A question for the lawyers

[jamiethearcher]

So I graduated law school this past May, and will be taking the Bar exam on the 26th and 27th of July. Lo and behold, I get a Jury summons in the mail - I am to be available starting July 30 for Jury duty

The best part is that I start my new Job on August 6th, so I only really had a little bit of time in between the bar exam and work - and now I have to mess around with jury duty instead of taking a vacation!

From talking to my classmates, I understand that I will likely be excused from jury duty due to being an almost lawyer - I mean, what attorney would want me on his jury anyways?

So I was just wondering if the lawyers on the board shared that opinion? (actually, if I have you on the thread anyways, any bar exam taking tips would be greatly appreciated )

 

[The Yankee]

Why not just delay the summons if you can and show up later when you might be a certified lawyer then and let them throw you out? I mean, I got a summons to go in the middle of finals, but I put it off to July. Of course, then I had to make a sudden move, but I was ejected on the first day after having been picked for a jury because the lawyers decided to fight for another five years.

Then you have that week to goof off.

Profit.

 

[Elrohir]

I know they once told my Mom that she wasn't going to be on the jury because my Dad was in law school at the time. So you probably won't have to serve.

 

[jamiethearcher]

Why not just delay the summons if you can and show up later when you might be a certified lawyer then and let them throw you out?

I already used up my one mail in delay Now I HAVE to go down to the courthouse according to the summons.

EDIT: I would have had jury duty during my winter exams, so I thought it was a good use at the time, now I am wishing I had just sucked it up back then, lol

 

[The Yankee]

I already used up my one mail in delay Now I HAVE to go down to the courthouse according to the summons.

EDIT: I would have had jury duty during my winter exams, so I thought it was a good use at the time, now I am wishing I had just sucked it up back then, lol

You only had one? I swear I remember being able to put it off again, but I just bit the bullet and hoped I wouldn't be sucked into anything time-consuming.

Maybe it's just different in New York.

 

[JollyRoger]

As a lawyer who generally wants to serve on a jury when called in for jury duty, I will tell you that it is almost impossible to not get struck, so it should be very easy for you to get struck if that is your goal. Being a near lawyer gives you a head start as you present a risk many trial lawyers want to avoid. You would be seen as one that may be able to more easily influence your fellow jurors, so a side that loses your vote is at greater risk of losing easily influenced votes.

 

[jamiethearcher]

You only had one? I swear I remember being able to put it off again, but I just bit the bullet and hoped I wouldn't be sucked into anything time-consuming.

Maybe it's just different in New York.

I can get one more, but I don't think any of the conditions really apply to me:

"Previously postponed jurors may receive a second postponement or an excusal if jury service would create an unexpected hardship or extreme inconvenience because of a grave illness in your family or a similar serious problem that was unanticipated at the time of your first postponement. All requests must be written and describe the condition, your employment status, why you are incapable of serving and the earliest date you can serve. Also include any original signed supporting documentation such as a letter from a doctor. All requests must be received 10 days prior to your service date. No phone calls will be accepted from previously postponed jurors."


I guess there is no real harm in trying.

 

[jamiethearcher]

As a lawyer who generally wants to serve on a jury when called in for jury duty, I will tell you that it is almost impossible to not get struck, so it should be very easy for you to get struck if that is your goal. Being a near lawyer gives you a head start as you present a risk many trial lawyers want to avoid. You would be seen as one that may be able to more easily influence your fellow jurors, so a side that loses your vote is at greater risk of losing easily influenced votes.

Well thats good to hear! P.S. as a Lawyer, Bar exam study tips please

 

[JollyRoger]

Well thats good to hear! P.S. as a Lawyer, Bar exam study tips please

50 MBE questions a day, the rest of your time prepping for the essays.

 

[jamiethearcher]

50 MBE questions a day, the rest of your time prepping for the essays.

Thanks! thats basically what I have been doing thus far. (but I have also been going to my barbri classes

 

[Dida]

Know your 1L stuff and you should be fine. If you can manage law school you can certainly manage the bar. In fact, everything from law school to the bar exam, to being an associate is very easy. When you need to keep your client entertained, then it gets a little tricky.

 

[MobBoss]

So I graduated law school this past May, and will be taking the Bar exam on the 26th and 27th of July. Lo and behold, I get a Jury summons in the mail - I am to be available starting July 30 for Jury duty

The best part is that I start my new Job on August 6th, so I only really had a little bit of time in between the bar exam and work - and now I have to mess around with jury duty instead of taking a vacation!

From talking to my classmates, I understand that I will likely be excused from jury duty due to being an almost lawyer - I mean, what attorney would want me on his jury anyways?

