Dreading jury duty iin

79% Normal
17 Comments

I have to go to jury service and I am dreading it, the thought of going makes me feel sick.
I've looked up what happens.
You sit in a room of 70 plus people and wait for your name to be called, when it's called you get up and walk to the front and answer questions infront of everyone, if the defence decide they want you on the jury you can be there for up to a month.
As if the room of 70+ people wasn't enough the idea of sitting in a courtroom is horrible, then there's the lunch break you spend with complete strangers, I can imagine myself sitting on my own surrounded by people getting on.
I have social anxiety and this whole thing sounds like my own personal he'll I'm so worried. IIN?

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79% Normal
Based on 56 votes (44 yes)
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Comments ( 17 )
  • Freedom_
    10 years ago

    The trick is to want jury duty and you'll never get it. This is because they don't want people who want to be there. They want mindless drones who will go with whatever ruling gets them out the courtroom quickest. Please don't be a drone, but rather a thoughtful, constructive challenge to your government. You have a rare opportunity to make a difference in society... even if it's just a who-stole-the-cookie-from-the-cookie-jar? case.

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    • Wyomingite
      10 years ago

      That is so f*cking true!!!! I've been dying to get called in to serve my fellow Americans since I turned eighteen! I want to be a happy little cog in our beautiful(and yes, flawed) legal system! I love complex moral conundrums and healthy debate between professionals! Lawyers and forensics people presenting their arguments to win my vote? Fun times!
      Also, your cookie jar thing just gave me a warm, fuzzy childhood flashback to those Wee Sing videos. :D

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  • RoseIsabella
    10 years ago

    I got a Doctor's note last time. If you're being treated by a medical doctor for the anxiety you can probably get a doctor's note to excuse you.

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    • thegypsysailor
      10 years ago

      I disagree with you on this one. It's a right and a civic duty and it should be something every citizen, rich or poor, should do willingly.
      It will be good for this poster to have to do something that makes him uncomfortable, and not tuck his tail between his legs and run away to hide his head in the sand. At least once.

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      • Anonymous Post Author
        10 years ago

        But is it also not the duty to be the best possible juror you can be, to pay utmost attention to the case at hand and weigh up the evidence in a constructive manner?
        I will be so nervous and anxiousiI'll barely be able to talk without mumbling let alone paying attention while suffering panic attacks, my social anxiety is rather strong

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        • thegypsysailor
          10 years ago

          How do you know?
          After the first 15 minutes, I doubt you'd be at all concerned with yourself, but intrigued by our legal system in action.
          You're quitting, before you even try.
          Anyway, you probably won't get through jury selection, so go, do your duty and then go home satisfied that you accomplished something you thought you couldn't do.

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          • Anonymous Post Author
            10 years ago

            I will go, but I do know that it'll happen, it happens to me in a shopping centre and I don't even have to speak to anyone there

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      • RoseIsabella
        10 years ago

        I trust you understand that neither you nor I know OP well enough to make any real judgments on his/her fears re: this situation.

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  • dinz
    10 years ago

    Look the best thing you can do is to not think about it too much. I been to jury service and you only have time to talk about the case itself so you should be able to contribute to your fellow jury members.

    Yeah the first part of jury service can be daunting, all you do is walk up the centre of the court room and towards the front and make the final walk to the jury stand. The defendant lawyers will either scream "challenge" (thus you are not selected) or they will say nothing hence once you sit down, you are officially part of the jury.

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    • Anonymous Post Author
      10 years ago

      Do you walk as a group through the courtroom or individually? Because I think I'd freak out, I don't think I can do that

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      • dinz
        10 years ago

        I can't speak for all court rooms but how it worked, we all walked to the gallery (where the public can sit) and we were called one by one to do the walk as described in my last post.

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  • thegypsysailor
    10 years ago

    You don't really have a whole lot of choice; it's your civic duty.
    Perhaps it will help with your "social anxiety".
    Anyway, you have no choice; man up!

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    • Anonymous Post Author
      10 years ago

      Social anxiety is not a matter of manning up.

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      • thegypsysailor
        10 years ago

        Man up to your civic duty, which you've already said you'd do. Social anxiety? I still think it's a self induced problem, but that makes no difference in this thread.

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        • Anonymous Post Author
          10 years ago

          Personally I think it's down to a fucked up family tree

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  • Mersaphe
    10 years ago

    The only time I had jury duty I had to get there early in the morning and sit in a room full of 70 people for about 4 hours, after that a lunch break, then sitting there again for 2 more hours. At the end they never called anyone and I realized I basically wasted my whole day

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  • FairlessDave
    10 years ago

    It's only normal if you've never done it. If you still dread it after you've gone to jury duty then it's not normal. I despise those who try and get out of it, or worse even lie once they get there to get out of it. Grow up.

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