Imagine our surprise when reading media reports today that the “One Nation Tour” has been cancelled.
As I said myself at the end of the east coast leg of the tour, the summer is long, and I’m looking forward to hitting the open road again. The coming weeks are tight because civic duty calls (like most everyone else, even former governors get called up for jury duty) and I look forward to doing my part just like every other Alaskan.
[I suppose this is the scheduling conflict that caused her to cancel the trip to Sudan. I wonder if Franklin is still going...]
It has been reported that judges granted new trials or overturned verdicts in dozens of criminal and civil cases due to jurors' online diversions, and bored citizens waiting for jury selection are tweeting and blogging.
As jurors go online, U.S. trials go off track
The explosion of blogging, tweeting and other online diversions has reached into U.S. jury boxes, in many cases raising serious questions about juror impartiality and the ability of judges to control their courtrooms.
Courts are trying to figure out how to keep jurors unplugged. Some judges now confiscate all phones and computers from jurors when they enter the courtroom. California last year updated its civil jury instructions to bar jurors from "all forms of electronic communication." Florida courts added a stricter instruction, stating that jurors using the Internet "must not disclose your thoughts about your jury service or ask for advice on how to decide a case." At least six other states have taken similar steps. In January, the Judicial Conference of the U.S., which oversees administration of the federal court system, recommended that federal judges use instructions stating that jurors cannot "search the Internet, websites, blogs, or use any other electronic tools."
I wonder if the judge in Alaska will confiscate Sarah's BlackBerries? Her addiction to them is legendary.
I'm sorry, but I find it very difficult to take Sarah Palin seriously these days. I expect she will throw a tantrum if not elected forewoman of the jury...
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| This spoof tweet looks like one of hers, eh? |
Sarah Palin couldn't fulfill her civic duty as an elected public officer and found many lame excuses to justify quitting that position, but now she's looking forward to jury duty? Sheesh...
Why not have some jury duty humour to accompany this post?
Just remember: when you go to court, you are trusting your fate to twelve people that weren't smart enough to get out of jury duty!
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Judge: Is there any reason you could not serve as a juror in this case?
Juror: I don't want to be away from my job that long.
Judge: Can't they do without you at work?
Juror: Yes, but I don't want them to know it.
Steve Martin tweeted some jokes when he was called for jury duty.
