1

Jurors are selected at random

Courts select potential jurors randomly from public records like voter registrations and driver’s license databases . This system helps ensure juries reflect a fair cross-section of the community.

Random selection has been standard practice for decades, helping prevent bias in the legal system. Federal courts began expanding source lists following the passage of the Jury Selection and Service Act of 1968 to improve diversity and representativeness.

2

You receive an official summons

If chosen, you’ll receive a jury summons by mail with instructions on when and where to report. It typically comes from a local, state, or federal court.

The summons is a legal document. Failing to respond can lead to fines or penalties , although courts often allow postponements for valid reasons like work or medical issues.

3

You must complete a qualification questionnaire

Before serving, most courts require you to fill out a questionnaire about your age, citizenship, job, and background . This helps determine eligibility.

Federal law generally requires jurors to be U.S. citizens, at least 18 years old, and able to understand English. Certain criminal convictions or hardships may disqualify you.

4

Eligible people form a jury pool

Those who qualify become part of a jury pool, also called a "venire." This group is the starting point for selecting jurors for individual trials.

The size of a jury pool varies depending on the court and case . Large trials may require dozens of potential jurors to ensure enough qualified candidates remain.

5

Jurors are called into court when needed

From the larger pool, smaller groups are summoned to courtrooms when trials are ready to begin . Not everyone in the pool will end up serving.

Some people may wait hours or even days without being assigned to a case. If not selected, they are usually dismissed after their service period ends.

6

Lawyers and judges question potential jurors

In a process called "voir dire," attorneys and judges ask questions to identify bias, conflicts, or interests . This step ensures fairness in the trial.

Questions may cover personal experiences, opinions, or knowledge about the case. The goal is to select jurors who can remain impartial and follow the law.

7

Some jurors are dismissed during selection

Potential jurors can be removed "for cause" if they show bias or hardship . Lawyers can also use a limited number of peremptory challenges.

Peremptory challenges allow attorneys to dismiss jurors without giving a reason, though they cannot be used for discrimination based on race or gender.

8

A final jury is chosen

After questioning, a final group is selected. Criminal trials usually have 12 jurors, while civil cases often use 6 to 12 , depending on the court.

Alternate jurors may also be chosen in case someone cannot continue. These alternates listen to the trial but only deliberate if needed.

9

There are different types of juries

The most common is the petit jury, which decides trial outcomes. A grand jury, by contrast, determines whether enough evidence exists to file charges.

Grand juries are typically larger, often with 16 to 23 members , and are used mainly in federal cases and some state systems.

10

Jurors listen to the evidence and testimony

During the trial, jurors hear witness testimony, examine evidence, and listen to arguments from both sides . They must follow the judge’s legal instructions.

Jurors are not allowed to research the case or discuss it outside of the courtroom. This rule ensures decisions are based only on evidence presented in the courtroom.

11

Jurors deliberate privately

After the trial ends, jurors meet in a private room to discuss the case and reach a verdict. These discussions are confidential.

In criminal cases, the verdict often must be unanimous. Deliberations can take hours or even days, depending on the complexity of the case.

12

Serving is a civic duty, required by law

Jury duty is a legal obligation and a key part of the American democracy. It allows citizens to participate in the justice system directly.

Citizens are generally summoned for jury duty every one to four years, depending on the jurisdiction, though federal court service typically requires only one appearance every two years. If you serve on a trial, you are often exempt from serving again for at least 3 years. Summoning frequency is generally determined by lists from local, state, or federal courts.

1

The entire coastline is made of glorious sandy beaches

Image: Jeremy Bishop

California’s coastline is long, gorgeous, and wildly varied. Much of it is dominated by cliffs, rocky shores, and chilly waters. Even many popular beaches require a wetsuit if you actually want to get in the water.

Yes, some stretches are ideal for volleyball and sunbathing, but others are better suited to photography.

2

Celebrities are everywhere and happy to mingle

Image: Bibi

It’s tempting to imagine Los Angeles as one giant red-carpet event, but daily life looks a lot more ordinary. Celebrities tend to live in gated communities, travel in private cars, and pick very discreet places to relax.

You might spot one, but you’re far more likely to meet tourists looking for celebrities than actual celebrities themselves.

3

Move to Hollywood and become a star overnight

Image: Edgar Colomba

Hollywood is full of dreamers, but most of them are hustling on the side, waiting tables, doing gig work, and going to audition after audition.

Fame is rarely instant. It’s more like a very long, very competitive marathon that most people don’t see unless they live there.

4

Move to Silicon Valley and become an overnight startup whiz

Image: Nils Huenerfuerst

It’s true that Silicon Valley is packed with entrepreneurs and investors. But it’s also full of failed startups, intense work schedules, and fierce competition.

Raising money is tough, building a product is tougher, and surviving long enough to succeed is almost heroic. The myth of "instant unicorn status" is just like the myth of instant movie stardom.

5

The weather is sunny and perfect year-round

Image: Roberto Nickson

California’s climate varies dramatically. Coastal fog in the Bay Area can last all day, winter rainstorms sweep through the north, inland valleys hit triple-digit heat, and wildfire season is a yearly threat.

6

Traffic is terrible, everywhere

Image: Aleksandr Popov

The traffic horror stories from Los Angeles are quite real, but they’re not universal. California is huge, and plenty of mid-sized cities and rural areas have perfectly manageable commutes. Even in LA, traffic ebbs and flows.

