Miscellaneous

There But for the Grace of God

By Anne Skove, Esq.

Ahh, Facebook -- it helps you reconnect with freaks from your past, it lets the world know every blooming thing about your life, and you can waste an entire day playing those stupid games! (So we hear.)

It can also get you booted from jury service.

Now before you go getting any ideas, hear this: jury service (NOT "duty," sorry) is an important part of citizenship. Don't knock it, don't even think about trying to get out of it, any more than you would leave this country for one without such perks as Constitutional rights.

Soapbox off. Here's the story: Facebook requires one to write about oneself in the third person while filling in the blanks after "your name here is..." One venire member wrote "Barry Price is sitting in hell...aka jury duty."

Enter Stan The Man Chesley, founder of the modern-day class action and an advocate in the case. Chesley wanted the juror removed; Judge Mallory agreed.

See Possible Juror Booted for Facebook Post, Kimball Perry, Cincinnati Enquirer (January 31, 2009), and watch what you post.

Full post as published by court-o-rama.org on January 31, 2009 (boomark / email).