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Jury duty in Dorchester
By k2d on Sat, 04/04/2015 - 9:26pm
I have jury duty in Dorchester this week. Not familiar with the area and looking for some general info. What is the best way to get there? Any tips? Thanks!
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Comments
How do you plan to get there?
Driving or public transportation? And from where?
DOT
Get lunch at the Erie pub.
Eire*
Eire*
From the Brookline/Fenway
From the Brookline/Fenway area....cab/Uber or T, whatever is easiest/safest.
I'd go arborway cut through
I'd go arborway cut through Franklin park, cross blue hill onto glenway, left on Erie then right onto washington st and follow to the courthouse.
If you won't drive, use uber
T it
Green Line to Red Line to Ashmont. The walk is not that bad, despite what some knuckleheads say. The other option is the 22 bus from Ruggles, but though a one seat ride, the traffic and frequency make it slower.
As far as food and whatnot, I don't frequent the area enough. When I served in Roxbury, there was an old style catering truck (this was the late 1990s.)
I got off at Shawmut and
I got off at Shawmut and walked down Melville Ave when I served at Dot District a few years ago. It's a real nice walk. If the weather's nice, you can take a stroll around and look at all the old Victorians. Wellesley Park is especially nice. FYI: a canteen truck shows up around 10-11 with coffee/muffins and they let everyone out of the jury pool room. At least, they did 7 or so years ago.
I had jury duty at Dorchester
I had jury duty at Dorchester last year, and got there the way you described with no problem. Was a fairly pleasant walk.
No canteen truck with muffins though, and when they let us out for lunch there was no food truck or anything, and I had no idea where nearby was good (plus they only gave us 30 minutes), so I didn't bother with lunch.
My bad
I think when I had to be in Codman Square I took the Mattapan trolley (a treat in of itself), so the second ride was not worth it. Shawmut would be much closer.
Same rule on the architecture. Talbot Ave. was meh, but the side streets were amazing.
Fenway?
Columbus to Seaver to Erie to Washington - nice and easy.
23
The 23 bus runs between Ashmont and Ruggles frequently throughout the day. If you plan to drive then arrive early and don't leave anything valuable in your car. BTW if you publicly advertise that jurors are not subject to the cell phone ban, then you will ruin it for the rest of the jurors.
Cell phones are banned because people take photos of witness and victims and use the pictures to intimidate them from testifying. I am not aware that tablets or laptops are banned. bring a book or newspaper
Coming from which part of the
Coming from which part of the city too? I will tell you to drive. Leave early, arrive early and find some street parking.
There's actually a parking lot
It's behind the Grace Church of All Nations - a couple blocks from the courthouse at Washington and Park (it's the church parking lot, but people with court business can use it).
That's a moot point here. One tip, though: Don't worry about the prominent signs at the entrance warning you not to even think of bringing a cell phone in - they don't apply to jurors (you can also bring a laptop, although there's no WiFi).
Good to know, thanks!
Good to know, thanks!
Jury Duty
Stay off of social media.
Of course, goes without
Of course, goes without saying. Lots of work to keep busy if needed.
Shawmut station or Arborway to Morton St.
If you take the T it's a shorter walk from Shawmut Station. 5-10 mins. Nice houses on Mather. Take first right then left onto Melville. More nice houses. Courthouse is a few blocks up Melville. On corner with Washington. Can stand at Ashmont if you do t want to walk. Short ride.
Über should go Arborway to Morton to Washington. (Couple ways to get to Washington)
Safe neighborhood in the day time as long as you know how to carry yourself in the city.
I agree about the beautiful houses..
It's worth the walk from Shawmut just to see the houses, but it is also the easiest way. Large homes, beautiful gardens. It was weird being in Shawmut after so many years... used to go to school for 6 years in Codman Square in the 60s. They did have a food truck out front for breaks and lunch when I was there 3 or 4 years ago. Good luck on not getting on a trial. Not sure why people think jury duty is fun. I still have nightmares about some of my times serving.
Girl's Latin or Latin Academy grad?
I went to school there in early 80's. I had a job I disliked that paid my salary during duty.I was happy I got on a weeklong trial.
Getting to Dorchester District Court
It's an easy walk from Shawmut Station, or a quick bus ride from Ashmont, taking the 23 bus. From Shawmut, go out the back entrance (not alarmed). Walk north along the tunnel cap. The first street you'll cross is Mather. Then you'll go along the tunnel cap from Mather to Melville (which has as teaching garden along the west side). Go west on Melville to Washington Street. The courthouse is on the corner of Melville and Washington.
Parking in this area is not easy so I recommend you take the T.
I do worry about parking....
I do worry about parking.....I could Uber but see that taking the T isn't a bad option. What is good time to leave to beat traffic? Need to be there around 8:15.
Thanks everyone! Appreciate it.
Park where the lawyers park
Park where the lawyers park behind the store front church at Park and Washington.
