Jury duty blade?

C

cardimon

Joined
Sep 20, 2000
Messages
1,539
I think I may be called to appear for possible jury duty. This would be in Mongomery County, PA. I obviously cannot show up carrying my usual gear. What could I carry that would be small enough and inconspicuous enough to pass inspection? I was thinking of an old Victorinox Classic. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
 
Nothing.

Anything you carry is likely to be confiscated, no matter how small.

The late James Mattis' wife, a lawyer, was known as Toni "The Fork" Mattis because of an incident where here lunchtime salad fork was taken as she entered court.
 
Around here you can pretty much carry what you want. I showed my Sheriff my Mad Max and he said he thought it may be illegal. I didn't carry it to jury duty, but I did carry a Spyderco Endura. I never had to use it, but I like to have a blade with me at all times just incase I need it. I would definitely carry something that could be replaced easily (cheap). A SAK would be great and probably least likely to be taken.
michael :D
 
I guess my Vic Classic would be the best bet. The idea of being without a blade of any sort is very uncomfortable.
 
It depends on where you are. Where I am (NY), last year I took my mother to a local District Court to file a small claims action and I had a CRKT KISS money clip with small folding tanto blade taken from me when I had forgotten about it and walked through the metal detecter. The court officer was polite about it, though, and put it in an envelope with my name on it, and I retreived it on my way out of the building.
 
If you absolutely HAVE to have something with you- there are composite blades such as the Livesay NRG, the "CIA Letter Opener" from A.G. Russell, & for a considerable investment, there's the Frequent Flyer from Mad Dog. These, however invisible to metal detectors, may put you eye-deep in trouble if found on your person in a courthouse.
 
Well, honestly the deputies at the court house in Norristown(montgomery county's court house) are really kind of tough. If you go with anything, I would make sure it is nothing more than a SMALL swiss army. I have seen them take a harmless one handed folder from someone.
 
My Leatherman Micra, along with the rest of my keychain had to be left at the front on the courthouse. They were polite though. Tagged it and stuck them in a filing cabinet that looked to be for that sole purpose.

I just leave everything in the car now.

A couple years ago they were running the "wand" past everyone entering the state fair. Had to go back to my car and drop off my BM Mini-reflex. It was a PIA to walk a couple blocks and get back in line, but definitely worth it.

Mike
 
Here the courthouses either have walk through detectors or the sec gaurds run wands over you. The caliber of the rent a gaurds is such that I would never take the chance of letting them hold my knife for fear I would never see it again. A few years ago much to my wifes amusement I was in court regarding a civil dispute and the courthouse happened to be in one of the worst sections of the city so knowing a knife was out of the question and having left my CIA letter opener on a fast night flight out of a small island nation I ended up carrying two small pieces of whittled oak the size of drinking straws inside my suit coat pocket. I figured that if a vampire attacked me in broad daylight as I walked to the parking lot I was prepared.
Bob
 
The best jury duty blade is no blades on you at all. I have heard instances down here of folks having Victorinox Classics confiscated, two bladed Schrade Old Timers confiscated. Consider the options of going a day or two without a knife versus getting caught with one on your person.
 
Originally posted by Dexter Ewing
The best jury duty blade is no blades on you at all.\
Click to expand...

Dex is right, if we try real hard, we can probably get through the day with nothing....
 
i don't know about you, but i can go a day without one. i don't need it. i can quit any time. i swear.
peace.
aleX.
 
On my way to jury duty in San Francisco, I put my Spyderco Walker Lightweight on my key ring, put it on the change tray, walked thru the metal detector and picked my knife back up. No comments, no problem.
 
Originally posted by Kodiak PA


Dex is right, if we try real hard, we can probably get through the day with nothing....
Click to expand...

I admit the mere thought of doing it is hard for me to bear :) I've always has a knife (OK, knives...) of some sorts with me for the last 9 years....
 
Well, crap.

The county has the power to strip you of everything and order you around. Jeez, sounds like the army, or sometimes parents.

I was thinking of taking my Schrade Old-Timer, but now....

I'd be going to the Norristown Couthouse. Tough guards. Great.

Don't you love how the Courthouse is always in a section of town where you really don't want to be outside walking around?

I suppose I'll simply go knifeless and be in a bad mood all day. As if they'll care.

Oh well. Forewarned is forearmed - or knifeless, in this case.

A sad state of affairs, in my opinion.
 
:confused: I am not sure what occasion would be more rare. Dexter without a knife or Dexter with only one knife. Both seem quite implausable to me. :D

As far as the courthouse. Na leave them in your car, unless you do not mind "loosing" them and or being bugged about them.
 
I've been called twice in 4 years, and it looks like I'm up again soon. I usually carry whatever multitool I have at the time in a belt sheath, the put it in the change bucket at the metal detector. No problems as of yet!

Of course I get there early enough to return to my car if I have to drop anything off.
 
There is a vast disparity in the experiences noted here. From having Schrade Old-Timers confiscated to being allowed multitools.

Somehow, I believe Norristown, PA would be very strict, so I'll simply go knifeless and not to mope too much. Can you imagine a previous generation of jurists being asked to surrender their pocket knives? My grandfather would have laughed in their faces. Of course, he didn't live long enough to witness the growth of the violence that gave birth to such rules.

Sneaking is something I would never do. I'm not any good at it. I've got too much Boy Scout in me for that.

Sigh.
 
Swiss-Tech UtiliKey. It's not really a knife, but it does have a cutting edge, and never causes a problem at the x-ray machine.
 
Had to go to the courthouse a
couple of hours ago.
Sign outside said "No Weapons".

Left my pistol in the truck and entered
carrying a Kershaw Onion Boa. It's not
a weapon, it's a utility knife.:)
 
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