Why is not showing up for Jury duty a punishable offense while not voting is not?

[TheCoxwain]

Aren't both civic responsibilities of equal importance?

[Tangerine LaBamba]

1. I think they are,

but one is a right, which you own, and you can choose to exercise it or not, at your discretion.

The other is a responsibility you take on as a contributing member of society - it just comes with the territory of growing up and achieving majority - and you don't have much say about it.

That's my theory, anyway............................................

[TheCoxwain]

4. that sounds convincing enough ..

Thanks
:)

[Tangerine LaBamba]

11. You're very welcome -

every once in a while, I'm reminded of the first year of law school, and it's nice to know some things stuck.

:toast:

[NNN0LHI]

2. Anyone stupid enough to not want to vote shouldn't

[ddeclue]

3. Freedom of expression - not voting is in itself a form of political expression

[onenote]

9. We have a winner.

The fact that no one else on this thread recognized the distinction is somewhat disturbing.

[varkam]

23. Ding ding ding!

[Stephanie]

5. Because if everyone votes, Republicans lose.

Next question.

[ShortnFiery]

6. I don't know but I just got TAGGED a second time for Jury Duty.

:shrug:

[Cirque du So-What]

7. I once heard a lament that cases are decided by juries

composed of individuals who aren't clever enough to talk their way out of jury duty.

Not *my* opinion, mind you.

[tangent90]

13. It's one of those jobs nobody wants...but are certain the other guy can't do it right.

:shrug:

[Tangerine LaBamba]

14. No one has ever "talked

his/her way out of jury duty."

I've watched the best at work, and they failed. That's one of those old canards that keep coming up because people don't know any better.

I thought for sure I'd be excused from jury duty because of my long career as a litigator.

I ended up at the jury foreperson, though. Told them not to do it, but they did it, and they lived to regret it........

[SoCalDem]

19. The best jury story I ever heard:

My friend was on jury duty, and one of his cohorts tried to get out of it by saying the trees near the courthouse were blooming and she was terribly allergic to them.

Without skipping a beat, the judge called his aide and told him to call UCR agriculture department, and find out when those trees quit blooming.. Then they kept questioning the others on the panel..

Fifteen minutes passed, and the judge called on the allergic lady, and told her to report back for jury duty on a specific date...(well past the time the trees quit blooming).. and told her that if she did not show up, she would be held in contempt..

No one else tried to get out of it.. at least on that day,.. with that judge:evilgrin:

[Tangerine LaBamba]

20. I believe it

Judges know all the tricks, believe me. Everyone thinks they've come up with something new. They haven't.

I was once rejected for jury duty, though, because I was just getting over a bad case of bronchitis, and I had a terrible (and very loud) cough.

Got my forty bucks, though, which I thought was really wonderful........................

[Lucky Luciano]

24. So, I am guessing that telling the judge that

you can usually tell immediately by looking at someone whether they are likely to lie or not, then the judge is going to think that you are full of shit and just trying to play him/her?

[valerief]

8. Must be like not showing up for a congressional subpoena. Phfft! nt

[Tangerine LaBamba]

15. You've never been called for jury duty,

have you?

It shows.

You end up in the slammer if you don't report.

Pffffffft that..................

[valerief]

21. I should have added the sarcasm tag. You'd think not showing up for congress

after being subpoenaed would warrant a greater punishment than not showing up for jury duty. In this world, it apparently doesn't.

[Tangerine LaBamba]

22. Well, I guess the Founding Fathers

didn't want the Legislative Branch to invade the territory of the Judicial Branch, but, you know, I don't think it would be a bad thing if Federal Marshals were sent out to "retrieve" the people live Rove who thumb their noses at those impotent little documents - because they can.

I agree. It sucks.

(And, without the sarcasm emoticon, it's really hard to make an excellent point in cyberspace - annoying, ain't it? I thought you were being SERIES!!!!11111 Thanks for reinforcing my belief in the intelligence of DU members.)

:toast:

[TEXASYANKEE]

10. Up until a few years ago ...

Only registered voters were in the Jury Duty Pool in Dallas. So I didn't get tagged for jury duty until I registered to vote for the first time (for Gore). They changed the rule a few years ago and now everyone living in the county who registers for a drivers license is in the Jury Duty Pool.

I've been called to jury duty 3 times and have served on one jury. I was impressed with the people I served with.

[Tangerine LaBamba]

16. So was I

After almost thirty years of talking to juries, I was finally on one when Virginia changed the law that had forbidden lawyers from serving on juries.

I was pleased to see how seriously everyone took the responsibility.

The system, regardless of the OJ murder trial, really does work just as it's supposed to................

[tangent90]

12. Jesus, don't give 'em ideas!!!

:scared:

[Brazenly Liberal]

17. Because voting is just about YOUR rights

Serving on a jury is about someone else's. If you want to give up your rights, that's unfortunate but it's your decision. Making the decision for someone else is more than unfortunate - it's morally and legally wrong. When you fail to show for jury duty, you're denying the defendant his/her constitutional right to a jury of his/her peers.

[rucky]

18. People have the right to be ignorant.

but if they don't vote, they shouldn't be allowed to complain.

[BlooInBloo]

25. Because one is a right, while the other is a duty. Durr.

[donheld]

26. I do not want everybody to vote

People who are too stupid or lazy to really figure out what's being voted on, what the stakes are, etc, should stay the hell home. We need responsible voters.