So I was just wondering if the lawyers on the board shared that opinion? (actually, if I have you on the thread anyways, any bar exam taking tips would be greatly appreciated )

Being a lawyer doesnt exempt you from jury duty. My boss just had to do it himself as a matter of fact.

 

[jamiethearcher]

Being a lawyer doesnt exempt you from jury duty. My boss just had to do it himself as a matter of fact.

Oh, I know that. What I was saying is that from talking to people within the legal community, it seems as though it is probable that I will be excused either by the Judge, or one of the lawyers would use a peremptory challenge on me, because, and again, this is what I have heard, lawyers generally don't want other lawyers on their juries.

What kind of case was it that your boss was on the jury for?

 

[MobBoss]

Oh, I know that. What I was saying is that from talking to people within the legal community, it seems as though it is probable that I will be excused either by the Judge, or one of the lawyers would use a peremptory challenge on me, because, and again, this is what I have heard, lawyers generally don't want other lawyers on their juries.

What kind of case was it that your boss was on the jury for?

He was in the pool, but wasnt selected. Sorry if I wasnt clear on that. He was very happy about it tho and was actually looking forward to it.

 

[Stegyre]

So I was just wondering if the lawyers on the board shared that opinion? (actually, if I have you on the thread anyways, any bar exam taking tips would be greatly appreciated )

Most people summoned for jury duty do not serve. This is largely due to the fact that (a) the panel is typically two to three times the number of actual jurors needed, and (b) most cases, even when finally set for trial, still settle (these are the "courthouse-steps settlements" -- it's the last opportunity for the parties to avoid the high cost and risk of trial, and more often than not, they take it).

Attorneys are less likely to serve (or more likely to be stricken) than others. In general, intelligent, well-educated people are more likely to be stricken than those less so. Too many trial lawyers don't like jurors with a history of thinking for themselves.

That being said, my second year in practice in the L.A. office of a large national law firm, in litigation, no less, I was seated and served through a two-week jury trial. As a litigator, I thought it was a great opportunity to see what goes on in the jury room, and it was.

(The trial itself was painfully boring, for some very unusual reasons we don't need to get into here.)

Report for jury duty. As a lawyer, you should be particularly mindful of your duty to do so, and it is we lawyers who really "use" the jurors and require their attendance.

Annecdote: also while I was in practice in California, the Chief Justice of the California Supreme Court was summoned for jury duty. He reported for duty, the same as anyone else.

 

[killercane]

Thanks! thats basically what I have been doing thus far. (but I have also been going to my barbri classes

Somewhat off topic but hey its a good tip: Depending on when you paid for BarBri, you might be entitled to some $$$ pursuant to the class action against them.

http://barbri-classaction.com/barbri/default.htm

 

[JollyRoger]

Somewhat off topic but hey its a good tip: Depending on when you paid for BarBri, you might be entitled to some $$$ pursuant to the class action against them.

http://barbri-classaction.com/barbri/default.htm

In that case, the plaintiffs lawyers and class representaives are going to take home the money. The rest of the class will get a very small amount of money back.

Besides, attending BarBri is totally unnecessary. I bought their study materials from second-hand sources and also bought the PMBR MBE prep (much better than BarBri, imo). Total cost was under $500 and I easily passed. For the state essay part of the exam, I actually learned more from reading the state examiner's comments to past essays (free online) than I did from BarBri's models answers to the same.

 

[Stapel]

Well, I'm not a lawyer to start with, but I have various close friends who work in the Dutch criminal justice system. As prosecutors, as judges or as lawyers. Though they disagree on many subjects, nearly every single justice professional in the Netherlands is prepared to firmly defend our non-jury criminal justice system. Rather interesting, not?

Though I myself think both systems have their pros and cons, I have come to the conclusion a non-jury system is to be picked over the jury-system. What I really dislike about most Dutch justice professionals, is that they fail to make a neutral conclusion! They appear to have a very solid dislike for a jury-system.

 

[joycem10]

The only time I was selected I was dropped by request of both parties, im pretty sure you'll get dropped.

Good luck on the bar, you taking NY? I went to Syracuse and my class had a terrible passage rate on the NY bar, I went to PA and lucked out on my first try.

I'd echo JR's comments, I bought the Barbri tapes and books secondhand and took a class for the PA essays. I almost aced the multistate and barely passed the essays. For me the tapes were key. I was clerking about an hour out of town and would listen to a tapes back and forth starting about 4 months before the test. I had them memorized for the multistate.

 

[killercane]

In that case, the plaintiffs lawyers and class representaives are going to take home the money. The rest of the class will get a very small amount of money back.

Well sure but taking a minute to fill out a claim form for something I consider frivolous and getting $600 back from those sharks aint too shabby.