MBTA
Take the red line no matter what during rush hour. If it weren't rush hour I'd say 22/23 buses are good, but since you saying you need to be there at around 8AM there is no beating the red line. Probably just get off at shawmut and walk.
Buses
The 22 and 23 both leave from Ashmont. For the 22 you need to get off at Codman Square and walk north along Washington St. The 23 turns onto Washington and will let you off very near -- if not in front of -- the court house.
Use Shawmut if a 5-10 minute walk doesn't bother you
You'll be closer when you get off and rule out the vagaries of a bus connection. No need to overshoot your destination and then backtrack on a bus.
I'm unfamiliar with rush hour
I'm unfamiliar with rush hour times on the T (I drive to work outside the city). What is a good time to leave from Kenmore to get to Shawmut before 8:30?
Timing
Give yourself a lot of time. I'd suggest getting to Kenmore at 7, since the Green Line is not entirely dependable.
Park where the lawyers park
Park where the lawyers park behind the store front church at Park and Washington.
Last time I had jury duty
Last time I had jury duty there, I arrived around 7:45 and got a spot right on Melville Ave.
Judges rarely inform juries of their nullification power
Judges rarely inform juries of their nullification power
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jury_nullification
Some places explicitly
Some places explicitly prohibit lawyers and even judges from mentioning it. I don't know about MA but it's come up a few times in TX.
Jury nullification: don't do it
Keep reading. Later in the article it points out that "a judge may punish a juror for exercising the power of jury nullification." Don't nullify. (Or don't trust Wikipedia.)
For future reference, there's
For future reference, there's a pretty broad definition of 'hardship' if you call and request a change on those grounds. Got that tip from the security guard (baliff?) who checked me in when I arrived 15 minutes late and stressed beyond belief to West Roxbury, after budgeting more than two hours to get there from East Boston.
Just call when you get the summons and explain what a rotal PITA it is to get to that particular courthouse, and they'll happily send you somewhere less insane.
I think you can indicate hardship online
the last time I got summonsed -- to Woburn (from Watertown Sq area) -- I think I just filled out an online form, and told them I was carless and transit would take 2+ hrs each way. It was supereasy to reschedule, and I ended up getting West Newton.
No Cell Phones Allowed
I had jury duty about a year ago there. No cell phones allowed in the court house. I was able to go across the street to a convenience store that will store it for a few dollars.
Here is the policy online:
Cellular/Smart Phone Policy
Members of the public (including all defendants and witnesses) shall not bring cellular/smart phones into the courthouse for any reason. Lawyers, jurors, employees and interns are permitted to bring devices into the courthouse.
If jurors are allowed to bring cell phones in ...
.... then why did you have to check yours at the convenience store?
Policy changed, again
Thank's for noticing. Have you ever been to Dot District courthouse for anything? Security is very tight for about two dozen good reasons! Gangbangers golore might be one.
Hmm...
This is confusing....why wouldn't they update their website if the policy changed over a year ago? I was planning on bringing my phone but keeping it in my bag after seeing the statement (bolded above) on the courthouse's website. What happens when people - jurors - try to bring their phones in?
Jurors OK
I checked the web site this morning. It is OK for jurors to bring in a cell phone. If you are not on juror duty or an attorney you can't bring it in. In the past gangbangers have used the cell phone camera to intimidate witnesses. On the other hand, anyone can bring a cell phone into the Brooke Courthouse downtown. Welcome to Dot!
Phew. So you think I'm okay
Phew. So you think I'm okay to bring it into the building?
Jurors OK
This was off their web site this morning. There is little or no parking around courthouse. This is a very busy place.
Jury duty does not make you a
Jury duty does not make you a member of a jury. One must get picked.
No cell phones for jury duty. Leave it in yr car, or at home.
Last time I was able to bring
Last time I was able to bring my phone in. I was going in for jury duty.
cell phones
pretty sure you cannot bring a cell phone into the bldg. may be different rules for jurors though
Last time I did jury duty
In Dorchester, they let me bring in my cell phone.
This is from their web site Sunday morning
Members of the public (including all defendants and witnesses) shall not bring cellular/smart phones into the courthouse for any reason. Lawyers, jurors, employees and interns are permitted to bring devices into the courthouse.
parking and eating near Codman Square
Hey k2d, if you haven't already discovered this, there's typically plenty of parking on Melville Avenue. If they're open, Sea Breeze Mexican restaurant has wonderful, fresh food. Fields Corner, at the other end of Melville Avenue from the courthouse, boasts the Blarney Stone, Pho 2000, and other quickie spots to get lunch. A quick search on Grubhub will return a list of nearby restaurants that deliver. The Eire Pub is too far away to be a viable option, IMO.
In case you've already served and been dismissed, Come back and eat here sometime. Between Dbar to the North, Ashmont Grill and Tavolo in the middle and Ester, just before the Milton line, there is good food, good service and some gorgeous patio dining in fine weather. Thanks for doing your civic duty!