General Question

Nullo's avatar

Tips for staying awake during jury duty?

Asked by Nullo (22009points) September 29th, 2010
18 responses
“Great Question” (2points)

After 23 years, my country has decided that they need me to serve on a jury of my peers.

This is all well and good, I suppose, but college taught me that I could sorta doze off during a lecture while still keeping my ears open – from that point on, I find myself nodding off during lecture-like scenarios. I somehow suspect that this would not be taken well, even if I am still technically awake, and so I beseech you, my fellow Jellies, for your advice.

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Answers

FutureMemory's avatar

Proper amount of sleep.

Stimulant such as coffee or soda.

Rubberbands on the wrist so you can snap them when dozing off.

Randy's avatar

Caffeine?

talljasperman's avatar

tell the lawyer… you will get replaced A.S.A.P.

john65pennington's avatar

No Doze should help.

Here is another situation to consider. for 44 years i was in various courts to prosecute criminals i had arrested. i really never a problem with sleeping in court.

But, now that i am retired…...guess what arrives in the mail? you guessed it, Jury Duty. although most juries will not except retired police officers, this jury foreman was determined to make me serve. i advised that i would not be a proper candidate on a criminal trial as a juror. not willing to accept this statement from me, he then stated i could serve on civil trial cases. i was just about willing to accept this offer, but then it hit me….WATER PILL.

Each morning, by prescription, i take a 20 mg. water pill that means mega urination for five hours, about every 20 minutes i have to go. i consulted my MD and he stated “there is no way you can serve on any jury”. he put this in writing and i mailed it to the jury foreman.

I have never heard a word, concerning me sitting on a jury and probably never will for the rest of my life.

Please do not get me wrong. i am more than willing to serve, but my bladder has other ideas.

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lilikoi's avatar

I agree with @talljasperman.

How would you feel if your life was on the line and the jury members were dosing off, not paying attention to the details of your case?

Seriously. I hope I never am on trial because the thought of some moron next door judging me with half a brain and an attention span the length of a TV commercial disgusts me.

Take this responsibility seriously, please, and if you can’t handle it then make that known.

Rarebear's avatar

If you nod off during the trial, the judge will stop the trial and the baliff will wake you up. It’s really embarrassing. (I know, as it happened to me).

WestRiverrat's avatar

I wear an NRA hat or lapel pin, and my ‘Insured by Smith and Wesson’ T shirt when I am called to jury duty. One look at me and the defense lawyer usually dismisses me.

mickhock's avatar

Speed ?

Kardamom's avatar

Tell the judge that you get bored easily, don’t take the justice system seriously and that you can almost guarantee that you won’t pay attention. Use your college career as an example of something important that you didn’t take seriously. Hopefully they will dismiss you right away. If, by some chance, they retain you, please bring a container of ice water into the chamber with you and suck on some cool mints. Take a lot of notes and try to change your attitude, someone’s future is at stake.

mrrich724's avatar

Do you even want to be there? If not, just go to sleep! I’m sure that eventually you’ll be replaced (hopefully sooner rather than later, LOL)

WestRiverrat's avatar

@mrrich724 Doing it that way could get you a night in jail, if the judge thinks you are making a mockery of his court.

mrrich724's avatar

oh, well never mind. don’t do that then. . .

Nullo's avatar

Alright, time to clarify a bit.

I would like to sit on a jury, at least once. I just don’t want to accidentally fall asleep (or as is most often the case, listen with my eyes closed), but as I said, it’s a habit that I picked up in college: you get most of the lecture and a few z’s.
The brochure says that there will be coffee and soda.

—@Kardamom I took my college career quite seriously, in fact, and graduated with honors.—

WestRiverrat's avatar

Take a notepad and a pen and take notes, or draw cartoons of the proceedings. It helped me stay awake during the lectures in the army.

buckyboy28's avatar

I was just on a jury for the past 3 days. I was slipping NoDoz during the trial, every few hours.

Hellboyroy's avatar

Both military subscription and jury duty are involuntary servitude, and I got out of both indefinitely. I have never set foot in a courtroom. All it takes is a note from your doctor. And that’s how you deal with those pesky persistent authorities who threaten you with fines and jail when you haven’t done anything wrong.

Hellboyroy's avatar

That should be military conscription not subscription… LOL

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