7

Californians go to Disneyland every other weekend

Image: Isaac Garcia

Disneyland may be magical, but it’s also expensive, crowded, and logistically complex. Most residents go once in a while, not as a biweekly ritual. Sure, annual passholders exist, but they’re the exception.

8

You’ll find palm trees everywhere

Image: Mitchell Luo

Palm trees are iconic, but they’re not the dominant tree across the state. Many were imported, and Los Angeles’ famous palms are aging out and not being widely replaced. Walk outside the major tourist zones, and you’ll see oaks, pines, sycamores, and far fewer "tropical vacation" vibes than the postcards suggest.

9

Movies are being filmed on every corner

Image: clement proust

You may stumble across a film crew once in a blue moon, but the vast majority of production happens on studio lots or in specifically chosen neighborhoods. Filming permits are expensive, traffic control is complicated, and spontaneous street-corner movie shoots aren’t as common as people think.

10

Everyone is a surfer

Image: Jacob Steckmann

Surfing is a proud part of California culture, but not a universal one. Many residents have never touched a surfboard, and the cold Pacific waters can be intimidating even for the brave. The idea that everyone wakes up, grabs a board, and runs to the beach is more Hollywood montage than real life.

11

Everyone lives close to the ocean

Image: Jonathan Schmer

California’s population is spread across vast inland regions, including the Central Valley, Sacramento, and the Inland Empire, which are all hours away from the coast. Plenty of Californians only see the ocean during vacation.

12

The food is all organic, clean, and hyper-healthy

Image: Jannis Brandt

Yes, you’ll find green juices, vegan cafés, and farm-to-table everything. But California is also home to drive-thrus, giant burritos, and some of the most indulgent comfort food around. The "everyone eats quinoa and sunshine" trope doesn’t hold up once you explore beyond the trendy spots.

13

Everyone commutes by bike, skateboard, or electric scooter

Image: Hiboy

It looks cool in TV shows, but in reality, most Californians commute by car. Public transportation is limited outside a few areas, and long distances make biking impractical for many.

14

Everything in California is incredibly expensive

Image: Martin Zenker

Housing in places like San Francisco is famously pricey, but California also includes smaller cities and rural communities where the cost of living is much closer to the national average.

1

No blindfolded driving in Alabama

Image: Kirill Balobanov

As we said in the introduction, these situations are likely born out of real incidents. At some point, someone must have driven blindfolded in Alabama , and the consequences were serious enough for state legislators to enact a law preventing it from happening again—a reasonable measure if you ask us.

2

No driving with dogs on the roof

Image: Tadeusz Lakota

As terrible and infuriating as it may sound, there is a very real possibility that someone drove with a poor dog tied to the roof of a car in chilly Alaska . Thankfully, local legislators passed a law prohibiting this dangerous and cruel situation.

3

No reverse driving

Image: Hunter Wiseley

This law makes no sense, and we bet—or at the very least hope—that it’s no longer enforced. Otherwise, how would Arizonans back out of their driveways without breaking the law?

Believe it or not, traveling in reverse on an Arizona road is illegal .

4

No horn honking at the sandwich joint

Image: Simon Daoudi

While it can certainly be an annoyance to hear cars honking when you’re trying to enjoy a Croque Monsieur and a diet soda at your favorite spot, most of us wouldn’t expect a state law banning it.

But in Arkansas, it’s illegal to honk a horn after 9 p.m. outside an establishment that serves sandwiches and cold drinks .

5

No jumping out of the car at 65 mph or faster

Image: Mathias Arlund

This one seems more like common sense than anything else, but apparently, enough people attempted this stunt in California for state legislators to pass a law making it illegal to leap out of a moving vehicle traveling at 65 mph or faster .

6

No black vehicles on a Sunday

Image: Steven Erixon

But what if your car is black and you need to drive somewhere? Hopefully, this law is no longer enforced in Colorado. Yet, for some reason lost to time, it’s illegal in this state to drive a black vehicle on a Sunday .

7

No speeding tickets for politicians

Image: Sumeet Kapadia

This one is downright infuriating. In Georgia, it’s illegal to ticket a member of the assembly for speeding while the assembly is in session. It should come as no surprise—after all, those same assembly members are the ones responsible for this law.

8

No driving with a gorilla in the backseat

Image: MARIOLA GROBELSKA

People in Massachusetts don’t need a law to tell them that driving around with a living gorilla in the backseat is a bad idea—that’s just common sense. But just in case, there’s a state law explicitly prohibiting it.

9

No camel-ridding on the highway

Image: Oskars Sylwan

Camels are great for desert travel but not so much for highway traffic. And no US state is more certain of this than Nevada, where it’s illegal to ride a camel on a highway .

10

No driving around the town square

Image: Felix Mittermeier

Driving around the town square can be a popular Saturday night activity in some towns, but someone in Ohio must have taken it to the extreme. In this state, it’s illegal to circle the town square more than 100 times in a row .

11

No reading comic books while driving

Image: Erik Mclean

For public safety alone, reading while driving should be illegal everywhere. But in Oklahoma, it’s specifically illegal to read comic books while driving —not newspapers, not hardcover novels—just comic books.

12

No driving with intoxicated passengers

Image: Jamie Street

Driving under the influence of alcohol is highly dangerous and, fortunately, banned almost everywhere. But in Texas, legislators have taken it a step further, making it illegal to drive if any alcohol is within arm’s reach of the driver —including if that alcohol is in another person’s bloodstream.