Jury Duty CD

[bigmike]

I received a present from the federal court in Detroit today in the form of a potential juror questionnaire. I tried uploading the scanned images of the forms and instructions but got an error message. If someone can help me troubleshoot I'll upload them. They're saved as .pdf files.

Anyway, I find myself a little torn in regards to performing jury duty.

On one hand, I know that I may have the opportunity to use the power of jury nullification to set free a person who hasn't harmed anyone.

On the other, I never agreed to any obligation the government says I have in being a juror and take issue to the use of force in getting me to comply.

Since my checkered background of victimless crimes would prevent me from serving as a juror anyway, I decided that rather than filling out the questionnaire sent to me I'll send a questionnaire of my own. Here's my first draft.

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Dear Sir or Madame,

Thank you for considering me. It's always nice to be obligated to comply with something I have never agreed to do.

I've read through the questions you want me to answer but I will be unable to provide those answers at this time. You see, the questions themselves are not very clear. I am writing you today in an attempt to receive clarification as to the nature of certain questions you require me to answer in your JUROR QUALIFICATION QUESTIONAIRRE sent to me by your organization.

Upon receipt of your answers to my questions I will gladly consider if it is in my interest to comply with your demands and fill out the questionnaire.

Question 1 regarding citizenship: Having limited education in the law, I understand that any time your organization uses certain words the meanings of those words may be defined differently than a layperson such as myself would define them. This will be a recurring concern I have throughout this inquiry as there are many words in your questionnaire that may have different meanings.

Could you please tell me, factually, what is a "citizen", what is the "United States" and what is a "citizen of the United States"?

I realize my questions may seem odd, perhaps comical, but each has more than one legal definition and I need to be clear which definition that is. You organization has clearly threatened me with a penalty of perjury for providing the wrong answer and I need to be sure my answers are correct so that you will not be forced to use violence against me if you deem them wrong.

Question 2 regarding age: If I were younger than 18 years old, would that disqualify me from being a potential juror? Is your organization in the habit of sending this questionnaire to persons younger than 18 years of age? Wouldn't that violate some laws regarding the questioning of a minor by your organization? Please explain how the random selection process works as well as instructions for how I may remove myself from any list of potential candidates you call on in the future, should I decide it is in my best interest to do so.

Question 3 regarding residence: Is this another qualification of a potential juror? Please provide me with a list, or guide me to where I can find the criteria of what qualifications your organization deems a potential juror should have.

Question 4 regarding knowledge of the English language: As I have indicated from my above inquiry regarding question 1, you can see how this question could be confusing as well. Please clarify which version of the English language you wish to know if I read, write, speak and understand; my version as that of a layperson or the versions typically used by your organization where words can mean whatever you want them to mean.

Questions 5, 6 and 7: In regards to your questions inquiring about any legal trouble I may have been involved in you use the term "crime". Again with little knowledge of the law I understand the term crime to be defined as a violation of a law in which there is injury to the public or a member of the public and a term in jail or prison, and/or a fine as possible penalties.

This is very disturbing to me as I understand your organization charges peaceful people with crimes everyday in which there is no injury to the public or a member of the public. Please explain, factually, what is a crime? Also, I'll need to know whether or not your organization will attempt to charge me with a crime should I decide it is not in my best interest to answer your questions. Please explain where the moral authority comes from for your organization to do this.

Question 8 regarding disabilities: If I had a physical disability, doesn't your organization force others to take special actions in order to accommodate me? I'm a little confused as to the wording of the question because it appears that a physical disability may disqualify me from becoming a potential juror. Please explain to me how, and more importantly why, your organization does not comply with the rules you force others to comply with while at the same time your organization is allowed to openly discriminate against those with physical disabilities.

Question 9 regarding exemptions due to employment: Please explain the policy that allows "public servants" to be exempted from performing jury duty. I understand your organization would not expect any military personnel currently serving during wartime to cease murdering people in an attempt to promote the policies your organization seems fit on imposing on peaceful people in other lands. After all, priorities matter. What I don't understand is how someone that claims to have a duty to "serve the public" could possibly be exempted by serving the public?

