Posted: Oct 25, 2022 1:30 am
Last spring, I got a jury duty summons from the county, to be on a jury in July. I offered to shift my duty to December or January, the two slowest months at my business. Because, doing jury duty closes my business.
They accepted, and today I got another summons for jury duty in December.
I dutifully completed the questionnaire, which asked simple eligibility questions. On the part where we have the five lines to write any excusal requests, I wrote this instead:
“Full disclosure: I WILL use jury nullification if I see the government has acted in bad faith or violated our constitution. I will not reward the government with a prosecution for such behavior. Still want me on a jury?”
As a juror, our own reasons for our vote on a case are inviolate. I never have to defend my vote, and can never be punished for it. Most people don’t understand this, but we people own the law. We have the final say on what will or will not be punished, and this is where it is done. Not even the judge can overturn it.
I am terribly anxious to hear their reply. The word on the internets is that the legal system intensely dislikes this reality.
They accepted, and today I got another summons for jury duty in December.
I dutifully completed the questionnaire, which asked simple eligibility questions. On the part where we have the five lines to write any excusal requests, I wrote this instead:
“Full disclosure: I WILL use jury nullification if I see the government has acted in bad faith or violated our constitution. I will not reward the government with a prosecution for such behavior. Still want me on a jury?”
As a juror, our own reasons for our vote on a case are inviolate. I never have to defend my vote, and can never be punished for it. Most people don’t understand this, but we people own the law. We have the final say on what will or will not be punished, and this is where it is done. Not even the judge can overturn it.
I am terribly anxious to hear their reply. The word on the internets is that the legal system intensely dislikes this reality.