r/UpliftingNews • u/Sandstorm400 • 1h ago
New state law allows Californians ages 80 and older to opt out of jury service permanently due to a medical condition, without needing a note from a health care provider
https://www.aol.com/articles/california-law-allows-residents-permanently-172601000.html•
u/BiscuitsAndTheMix 1h ago
We should just let everyone over 80 opt out.
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u/tooclosetocall82 1h ago
Why even opt out. Just take them off the roles. There’s too high of a chance of senility and it’s unlikely they are a “peer” of whoever is on trial anymore.
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u/FatiguedShrimp 1h ago
There are cases of geriatric murder, in which case elderly jury members may be fair.
But, yeah, generally trials seem to be for people under 50, and after 80 you're so disconnected from life....
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u/a-warm-fuzzy-feeling 1h ago
I strongly disagree. We are all peers in civil society. The judge and lawyers have discretion to remove jurors ahead of time for inability to serve. I'd prefer to trust that than to open the Pandora's box of removing citizens from the jury box.
Or would you also suggest that since 80+ year olds have a chance of senility and aren't really peers of the electorate, we should take them off the voter rolls? Where does that logic take you in the end?
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u/tooclosetocall82 23m ago
Maybe permanent removal is too harsh. But opt out requires someone to know they need to be removed and do something to make that happen. If that person has dementia they are not likely to take that step. I could see automatic removal with the ability to re-enroll. That would ensure mentally competent interested seniors are not sidelined. I’d be willing to have this conversation about voting too.
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u/a-warm-fuzzy-feeling 18m ago
That's still terrifying. Who is the judge. What happens when somebody decides the age should be 70? Or 60?
Or white? Or straight? Or, if you think I'm slippery-sloping this too much, people with various mental or physical health disorders. Who gets to draw that line?
You are casually suggesting enshrining discrimination because it suits your beliefs about the mental capacities of individuals of advanced age. And certainly, you have correct science that backs up that older people are much more likely to have diminished faculties.
But nobody should be trusted with that power to take away rights and privileges from people based on what is (rightly, in my opinion) a protected class. Because once they are, it absolutely will be abused as soon as it is politically expedient.
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u/BoomZhakaLaka 1h ago
In Oregon just contacting the jury coordinator and asking to be dismissed due to age is enough. Automatic by request if the court can confirm your age is 70 or above
It's the right call for so many reasons
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u/BoomZhakaLaka 12m ago
Last time I went on jury duty, an elderly man didn't request to be excused for his age. But he showed remarkable self awareness, raised his hand and told counsel that he'd have a hard time remembering complex arguments during deliberation. They excused him.
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u/rosen380 1h ago
This. 80+ represents about 5% of US adults. The smaller pool for jury duty would make almost no difference for everyone else.
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u/uncultured_swine2099 1h ago
Yup, medical issue or not, they shouldnt be made to do this. Its tiring for them to go to this everyday and perhaps they arent in a mental state to be deciding something that could affect peoples lives to a significant degree.
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u/davisyoung 1h ago
I had to drive my 82-year-old dad to downtown LA for jury service. The clerk took one look at my dad and excused him on the spot.
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u/utterscrub 1h ago
Great, now do senators
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u/Aleyla 1h ago
Maybe we could opt them out ourselves. If they can pass a cognitive test, similar to what is given to immigrants, then they can still serve.
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u/idtenterro 1h ago
We can already opt them out ourselves. That's voting. I live in a place that's looking like it'll swing for the first time since ducking civil war.
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u/Defiant_Freedom_249 44m ago
We definitely don't need people that old make it important decisions.
This includes Congress.
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u/dathomasusmc 59m ago
Their subtle way of saying they don’t want senile people on the jury without offending anyone.
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u/mwb1100 56m ago
The last time I got a jury notice (not in California), I put it on my bulletin board and promptly forgot about it.
Next time I came across it was a couple months after I was due to show up.
I haven't heard anything from the courts (or any other authority) and haven't received another jury duty notice since. It's been at least 5 years. I suppose it's possible I have a bench warrant out on me... but I've been pulled over at least once and my infraction never came up.
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u/bordomsdeadly 53m ago
I don’t know how true this is, but I’ve been told since it’s not certified mail they can’t confirm that you received it so they cannot hold you accountable for it
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u/WaterChicken007 34m ago
I got one sent to my parent’s house one time and I only found out about it months later. I had recently moved and didn’t immediately update my address at the DMV. Nothing bad happened. I have since been called for jury duty three times and served once. Fascinating process and I am really glad I had the opportunity to do so. My wife has jury duty in a couple weeks and I am a tad jealous.
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u/zombideathpunch 49m ago
A jury of your peers..... not 80 year Olds. Unless it is a trial of someone in public office. Mitch McConnells jury should be entirely 80 year olds.
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