Questions 10 and 11 regarding race, ethnicity and sex: Again in similar fashion to question 8 regarding people with disabilities, you appear to demonstrate that my race may disqualify me from becoming a potential juror. How is your organization able to do this? Please explain to me how your organization is allowed to openly discriminate against me based on my race, ethnicity or sex.

Also, please explain to me why the Hispanic and Latino option are listed in a group unto themselves. Does your organization consider Hispanics and Latinos superior or inferior to Blacks/African Americans, Asians, American Indians/Alaskan Natives, Whites, Native Hawaiians/Pacific Islanders or others?

Question 12 regarding occupation: Please explain your policy on determining how what job I may have may disqualify me from becoming a potential juror.

Question 13 regarding education: Please explain your policy on determining how my level of education may disqualify me from becoming a potential juror.

Question 14 regarding excuse: Your organization appears to offer three reasons deemed acceptable to excuse a person from service as a juror, provided they ask your permission. If I meet one or more of the criteria to be excused, please explain your policy in how it is determined for you to grant my request as it appears to be at your discretion. If it is in fact up to your discretion, please explain what other excuses I may provide that would possibly excuse me from serving as a juror.

Question 15 regarding marital status: Please explain your policy on determining how my marital status may disqualify me from becoming a potential juror.

Regarding statement 16: Please explain, factually, how I could commit perjury by answering your questions to "the best of my knowledge and belief"? How would you know? It would seem that by including this statement in your questionnaire that you may already know the answers to the questions you ask. If this is the case, why bother sending the questionnaire at all?

On the back of your questionnaire you state that trial by jury is a keystone of our system of justice. Explain to me why, then, that judges do not explain to jurors their right to be the ultimate check and balance to government by voting their conscience as to whether the juror agrees with the law the defendant is charged with? If your organization truly believes jury service is so important, why do judges use violence against defendants that try to explain this right to jurors in the court room?

Your questionnaire also states that I must answer every question, with a number 2 pencil, sign, date and return in the form in the enclosed postage-free envelope within ten days. Please explain to me what the penalty is for returning the form to your organization for only answering two questions, written in ink, unsigned and undated, in an envelope of my choosing, with a stamp not forced to be paid for by taxpayers, in 13 days, stapled, taped and possibly glued together? Are there separate penalties for each "crime"?

Lastly, I notice you include the Privacy Act Statement. How thoughtful. However, if the statement is true, please explain how your organization forces me to provide my social security number to your other branches such as the DMV, licensing boards and even to your own branch if I happen to appear as a defendant in court and a judge tells me to provide it. Is it voluntary or isn't it?

I eagerly await your response so that I may provide the answers your organization seems intent on forcing me to provide.

Sincerely,
Mike Tiner

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I may tweak it a little.

[Becky Thatcher]

I like it.  Good job.  Please keep us posted on their response... if they do respond.   

[bigmike]

I like it.  Good job.  Please keep us posted on their response... if they do respond.   

Thanks. I have a feeling I may mysteriously find my way out of their system

If I knew there wasn't a chance of being disqualified for prior convictions I'd consider showing up when called just to see how long it would take to give me the boot for passing out FIJA pamphlets.

[Free libertarian]

 I like your letter. 

[John Edward Mercier]

I like it.  Good job.  Please keep us posted on their response... if they do respond.   

Thanks. I have a feeling I may mysteriously find my way out of their system

If I knew there wasn't a chance of being disqualified for prior convictions I'd consider showing up when called just to see how long it would take to give me the boot for passing out FIJA pamphlets.

How did you qualify for the federal jury system?
I avoid the NH system by never registering to vote.

[Ogre]

Does NH still use voter rolls? I know a number of states changed to tax rolls awhile back to catch more people.

