Anyone done Jury Duty? Can bring laptop to do work between breaks?

Need to check emails, etc. and be on top of things.

Anyone done Jury Duty? Can bring laptop to do work between breaks?

Need to check emails, etc. and be on top of things.

There's really not that many breaks.  Lunch is about the longest break where you could get anything done.  Even if you get a break and can make a call, you have to be careful to stand or sit away from any courtroom entrances since they are intolerant of any noise outside of those rooms.  I believe there was a designated area to sit/stand in to make calls.

Sometimes the judge is tied up in other business, and you are waiting for the trial to start again in the morning or after lunch.  When it's time to resume, you have to be in line according to your jurist number ready to go in.  If you're in the middle of something work-related, you'll have to save, power down, and be ready to march quickly.

Any distractions such as tablets, phones or laptops are not allowed powered-on in the courtroom.  As a juror, you don't want to even look like you're doing anything but paying attention to the proceedings.

Maybe if the trial is more complicated or bigger than what I heard, you might see more breaks where the judge wants the jury out of the room so you don't hear what's being discussed.  That didn't happen at all in our trial.  We did get bathroom breaks if we'd been sitting for 2 hours or more, but that was only for 10-15 minutes.  Usually the judge asks the jury if they need a break or want to keep going.  For most, getting the trial over so they can leave for good is more important than short breaks.

I was an alternate, and I had to sit through the whole trial.  Once the jury was given the case to deliberate, I was able to leave.  I still had to be available for a few days in case they needed me to replace someone.  Once the verdict was handed in, I got a call saying the trial ended and what the verdict was.

There's really not that many breaks.  Lunch is about the longest break where you could get anything done.  Even if you get a break and can male a call, you have to be careful to stand or sit away from any courtroom entrances since they are intolerant of any noise outside of those rooms.  I believe there was a designated area to sit/stand in to make calls.

Sometimes the judge is tied up in other business, and you are waiting for the trial to start again in the morning or after lunch.  When it's time to resume, you have to be in line according to your jurist number ready to go in.  If you're in the middle of something work-related, you'll have to save, power down, and be ready to march quickly.

Any distractions such as tablets, phones or laptops are not allowed powered-on in the courtroom.  As a juror, you don't want to even look like you're doing anything but paying attention to the proceedings.

Maybe if the trial is more complicated or bigger than what I heard, you might see more breaks where the judge wants the jury out of the room so you don't hear what's being discussed.  That didn't happen at all in our trial.  We did get bathroom breaks if we'd been sitting for 2 hours or more, but that was only for 10-15 minutes.  Usually the judge asks the jury if they need a break or want to keep going.  For most, getting the trial over so they can leave for good is more important than short breaks.

I was an alternate, and I had to sit through the whole trial.  Once the jury was given the case to deliberate, I was able to leave.  I still had to be available for a few days in case they needed me to replace someone.  Once the verdict was handed in, I got a call saying the trial ended and what the verdict was.

Thanks for the information!
I scrupulously avoid jury duty.
My BIL is a Federal cop, and with the exception of him I think all
cops are liars, cheats, and criminals.
Pretty sure I won't ever be impaneled and it is a two hour R/T drive
for me to show up and be rejected.
Full disclosure;
There are two situations I'd call 911 for a COP!
#1 Domestic violence
#2 I observed an obvious DUI.
The only situations where I  think cops can do some good.
All other times they are more dangerous than what ever is happening.
or has happened.
 

Thanks for the important heads up. I will plan accordingly.

There's really not that many breaks.  Lunch is about the longest break where you could get anything done.  Even if you get a break and can male a call, you have to be careful to stand or sit away from any courtroom entrances since they are intolerant of any noise outside of those rooms.  I believe there was a designated area to sit/stand in to make calls.

Sometimes the judge is tied up in other business, and you are waiting for the trial to start again in the morning or after lunch.  When it's time to resume, you have to be in line according to your jurist number ready to go in.  If you're in the middle of something work-related, you'll have to save, power down, and be ready to march quickly.

Any distractions such as tablets, phones or laptops are not allowed powered-on in the courtroom.  As a juror, you don't want to even look like you're doing anything but paying attention to the proceedings.

Maybe if the trial is more complicated or bigger than what I heard, you might see more breaks where the judge wants the jury out of the room so you don't hear what's being discussed.  That didn't happen at all in our trial.  We did get bathroom breaks if we'd been sitting for 2 hours or more, but that was only for 10-15 minutes.  Usually the judge asks the jury if they need a break or want to keep going.  For most, getting the trial over so they can leave for good is more important than short breaks.

I was an alternate, and I had to sit through the whole trial.  Once the jury was given the case to deliberate, I was able to leave.  I still had to be available for a few days in case they needed me to replace someone.  Once the verdict was handed in, I got a call saying the trial ended and what the verdict was.

Thanks for the information!
I scrupulously avoid jury duty.
My BIL is a Federal cop, and with the exception of him I think all
cops are liars, cheats, and criminals.
Pretty sure I won't ever be impaneled and it is a two hour R/T drive
for me to show up and be rejected.
Full disclosure;
There are two situations I'd call 911 for a COP!
#1 Domestic violence
#2 I observed an obvious DUI.
The only situations where I  think cops can do some good.
All other times they are more dangerous than what ever is happening.
or has happened.
 

Thanks for answering OP's question.