[67drake]

I'm on jury duty starting Monday.
Everybody I talk to can't stand being called in. I've never understood this.
1. My job pays me to sit in a room and read while waiting.
2. The county (my taxes) buys my lunch and parking.
3. I'd think it an honor to actually be on a jury. I've been called in about 5 times now,but never actually been picked to sit in on a trial.

Why does everybody try to get out of it?! Really!

[dataway]

I'm self employed Mon-Thurs ... it costs me hundreds of dollars not to work, I have dead lines to meet, promises I've made, other businesses that depend on me ... if I fail them for whatever reason it could cost me, and them a lot of money.

It could literally cost me thousands of dollars to be on a Jury, money that I will never get back. It would be better if they started using professional jurors ... people whose job it is to be on the jury, people that want to do it, people that are engaged in the process, not a bunch of people like me that just want it to be over.

Just can't see losing thousand to listen to some lawyer try to get off some scum bag drug dealer while I'm trying to make a living to feed a family.

[goatless]

Originally Posted by dataway

I'm self employed Mon-Thurs ... it costs me hundreds of dollars not to work, I have dead lines to meet, promises I've made, other businesses that depend on me ... if I fail them for whatever reason it could cost me, and them a lot of money.

It could literally cost me thousands of dollars to be on a Jury, money that I will never get back. It would be better if they started using professional jurors ... people whose job it is to be on the jury, people that want to do it, people that are engaged in the process, not a bunch of people like me that just want it to be over.

This pretty much sums up my situation... Although last time I was called, I had a change of heart while I was waiting at the courthouse- I came to the realization that most juries are filled with people with the bored and the stupid. This has to be why we see so many of these ridiculous awards being made in civil suits… people who aren't smart enough to realize that just because a company is big and has billions in assets, that it shouldn't have to pay millions to an idiot that spilled coffee in her lap!

So I'm sitting there thinking that maybe I won't try to get out of jury duty. That maybe America would be a better place if I (and other reasonably educated and hard working Americans) did our civic duty… and then they sent me home.

[David Jones]

I'm self employed but can work around being out during the day. Most of what I do is paperwork so a couple of evenings got the important stuff done. I've been called once and found it interesting if somewhat boring.
I'd sure as HELL hate to have to deal with all of those called......very few of whom are happy. Keeping up with a constantly rotating pool of unhappy people has got to be bad for your health.
Serving at the Bessemer courthouse in Jefferson County Alabama gets you access to only a couple of lunch restaurants, one is The Bright Star. http://thebrightstar.com/ Arguably one of the finest restaurants in Alabama. Over 100 years old. I'd read in the morning, eat the meat/3 at the Bright Star for lunch and get sent home fairly early every day. I did spend an hour standing outside a courtroom one day but that's as close as I got. They sent us home.

[wovenweb]

Some of the cases aren't easy to hear, domestic and child abuse for example.

[mviker]

Sometimes it's the opposite of what wovenweb said. Some cases can be so mind-numbingly boring that you'll find yourself struggling to stay awake and pay full attention to the case. Most of what goes through the courtroom is this kind of stuff. It's not like Perry Mason where there's some major revelation every 15 minutes before the commercial break. lol.

Wait until you have to hit the restroom and there's no break in sight too. :P

[b-man]

The first day you show up for potentially getting picked for jury duty you don't get paid by the court, no matter what. Every time I've been sent home, losing money that I could have made working.

The courts here never pay for lunch for jurists, validated parking is sometimes provided and other times not depending on the location of the courthouse.

A couple of months ago I was summoned to serve on a Grand Jury in downtown Los Angeles located 45 miles from my home, my normal one-way commute distance is only 12 miles.

There was the potential to have to serve for a 30 day period, but not consecutively. I happened to be working a lot of overtime at that particular time and didn't want to miss out on the extra pay. I was super happy that I wasn't picked, I was counting on making that extra money to help pay for a home improvement project I'm wanting to do.

If I did get chosen to serve on a jury my employer would only pay for five days of service, after that I'd be stuck using up my vacation pay.

There are plenty of intelligent retired folks with nothing to do and plenty of free time on their hands that I'm sure would love to have the chance to do jury duty. Those of us who still have to work for a living and are the main breadwinners of the household should be allowed to opt out of it.

[The Champ]

My wife is an IT consultant and works all over North America. She got recently received notification about potential jury duty and was told she'd get at least a week's notice if she had to serve.

She got a letter on a Saturday, stating that she had to report on Tuesday. The letter was dated the previous Tuesday. So THEY knew a week in advance because they typed a letter. It was postmarked Friday, so it evidently sat on someone's desk for days.

She had airline reservation for Monday morning to fly to Boston.

How's that work?

[poncho-mike]

I haven't been called for jury duty in the 24 years since I've moved to the Raleigh area. When I lived in Stanly County before that, I got called about four times in ten years.

Each time I went, I was questioned by prosecutors and defense lawyers and ultimately dismissed. On the last trip, I decided to ask the prosecutor why I got dismissed every time.

