How can I get through voir dire?

Question

I haven't gotten a jury summons yet, but when I do, I want to be certain that I'm allowed to serve on the jury. To paraphrase the British process, I can give a fair hearing to both the State and the defense. However, my understanding from what people who've been summoned to juries and then rejected during selection told me is that lawyers don't want well-educated people or critical thinkers on juries, don't want people on juries who've had any exposure to legal concepts, and don't want anyone on a jury who's ever met someone who's been accused of or victimized by a crime of any sort: all things that I think describe myself. In other words, because I'm qualified to be on a jury, if I answer the voir dire questions honestly, I'm probably not going to get on a jury because lawyers don't want qualified jurors, they want gullible ignoramuses who live in a hole. So, if I get a jury summons, is there any way I can ensure I get selected for a jury without perjuring myself?

Answer 1

Don't be dishonest; just keep a low profile. Don't put your knowledge and experience on display. When they ask you questions, keep your answers short and don't make any effort to be articulate, Dress casual!

Answer 2

I do criminal law in Monterey County, California.  I've done jury selection several times.  I'm defense.

I usually try to remove the "wolf in sheep's clothing" and "find the leader."  I want to get rid of anyone associated with cops, guards or DAs.  I weed out anyone who is a "victim."  I especially knock out any potential juror who has taken any criminal justice classes, i.e., wannabe cops.

I want a leader on the jury who is a neutral thinker or liberal.  That includes engineers or intellectuals.  I don't want educated people who have control as part of their jobs.  So, no teachers, nurses or probation officers.  The leader will usually end up being foreperson, if I'm right.  The remaining 11 will hopefully follow the foreperson.

Because you've been accused of and victimized by a crime.  You will likely be knocked out by either the DA or defense.  The DA does not want someone on the jury who might sympathize with defense arguments that police lied or the charges are too high.  The defense does not want anyone who was a victim, and therefore, subconsciously seeks to settle the score against the accused.  

As for people having exposure to legal concepts or simply being educated, that's just not true.  If someone were a patent attorney, for example, I wouldn't have a problem with them on my jury.  I have, in fact, had civil lawyers on a couple of my juries.  It's the people who've had "exposure to legal concepts" for purposes of aiding law enforcement that I will kick, because they have a nasty habit of kissing-up to the DA. Thinkers are great too when you have complicated scientific evidence.