Professional Jurors

[Rail_Tracer]

How about jury duty that is like being the the National Guard--you serve one week a year or something, and receive special training throughout the year to keep you up-to-date on forensics, legal theory, etc?

that's a neat idea

 

[EgyptNug]

The thought of professional jurors makes me cringe as well. Our legal system does need revamped in a number of ways, but I do not think professional jurors is the answer. I do not think a group of professional jurors in this case would have changed the outcome. The state simply did not prove the charges beyond a resonable doubt.

When a man or woman with the same criminal background gets 20 years to life, for the exact same crime a different man or woman with the same criminal background gets 5 years probation, the system needs work.

When a man or woman gets 2 years in prison for their first DUI, and a different man or woman gets 6 months probation for their 6th DUI, the system needs work.

When a person can be clumsy, spill hot coffee on their crotch and win a million dollar lawsuit because the coffee was too hot, our system needs work.

Our country is progressing technologically at an unbelievable pace, and the law is not keeping up. Maybe, the juror of the future will be an android that has a computer brain with all the laws downloaded into it, and a set of lie detector eyes, that can tell if the witness is lying. The androids would be devoid of emotion, know who was lying, know the letter of the law, and would base its verdict on the just the facts ma'am, just the facts.As always, my entire post is my opinion only

BBM
Wait, you are more comfortable with robots judging than professional jurors????

 

[thedeviledadvocate]

BBM
Wait, you are more comfortable with robots judging than professional jurors????

A robot (computer) would be as reliable as the programmer. No matter how you look at it, human error can and will still happen within the system.

With a professional juror system, a juror can still be bribed, threatened, dishonest, prone to error, and basically any problem that can be raised with a non professional juror can be raised with a professional juror. Who would set the standard for what constitutes a professional juror? Could whoever set that standard be bribed? Could professional jurors be elected by votes and could those votes be bought or sold?

I was actually joking about an android juror, because of the pace of modern technology. In the Tom Cruise movie Minority Report, Tom played a policeman working in the PRECRIME division. Science fiction at its best, but then again, who really knows how far and how fast todays technology will take us.

As always my entire post is my opinion only.

 

[USARDOG]

NO, might as well just drop the jury system all together and have only judges if you are going to have professional jurists. 6 of one...

IMO, the bottom line here is improve the educational system, i.e., pay much higher salaries to teachers! Make teaching a sought after profession garnishing a lot of respect. Ignorant jurors lead to ignorant verdicts. You get what you pay for.

When the OJ jury trial began, only one of the jurors had ever even heard of DNA...

 

[MidAtlanticNative]

(bold mine)

I'd like to see potential parents take a competency test. :innocent:

I tried to edit my earlier smart-assy post to add an on-topic thought but wasn't able to; sorry if my comment offended anyone.

Re: professional jurors...I'm of the opinion it's a bad idea. I'd hate to think of someone looking at a criminal trial or sentencing hearing as "just another day at the office". I mean, even those of us that are professionals who *love* our jobs get brain burn occasionally, which has no place in the jury box or deliberation room. Jurors can't revise the numbers, reschedule the meeting, or send a clarifying email after hours, KWIM?

Then again, perhaps the "Projurs" (professional jurors) could be on rotation, like ER docs, thereby ensuring they don't sit for trial after trial after trial. Hmmmmm. I don't know...still seems like a bad idea. I'll gave to read more and see what ideas others might have.

I will say though that additional education/information is never a bad idea, and most certainly a good idea for potential or seated jurors. Even if it's a crash course right before the trial begins. That'd be better than nothing.