What to wear for jury duty?

[tiecollector]

Wear anything that says "I Hate ______"

 

[crazyquik]

Originally Posted by Mr T

I don't have a derby. But I also have never been summoned for jury duty. If I am ever called I will wear cordovan so I can at least admire my own shoes while waiting.

This is good advice.

Also take something to read, like War and Peace.

I have been on jury duty and I wore a suit out of respect for the court. I was mistaken for a lawyer by the deputy who was working the metal detector, because of the dress of everyone else.

Jury duty should be taken seriously. Too many people feel they are too important or busy to have jury duty. But if you were accused of a crime, or the small company you owned was about to be sued out of business, would you want people like yourself on the jury or just "those too dumb to get out of jury duty"?

 

[Bsquared]

Dress appropriate to the seriousness of the forum, but be comfortable. It may very well be a long day. You won't know what type of case it is before you get to the courtroom. It could be criminal or civil. I agree that having a hidden agenda violates the very purpose of the jury selection process. Be yourself and answer the questions honestly.

 

[LabelKing]

The only jury duty I'd be interested in doing would be a high-profile murder case like an OJ.Simpson/Phil Spector type of thing.

 

[JayJay]

I've been summoned three or four times but always dismissed. I've always worn a suit because that's what I usually wear on a daily basis.

 

[Cuff Link]

As a lawyer, I would like to serve on a jury. I have been called twice but never made it past voir dire. I am up again next week. I think I will wear something other than my usual suit and see whether I get picked.


Cuff

 

[juuceman]

are you going to work afterward? if not, what would you wear if you had to go to City Hall/the recorder of deeds/records? Weat that.

 

[sonlegoman]

I've always wanted to do jury duty. I've been given notification two years in a row and it's about time again that I'll be getting the notification (I always get it about 2 months after my dad does). My dad has it next week and every time, we would respond he doesn't understand English, which is the truth. And he always is dismissed without even having to check in. But this year, he has to actually go through with going down to the court house, or whatever the process is (I don't know the process because I've never gotten beyond the picking process to go to the courthouse). I've always just gotten notified and then told to check online and then they tell me that I'm not needed, like I'm no good for them or something.

Also, I've been told that if you say something deliberate trying to get dismissed, the judge will berate you about your lack of civic duty and about how it is important to have good jurors and that if you ever find yourself a defendant, you will want good jurors. It's only fair.

 

[lawyerdad]

Originally Posted by Douglas

You are under absolutely no obligation to dress well. In fact, the better you are dressed, the less likely it is that a defense lawyer will allow you to sit on his jury. If you want to be dismissed almost instantly after you are called, wear a full suit and try to look as much like a businessman as possible. If you want to serve on the jury, jeans and t-shirt will be fine.
What do you do for a living, Douglas? Because clearly you're not a trial lawyer. Do you watch a lot of Matlock?

Originally Posted by stevejobs

To pick up your line of thought...isn't it easy as hell to get out of jury duty by flatly stating you cannot be fair and impartial?
Not necessarily. If the judge senses you're just trying to say things to get off the jury, he/she may find a way to make you regret it. Plus there's the whole you're under oath so you'd be committing perjury thing, which may or may not matter to you.

Originally Posted by Cuff Link

As a lawyer, I would like to serve on a jury. I have been called twice but never made it past voir dire. I am up again next week. I think I will wear something other than my usual suit and see whether I get picked. Cuff
I had the opportunity to do so a year ago. Given the facts/issues of the case, I was pleasantly surprised to be left on. It was an incredibly interesting and informative experience. Good luck. To the OP, I'd echo the advice to wear something comfortable (whatever that means for you) and bring a book. You may do a lot of waiting, and the seating arrangements may or may not be comfortable and modern.

 

[JayJay]

The governor of Indiana was summoned a month or so ago and he did report but was dismissed. He wore casual clothes.

 

[Slim Portly]

The one time I was summoned for jury duty, I arrived at the courthouse to find a screener guiding all incoming prospective jurors to one of two lines, the first for those without jobs who were there to serve, and the second for those with jobs who were there to be dismissed. I asked where the line was for those with jobs who were there to serve. I had to ask three times before the person could answer me. I am saddened by the fact that jury service is more often than not viewed as a chore to be avoided at any cost, and that merely being gainfully employed is often cause enough to be allowed dismissal.

The gentleman who did the jury pool orientation told us that the men with long hair would likely be dismissed by the prosecuting attorney, and the men wearing ties would likely be dismissed by the defending attorney. At the time I had a 24-inch pony tail, and of course I was wearing a tie. Not only was I selected to serve on a civil case but I was elected by the rest of the jurors to be the foreman. It was a great opportunity to do my civic duty.

Back on topic, I suggest comfortable attire above the level of t-shirt and jeans but below suit and tie. Even thusly dressed you will stand out but at least you will do so with dignity.

 

[bobdobalina]

You're not on Centre Street in Manhattan at this very moment, are you, Steve?

If so, wouldn't you agree that the girl in the front row wearing the white sweater is pretty good looking?

 

[JLibourel]

Originally Posted by LabelKing

I would wear a full suit and boutonniere. If it's in the city, I would wear my derby hat.

Last time I had jury duty, almost a year ago to the day, I did wear a full suit, no boutonniere, but a nice puffed pocket square and a gray homburg instead of the derby. As it turned out, I didn't get voir dired for the major case I was sent to. Regardless of my apparel, I would have been dismissed for the simple fact they didn't want anyone knowledgeable about firearms on the jury. The defendant was wearing all three buttons of his ill-fitting suit jacket buttoned. I would have liked to have counseled the youth to unbutton the bottom button of his jacket!

 

[fredfred]

You wear whatever the hell you want to.

Why?

The lawyers are getting paid BIG bucks. The judge is getting paid big bucks. You are getting paid an insulting amount tantamount to worse than nothing.

The winning lawyers should have to pay the jury. Why should everybody working in the room get paid except me as a member of the jury?

I was in small claims on Centre Street (NYC) recently. I was also mistaken for a lawyer more than once. I was defending against a lame-ass claim. I won the case easily. A huge waste of time for everyone involved.

 

[Mr T]

What can I do to increase my chance at being called for jury duty? I am almost 40 and can't fathom how I have never been called. I pay taxes and vote and every junk mailer can find me so why not the judicial system?

I would even continue to draw my regular salary so a long trial would not be a hardship.