2-3 years. I have done 2 juries (and missed being on a third), and I feel like I've done my bit - they should leave me alone now.
 It is hugely inconvenient for me, as a teacher to serve on a jury, and they don't make it easy to move jury duty to, say, summer.
 So...
 

I can certainly understand that. I imagine getting a substitute to fill in for you would be challenging at any time of the school year, particularly if the trial dragged on for week after week as they sometimes do. It would also play havoc with your planning of the year as the substitute - if one could be found - would inevitably do things differently than you. He/she would be faster or slower than you and put emphasis in different areas and maybe even give contradictory information on some points.
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Rhino