[blindlaw] jury duty in Virginia?

[Daniel McBride]

Mr. Frye:

I have tried over 75 felony and misdemeanor jury trials in my career.  Only
once has an attorney ever made one of those juries, and that one was by
default; the defense attorney and I both had greater needs for our three
preemptory challenges.

I never had to  deal with the issue of a blind person on a venire panel.
However, given the well-researched effect that "body language" and eye
contact has on jurors observations of witnesses, attorneys and party
participants, I would have to have some extraordinary circumstances to let a
blind venireman survive my preemptory challenges, especially from the defens
side.

Being blind myself, if it was I sitting in the defendants' chair, I would
not want a blind juror on my jury.  But, that's just me.

Dan McBride
Fort Worth

-----Original Message-----
From: blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
Behalf Of Frye, Daniel
Sent: Friday, August 24, 2012 11:48 AM
To: Blind Law Mailing List
Subject: Re: [blindlaw] jury duty in Virginia?

Increasingly blind people and lawyers are being permitted to serve on
juries. Perhaps Virginia is unique in resisting these communities, but I
know several blind, active bar members who have been called and have been
selected to serve on juries. Maybe you'd enjoy the experience. I'd love to
have the opportunity to be part of a jury's deliberations. I think,
depending on the subject matter, that the opportunity for observation and
thought would be fascinating.


Daniel B. Frye, J.D.
Management and Program Specialist 
Randolph-Sheppard and Helen Keller
National Center Programs
U.S. Department of Education 
Office of Special Education 
and Rehabilitative Services 
Rehabilitation Services Administration 
550 12th Street, SW, Room 5023 
Washington, DC  20202-2800 
(202) 245-7308 office 
(202) 245-7591 fax
(410) 241-7006 mobile
daniel.frye at ed.gov



-----Original Message-----
From: blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
Behalf Of Mike Gilmore
Sent: Friday, August 24, 2012 12:08 PM
To: blindlaw at nfbnet.org
Subject: [blindlaw] jury duty in Virginia?

Hi everyone,
 
This is for those of you who practice in Virginia.  I recently received a
summons for jury duty.  Unfortunately, the questionnaire that I filled out
had nowhere on it that asked if I was a member of the bar nor is there a
place to write "blind. please excuse." When I lived in California, a simple
phone call to the court telling them I am blind got me out of jury duty
permanently.
What is the process in Virginia? I'd like to avoid wasting my time and the
court's time by going down there and getting to voire dire and they see that
I'm a blind active bar member. I appreciate your insights.
 
Thanks.
 
Mike 
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