Jury questionnaire : I might be getting a contempt of court charge

[homeless]

So this weekend I received a brief survey from the county courts to be used for jury selection. The front half is not a big deal; Name, am I over 18, A US citizen, A county resident, To I speak English, Have my voting rights been revoked, am I a felon, etc.

But the back side blew me away. they were all kind of intrusive but these are the highlights.


1 Marital Status


4 Extent of Education

5 Present Employer and Occupation

6 What other occupations have I had in the past 10 years

7 If Married spouses occupation and employer

8 Do you or your spouse work for or have worked for an insurance company

9 Have you or any immediate family members been a party to a lawsuit

17 List any clubs or organizations to which you belong



So I called the Court House to find out the best way to write "None of your Damn Business" The lady I talked to on the phone got pissed at me when I told her I wasn't going to answer those questions. She said the government all ready knows my employer for taxes, and I retorted that the IRS handles that not the courts and I am still not big on the IRS or taxes. She threatened a judges order against me if I didn't fill it out properly and I told her this is an infringement on my 4th amendment rights to which she replied "what ever".


So I have 9 more days before I have to mail it back. Should I call the judge or just send it in blank?

 

[ATOMonkey]

It's part of the voir dire questions that the prosecution and defense will use in selecting the jury.

Just put "not applicable" in the questions you don't like. Just be prepared to explain yourself.

 

[homeless]

Asking these questions during jury selection after I have already been summoned to the court is one thing. But I am not giving the County Courts information about me in a survey to be filed away.

 

[308jake]

I agree. Just another reason our judicial system is a joke. The criminals have rights, but the average law abiding citizen has no rights except the right to do as they say.

 

[SemperFiUSMC]

It's part of the voir dire questions that the prosecution and defense will use in selecting the jury.

Just put "not applicable" in the questions you don't like. Just be prepared to [STRIKE]explain yourself[/STRIKE] go to jail for contempt of court for doing so.

FIFY

Judges don't like to be screwed with, and they have a wide range of extrajudicial remedies at their disposal. They can send the Sheriff out to your home, whisk you away, and lock you up for weeks or months. I would suggest not screwing with them.

 

[NordicHeathenVinlander]

Wait, I've recieved those letters, and I just toss them....




These Judges, need to be put in they're place, and remember who the boss is.


Over-powered-holier than thou creeps.

 

[printcraft]

Send it back blank.
If they ask tell them you did not know there was a backside.



Maybe they will believe you to be too stupid to serve on a jury.

Ok, given some jury decisions, maybe not.

 

[homeless]

Now here is one; If my profession was a car thief what would I put down? Answering the question would be self incrimination and I would be protected by the 5th amendment. Since I am not a criminal by occupation I have to lay out the details of my life. QUE the statists with the "If you have nothing to hide just fill out the form"

 

[melensdad]

I was asked those similar types of questions under oath while under consideration as a jury member for a murder trial. I was asked about whwere I kept guns, how many I have, etc. I replied that I preferred not to answer such questions in a public forum where it could comprmise my security. The judge allowed my answer of a non-answer to quite a few questions.

When it came time for the actual selection I was summarily dismissed by the defense attorney on the first round. tToo bad because it seemed like it would have been an interesting trial.

 

[Arm America]

You asked.
If it had my name on it, I would return the back side blank.

I don't want to see you or any other law abiding citizen in trouble with the courts,
but I do agree with your reasoning and would have the same concerns.

 

[dross]

The real tyranny here isn't the invasion of privacy. The real tyranny is that they use the answers to those questions to keep certain people who they think will have certain beliefs from serving on juries.

This prevents things like knowledgable gun owners from serving on juries where gun violations are being tried.

 

[homeless]

The real tyranny here isn't the invasion of privacy. The real tyranny is that they use the answers to those questions to keep certain people who they think will have certain beliefs from serving on juries.

This prevents things like knowledgable gun owners from serving on juries where gun violations are being tried.

Actually the woman I spoke with on the phone told me that the questions are used to select potential jurors and I told her I was well aware of the process they use to stack a jury to get the convictions they want. I could almost hear her blood pressure rising.

 

[SemperFiUSMC]

Actually the woman I spoke with on the phone told me that the questions are used to select potential jurors and I told her I was well aware of the process they use to stack a jury to get the convictions they want. I could almost hear her blood pressure rising.

Yeah, I'm not sure that was the smartest thing to do. I'd stop talking now in the hopes that that woman didn't write down your name, the judge hasn't issued a bench warrant, and the Sheriff isn't looking to see if anyone matching your description is out here bragging about how they are trying to shirk jury duty. But that's just me.

 

[SKSnut]

FIFY

Judges don't like to be screwed with, and they have a wide range of extrajudicial remedies at their disposal. They can send the Sheriff out to your home, whisk you away, and lock you up for weeks or months. I would suggest not screwing with them.

sad but true, judges are worse than cops in this regard.

 

[homeless]

Yeah, I'm not sure that was the smartest thing to do. I'd stop talking now in the hopes that that woman didn't write down your name, the judge hasn't issued a bench warrant, and the Sheriff isn't looking to see if anyone matching your description is out here bragging about how they are trying to shirk jury duty. But that's just me.

I have yet to break any laws. The only thing I am guilty of is pissing off a clerk. I am not really worried. But if anyone wants to contribute to my pending legal bills feel free to PM me.

 

[melensdad]

Actually the woman I spoke with on the phone told me that the questions are used to select potential jurors and I told her I was well aware of the process they use to stack a jury to get the convictions they want. I could almost hear her blood pressure rising.

They are also used to attain a "jury of your peers" so that you get a fair trial. Remember both the prosecutor and the defense attorney get to boot people off the jury. I think you are only considering 1 side of this when clearly there are 2 opposing sides.

This prevents things like knowledgable gun owners from serving on juries where gun violations are being tried.

AND helps defense attorneys find like minded individual who would be sympathetic to their client!

 

[JetGirl]

Annie's Stuff: Dear Juror #34

 

[jsgolfman]

I received that one time, went in the circular file. I got called in for jury duty not long after and they never mentioned the survey. I wasn't selected however, as I made it a point to let them know I practiced jury nullification.

 

[mrjarrell]

I received that one time, went in the circular file. I got called in for jury duty not long after and they never mentioned the survey. I wasn't selected however, as I made it a point to let them know I practiced jury nullification.

A practice which should not preclude you from serving, since it is enshrined in the Indiana Constitution. It's not just a right, here. It's an obligation.

 

[Jack Ryan]

Wait, I've recieved those letters, and I just toss them....




These Judges, need to be put in they're place, and remember who the boss is.


Over-powered-holier than thou creeps.

I'm all for it. Go get 'em tiger. I'll be right behind ya!

Yea for you, siss boom bah!