[nagdu] Jury duty

[Jenine Stanley]

Oh Lynn, 

I agree that everyone should serve their jury duty if possible. Having been
on county common pleas and federal juries now, I have to say that it was a
great experience both times but the feds were the best by far. 

I thought surely I wouldn't be chosen for the federal jury but because they
were looking for people with experience with contracts, which I've had as a
grant administrator and at GDF, I was chosen. It was beyond fascinating to
try the case and see how things worked. We had a good group of jurors too. 

It's sad to hear that some courts still discourage blind people from
completing the process of jury service as really, save for some very
specific situations, there's no reason a blind person can't serve. 

Jenine Stanley
jeninems at wowway.com


-----Original Message-----
From: nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf
Of Lyn Gwizdak
Sent: Friday, December 30, 2011 4:15 PM
To: NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users
Subject: Re: [nagdu] Jury duty

Lori,
Don't assume that the court will excuse you for your blindness.  Are you
called for county jury service in the Superior Court or the Federal Court? 
they both do things differently.

Some of the things one can get a permanent excuse and to be taken off the
list is if you are elderly or have a disability that prevents you from
serving.  My sister gets excused because she is developmentally disabled and
she can't understand the proceedings in a court room.  Her blindness has no
effect on this.

Like I said, who knows what is in the minds of the lawyers when I get
excused during jury selection on any given case. The lawyers can dismiss any
potential juror for any reason and they don't have to tell you.  Maybe it is
the blindness.  Maybe I'm not handsome enough - their loss! LOL!

When I did serve as a juror and went the whole way I found it very
educational.  I think most people should do it at least once.  That
particular case ended up as a "hung jury" where we couldn't convict on the
rules and law the judge set for us.  In the courtroom, the judge is God and
we work with the law as he or she interprets it.  No democracy there!

While on this jury, I sat in the front row of jurors with my guide dog
there.  It was a female yellow Lab named Olivia.  I'm sure the defendant saw
her - he had been bitten by a police dog when he got arrested.  I got a kick
out of the fact that he was bitten by a dog and he had to sit there and see
my dog.  We were on that case for about 3 weeks and Olivia learned where the
jury enterance was located withoout my giving her commands.  What was funny
was that that dog remembered where that jury door was YEARS later when we
happened to pass that courthouse!

Lyn and Landon
----- Original Message -----
From: "loriandleo" <loriandleo at ohiohills.com>
To: "NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users" 
<nagdu at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Thursday, December 29, 2011 5:45 PM
Subject: Re: [nagdu] Jury duty


> Thanks Lyn. I'll call in when I'm supposed to and see if I get called in 
> or
> not. Who knows , once they see my questionaire and see that I'm blind they
> might dismissme. But we'll see. Take care.
>
> Lori and theGipper
>
>
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