He told me it was because I was an engineer. He said that defense attorneys don't like people who they would consider to be very logical, since they often want to play on the emotions of the jury. He said that prosecutors don't want engineers on cases they are trying where there is a lot of circumstantial evidence. Engineers are reluctant to convict if there are too many unanswered questions.

[gene simmons]

Originally Posted by 67drake

I'm on jury duty starting Monday.
Everybody I talk to can't stand being called in. I've never understood this.
1. My job pays me to sit in a room and read while waiting.
2. The county (my taxes) buys my lunch and parking.
3. I'd think it an honor to actually be on a jury. I've been called in about 5 times now,but never actually been picked to sit in on a trial.

Why does everybody try to get out of it?! Really!

Although i never tried to get out of it,my company didn't pay for the time off,i had to use my vacation. I was on Jury duty for over a week,it was a civil case. If you get one person in there with a hang up,you better plan on being there awhile.

I had been called 4 times in my county,served once and called twice in another county i no longer live in.

Its a right,yet if you don't go,its contempt of court?

[gene simmons]

Originally Posted by wovenweb

Some of the cases aren't easy to hear, domestic and child abuse for example.

Thats one reason i would rather serve on a civil case then a criminal case.
In case of murder,i don't see justice being served anyway,plus i wouldn't want to see blood.

[Lemans64]

Just got the call last week, my company will not pay either, and it may conflict with GTOAA Nationals in Seattle, so maybe I can request to be exempt. This would be the 2nd time to get the call, 1st time I was not chosen. Trial is expected to last 9 days so 9 days with no pay kinda sucks. That could definitely put a damper on summer fun.

[gene simmons]

One thing i had heard was,if you know the people involved,you wouldn't have to serve. I was asked if i knew the people,which i did,the lawyer asked me if it had any bearing on the case i said no,therefore i was chosen.

I seen a guy stand up in the court room,ranting about the justice system and how he didn't believe in it. He wasn't chosen. You might try that.

[Old Man Taylor]

Originally Posted by poncho-mike

I haven't been called for jury duty in the 24 years since I've moved to the Raleigh area. When I lived in Stanly County before that, I got called about four times in ten years.

Each time I went, I was questioned by prosecutors and defense lawyers and ultimately dismissed. On the last trip, I decided to ask the prosecutor why I got dismissed every time.

He told me it was because I was an engineer. He said that defense attorneys don't like people who they would consider to be very logical, since they often want to play on the emotions of the jury. He said that prosecutors don't want engineers on cases they are trying where there is a lot of circumstantial evidence. Engineers are reluctant to convict if there are too many unanswered questions.

My experience as well.

[63 Pontiac]

I work for a small machine shop with lots of tight deadlines so every day of lost production hurts the company and then makes life harder on me because I would likely go in and work after getting done with jury duty for the day. It could up being a 16 hr day for the length of a trial. As an hourly employee I can't just not work. Jury duty ends up being a significant burden on working people but if I was retired then I'd be willing to do my civic duty without complaint.

[Craig Hendrickson]

Originally Posted by wovenweb

Some of the cases aren't easy to hear, domestic and child abuse for example.

Agree. I'm retired and last year was called for the 3rd time for Jury Duty. The previous 2 times I had good excuses to be excused, but the 3rd time I went and was chosen. The trial was a child abuse case and heart rending. But the experience with my fellow jurors was inspiring. In a little town like Pahrump, NV deliberations were exceptional and restored my faith in the jury system. I was skeptical to begin with, but I'd do it again with enthusiasm.

BTW, in the above trial, the accused father was "convicted" by 11-1 on the first ballot and then by 12-0 after about 1 hour. I understand he's in the Nevada "Big house" now, and fellow convicts don't like child abusers.

[Craig Hendrickson]

Originally Posted by poncho-mike

(snip) He told me it was because I was an engineer. He said that defense attorneys don't like people who they would consider to be very logical, since they often want to play on the emotions of the jury. He said that prosecutors don't want engineers on cases they are trying where there is a lot of circumstantial evidence. Engineers are reluctant to convict if there are too many unanswered questions.

For several years during the 1980s I dated a smart, female attorney. Your comment is exactly what she said and she had been both a prosecutor and defense attorney. During that time, I was never picked to serve. Engineers are too black and white in evaluating problems or situations.

[wheneaglesfly]

I have been called for Jury Duty.
Chosen to be a backup Juror.
Sat in the basement of the courthouse for 2 days.
Then I was excused.
About 2006.
It was a local murder trial.

[bird72]

Originally Posted by wovenweb

Some of the cases aren't easy to hear, domestic and child abuse for example.

my experience, a difficult molest case. Hearing / seeing little girl was difficult. Eye opener was that bad guy had friends who under oath lied about his actions, for him. It was amazing to me people do that. Bad guy honor system or something. Bad guy gave all us jurors the evil eye of death after verdict.

hardship for many I get, but it is part of what we sign up for as Americans. you can not bathe for two weeks and not get picked

[bird72]

Originally Posted by Craig Hendrickson

For several years during the 1980s I dated a smart, female attorney. Your comment is exactly what she said and she had been both a prosecutor and defense attorney. During that time, I was never picked to serve. Engineers are too black and white in evaluating problems or situations.

I was picked as juror and engineer then