I bet they don't want people reading the newspaper articles about the cases for which you are being selected for jury duty.

I've always brought a book with me to jury duty. How about a book of crossword puzzles too for variety?

Every court probably has some variations in its own rules, but books (and silenced smartphones, so presumably also tablets) were permitted in the two I've been to.

Newspapers can be noisy and someone reading one can appear to be a bit too disconnected from the proceedings, that's probably what's up with those.

I was in a pool of about 80 people for a trial, and jury selection lasted a day and a half. I was #58 and the last juror chosen was #54. But while the judge and the attorneys were questioning the jurors in groups of 18, those of us in the courtroom were expected to be paying attention, not reading, according to the judge's instructions.
But I had a book stashed in my purse, just in case.

You will need something to pass the time when you are not occupied. Once you have been selected to sit on a jury, you will have things to pay attention to. Also, while a trial is in progress, there will down time for the jurors during recesses and when the trial is suspended to continue another day.

Your chances of sitting on a jury may be slim. The jury is selected from a sizable pool of candidates. Only 12 persons (for a full jury) out of the pool will be selected, so your chance of selection will depend on the size of the pool. And then, there are many other factors that may excuse you, for example, if the defendant is a relative or a next door neighbor.

Small details of court procedures vary from county to county over the nation. Now that you have received the summons, call the court clerk to get particulars.

As others have mentioned, you usually can read (or use apps quietly) until you are put into a courtroom for actual selection through the voir dire process. At that point, you are supposed to listen to the attorneys ask the same questions over and over. It's a mind-numbing process after about the first ten minutes. If you are lucky, you will get a judge with a sense of humor which helps a little.

Our courthouse doesn't allow cellphones. They must be left in your vehicle. I've always brought a book and oftentimes also picked up a variety puzzle book too. I have to admit I also love listening to other's conversations that have been struck up between people who will most likely only see each other that day and then never again. One young girl made me laugh when I heard her saying that she'd deliberately dressed sloppily so as not to be picked as a juror. She had no idea that it was a computer lottery that would first get her selected, then the voir dire would be the next step. I don't think her attire would get her dismissed.

I am glad I paid attention instead of reading for jury selection. That way, I could tell them right off that I would never let anyone get in my car that had a gun and if they did, I'd kick them out. You've never seen so many lawyers write down a name and kick someone off a jury so fast (it showed I had bias). I saw the court clerk later in the day and he told me I did a good job (he knew what I was doing. I wasn't going to keep an open mind and I let them know I wasn't).

Where I used to live we couldn't have anything to read and cell phones were not to be brought into the courtroom.

I brought a book during the initial selection period. I was selected for a trial and the most difficult park was trying to stay awake during the trial. Some people are lucky to get an interesting case, mine was not.

It would seem to me that there are many intelligent people who are out of work, who wouldn't mind being on a jury.

I also witnessed people saying strange things to get out of serving. One even whispered, "watch this", got up and talked to the judge and then was able to walk out.

Completely out of curiosity, truly, other than the one who whispered, what else did you witness? I'd love to hear :)

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I know I was just telling the truth. They asked what I would do and I answered, without any veil or anger. Just the facts!

If you're referring to the time earliest in the morning where there are hundreds of people waiting to see if they are first released or not, yes, that time can be boring and I believe that a book is 100% acceptable. But once the however-many who weren't released early get taken to the courtroom for actual jury selection, it's best to pay attention and not read.

In fact, I've found it very interesting, and I'm happy to say that I was selected to serve on 2 juries. The timing wasn't great for me, but it was interesting, I learned a lot, and I am glad that we have this process. I don't respect those who do what they can to avoid jury duty.

I wasn't talking about during the selection process or the trial if I get chosen. I thought that was obvious...there are going to be long periods of time with nothing happening according to the papers they sent me.

Then what times are you talking about? I would have answered as the others did so maybe it wasn't obvious? Have you already been selected?

Ok, then the first part of my response holds: If you're referring to the time earliest in the morning where there are hundreds of people waiting to see if they are first released or not, yes, that time can be boring and I believe that a book is 100% acceptable.

That's the only time I can think of that there isn't something going on.

Edited to add: Oh, maybe during lunches if you ARE selected, and if you don't want to sit/eat with the other jurors.

The papers says that there are also long periods where you can wait hours while the judge and lawyers are negotiating.

"I would never let anyone get in my car that had a gun and if they did, I'd kick them out."

Right. If the person had a gun, you wouldn't have much of a choice if you were honest about it.

It was their friend. Remember, they were setting up the case, so I heard it all. I wouldn't let my friend carry around a gun.

I wasn't trying to get off all jury duty. I just couldn't, in good conscience, be on that jury.

Ugh. Just the mention of jury duty brings back bad memories from a few months back. I left the selection process in tears, embarrassed at how emotional I became during the "interrogation". It was to be a retrial of a murder case that shook the community. I did not know any of those involved, but it still made me emotional.

I have only been on one jury and it was man against a trooper...Trooper and all the facts said he was way beyond sober...but all the men on my jury kept saying ....he might have been drunk but he wasn't "that" drunk...they man was blocking I10 with tractor trailers lined and couldn't get by and the were going to let him go and I told the Foreman that is not what they asked us to do...they said "was he drunk" not how drunk was he....and they all said she's right...all they wanted to do was finish and get out of there so I feel like I was responsible for putting him off the street even if just for a short time.

Sometimes you can wait all day (8 am to 5 pm), I did. You need a book or other things to do. They did let us go to lunch. When you go to a courtroom for possible selection you don't want to be doing anything but paying attention. When I got on a case they took our cell phones before going into the courtroom.