Hi, my name is Kirsten Krueger and two years ago, I was in a car accident. I was stopped at a stop sign when the driver behind me slammed into my car. Due to my injuries, I had to spend a few days in the hospital and I was unable to work for two months. My medical care was expensive and without being able to work, I couldn't pay my bills. The car accident was stressful enough and then I had to worry about how I would pay my bills. After speaking with a car accident lawyer, it wasn't long before I was compensated for my medical bills and lost wages from work. I'm writing this blog to help others who have been a car accident and haven't received any compensation. As you read my posts, you'll learn how an attorney can help you if you're in a vehicle accident.
One of the questions that might be on your mind when you successfully complete jury selection and find yourself assigned to a jury is how close you should get to your fellow jurors. You'll be spending a lot of time together over the coming days, weeks, or even months, so it can be tempting to establish some type of relationship with at least some of your fellow jurors. Here are some dos and don'ts about establishing friendships with other jury members.
Do: Make Friends
There's no harm in becoming friends with some others who are serving on the same jury. Even though you may have diverse backgrounds, it can be enjoyable to get to know some of them, and you may even decide to keep in touch after the court trial is over. Making friends is handy because you'll always have someone to eat with on your lunch break or even walk around with when the case is in a recess.
Don't: Try To Coerce Them
You shouldn't have the mindset that it's a good idea to make friends with a fellow juror with the goal of coercing him or her into believing what you believe. Every member of a jury needs to be able to make his or her own mind up in a court case. This is one of the cornerstones of the legal system.
Do: Rely On Them For Support
After the court case concludes, you and the other jury members will go your separate ways — although you may have established a few friendships and wish to stay in touch. This can be a good idea. While jury duty is fulfilling, it can also be difficult. This is especially true if the case that you worked on had some traumatic details. Your family members might not be able to relate to you, but a fellow juror will. You can rely on each other for support as you navigate these challenges.
Don't: Let The Case Take Over
Even if you're enthusiastic about your jury duty, you don't want to let this case take over your life. You'll be spending much of each day in the courtroom, so be wary of making friends with a fellow juror who wants to discuss the case with you via text or phone call each evening. You need to be able to separate your life from your jury duty, and having a friend who is always bringing it up won't allow you to do so.
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