I like the idea of your letter, and your letter is nice. Personally, I always serve on the jury when I'm called (all of twice in my life) just because I like the power of jury nullification.

[John Edward Mercier]

It seems they use the voter rolls, and now include licensed drivers 

[bigmike]

It seems they use the voter rolls, and now include licensed drivers 

I never tried removing myself from the voter rolls but have no license anymore so it can't be that.

[K. Darien Freeheart]

I personally look forward to jury duty. I don't have an obligation to come when the government calls, but I'd show up if it can protect a non-aggressive person from being hurt by the state.

[AntonLee]

I personally look forward to jury duty. I don't have an obligation to come when the government calls, but I'd show up if it can protect a non-aggressive person from being hurt by the state.

This is the stance I take.  I don't want to take the day off, unless of course it might just save someone some jailtime because I hung the jury.  I'd love to give a guy getting caught selling dimes a get out of jail (for the moment) somewhat freer than he would be card.

[RevDebbie]

The last time I was summoned for jury duty, I wore my clergy collar.  I sat next to two other clergy persons in the jury room.  As they were letting all the jurors break for lunch, the three of us were called into the Jury Manager's office.  He said to us, "I know you all have better things to to today than sit here all day."  He gave each of us a letter stating that we had done our jury service and told us we were free to go.  As we were leaving, he said, "But don't let any of the other jurors see you leaving with those letters.  Put them in your pocket." 

LOL! 

[KBCraig]

I personally look forward to jury duty. I don't have an obligation to come when the government calls, but I'd show up if it can protect a non-aggressive person from being hurt by the state.

Thank you.

Unfortunately for most potential jurors, they have no idea what the case will be about, or if they'll be selected as jurors, until they've given up 1-2 days (sometimes more) of their regular paying job, only be offered a pittance in return that won't pay for parking and lunch.

I've been on two juries. In the first case (about 17 years ago), before I began taking freedom principles seriously to heart, I was "summoned" by a phone call from the city hall of my small (pop. 2,600) bedroom suburban community, asking if I could please be a juror. Someone had received a speeding ticket and asked for a jury trial, which had never happened in the memory of anyone connected with the city. They finally found six jurors to show up, but the defendant didn't. The municipal judge (pastor of the church around the corner; I never even knew we had a judge!) thanked us for coming, banged the gavel, and declared the defendant guilty in absentia. The jurors were invited to pick up their checks from the city clerk: Six. Whole. Dollars.

At least it was my day off, so showing up didn't cost me anything.

About 7 years ago I was selected to be on the jury in a federal civil trial for medical malpractice. The plaintiff had suffered a bad outcome, but the evidence didn't show that it was the doctor's fault. I was voted foreman of the jury. The initial jury vote was 11:1 in favor of the Lawsuit Lotto. After much discussion (and threats from the judge to keep us in session all weekend unless we reached a verdict), the others agreed with me that the doctor wasn't liable, but the hospital was (because their nurses didn't notify the doctor of post-operative complications).

The plaintiffs (husband and wife) seemed happy; their lawyers were crushed. I considered that a good sign that we had done right.

[bigmike]

*bump*

I got word that another questionnaire was sent to my last known address a few weeks ago, but no response to my letter accompanied it. I don't think I'm going to spend any time responding again.

Too bad. I would have been interested in reading their response.

[K. Darien Freeheart]

I sent a letter in similar tone to the Social Security Administration when I told them I was opting out of the program.

I got a crappy form letter back. Bureaucrats are no fun, I tell ya. We write letters, paint signs, build seige walls... They copy, paste and rubber stamp forms. Every vestige of their humanity is killed by government, I think. It's so sad.

Odds are, you won't be selected even if you show up. You've sent that letter which will now be stapled to the questionarie. It might be best to simply tell them you've moved so they don't issue a warrant if that's what they're going to do.

And just for fun, I think you should tell them you moved to Pensacola, FL.

[Russell Kanning]

cool letter

having a gang of criminals demand that you show up and legitimize their system has never appealed to me