# When You're Summoned for Jury Duty

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-youre-summoned-for-jury-duty/656030>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [April 18, 2013, 12:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-youre-summoned-for-jury-duty/656030 "2013-04-18T12:38:59Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 4

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**Author:** ![Bookkeeper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bookkeeper/32/281_2.png) [@Bookkeeper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bookkeeper)\
**Post date:** [April 20, 2013, 6:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-youre-summoned-for-jury-duty/656030/61 "2013-04-20T06:04:28Z")

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A couple of good examples of jury nullification at work are the repeated acquittal of ship captains charged with [barratry](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barratry_%28admiralty_law%29#Penalties)in mid-19th Century US courts due to the refusal of jurors to convict due to strong objections to the death penalty for the crime, as well as the repeated refusal of Canadian jurors to convict [Dr. Morgentaler](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morgentaler_v._The_Queen) on charges of abortion.

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**Author:** ![Leo\_Bloom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leo_bloom/32/10377_2.png) [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)\
**Post date:** [April 20, 2013, 7:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-youre-summoned-for-jury-duty/656030/62 "2013-04-20T07:19:56Z")

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> [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](#):
>
> …Is your courthouse anywhere near stately Wayne Manor?

Is it plump?

\<Submitted to the Internet as an extreme inside joke because the first words of _Ulysses_ are “Stately, plump Buck Mulligan came from the stairhead,” reams have been written on whether the first word is an adjective or adverb, and other than that “Wayne Manor” is indeed its cromulent noun.\>

This is the first time I’ve used the word “cromulent.” Thank you, GQ.

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**Author:** ![HeyHomie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heyhomie/32/207_2.png) [@HeyHomie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HeyHomie)\
**Post date:** [April 20, 2013, 12:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-youre-summoned-for-jury-duty/656030/63 "2013-04-20T12:33:17Z")

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> [@PBear42](#):
>
> Doesn’t this imply **HeyHomie** has an obligation to bring his (or her) views on nullification to the attention of the court, albeit in some discreet way which doesn’t taint the panel?

I’m a he.

And yes, this was the crux of my concern-- whether or not I had some obligation to bring my views on the matter to the court’s attention.

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