Hec, I'm so glad you and Matilda caught the emails in time. I hope the job is good for Matilda. I'm so sorry she's had such a difficult year.

The Judge already said that Maxine Waters' comment could be grounds for Appeal.

No. Every actual appellate lawyer (and the judge is not one) says that for it to be grounds for appeal there has to be a finding of a direct link -- a juror who heard the statement, brought it into the jury room and that MW being angry at them affected decision making. Can't be speculative in any way.

Thanks, Sparky1. I thought the judge was rebuking Waters' comments and trying to tap down public statements. Still wish they had been sequestered, but I'm hoping that won't be cause for (successful) appeal.

Sequestration is really rare - really, really, rare - almost never happens and most prosecutors go their whole career without asking for it.

That said, my mother sat on a notorious trial that lasted 9 months and she was sequestered for 2 weeks.

I had a friend who was on a jury for a trial that lasted, I think, seven months. I don't remember her being sequestered, but she may have been. The first federal court jury I was on ended in a mistrial - multiple defendants somehow got hold of a list of the jury members' names and, possibly, addresses (I think their lawyers had the list). We were under the marshals service's protection leaving the courtroom; after some jurors said they were so terrified that they couldn't continue, the judge declared a mistrial and we all got sent back to try again (on a different case).

I've only been on a civil case jury, but all the jurors took the judges instructions very seriously.

Dang, Toddson. That’s the most dramatic jury story I’ve heard, I think.

I’m in the observation area at Kaiser. I came in early, defying instructions, meaning to ask to use the restroom and go back to my car to wait for my actual appointment but they just processed me through so fast it probably doesn’t matter that I jumped the gun. I may be too early to pick up lunch though.

I have never been called for jury duty, despite being registered to vote everywhere I've lived for at least 20 years.

I've been called twice: both cases were drug offenses with children involved, and I wasn't seated either time.

Atropa, if it were only a matter of finding an appointment I'd suggest that you come over here, as the clinic at the high school this weekend still has slots open - but there is Boaty to and from, and it's a mile and a bit from the terminal to the site.

I've been called to report for jury duty five times, selected three times. One criminal case, two civil cases. All were one-day trials, thank goodness.

I remember being surprised at how narrow the judge's instructions to the jury were. A lot that was presented in testimony wasn't much relevant to the actual questions we were to deliberate.