# Jury Duty , Can You Afford To Leave Work ?



## fordy (Sep 13, 2003)

..................Got a summons for federal jury duty today , fillout a bunch of paperwork and mail back to them ! I've served on juries before and been held hostage while lawyers negotiate for reduced sentences . I can't afford to miss work or I won't be able to make my payments . Think I'll send them a very frank reason why I need to keep working . , fordy


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## Raeven (Oct 11, 2011)

Not getting paid while on jury duty was always an instant, immediate excuse from same in all the courtrooms I worked in. Can't imagine it's different at the Federal level.


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## where I want to (Oct 28, 2008)

That's why I get a summons the minute the time frame after you were last called goes past. Literally. Two a year. I'm retired. 
The only time I ever got sent home was when I told them I had three goats due to kid within the next few days and I would not come if they were in labor.


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## Evons hubby (Oct 3, 2005)

Could you afford to live in a country that does not guarantee you a fair trial by a jury of your peers? If taking a day or two off for jury duty is going to bust your budget.... I would look very carefully at my budget!


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## where I want to (Oct 28, 2008)

Yvonne's hubby said:


> Could you afford to live in a country that does not guarantee you a fair trial by a jury of your peers? If taking a day or two off for jury duty is going to bust your budget.... I would look very carefully at my budget!


The last actual trial I was on, the jury selction lasted 6 weeks. The actual trial lasted 3 months.
Another case - the jury selection was two days, the trial 4 and the deliberation 3. And it was a simple drunk driving. 

It is no small matter for someone.


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## wannabechef (Nov 20, 2012)

Jut tell them you are a racist and they will let you pass.


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## Evons hubby (Oct 3, 2005)

where I want to said:


> The last actual trial I was on, the jury selction lasted 6 weeks. The actual trial lasted 3 months.
> Another case - the jury selection was two days, the trial 4 and the deliberation 3. And it was a simple drunk driving.
> 
> *It is no small matter for someone.*


I am sure of that.... particularly for the poor bugger falsely accused of a crime.


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## where I want to (Oct 28, 2008)

Yvonne's hubby said:


> I am sure of that.... particularly for the poor bugger falsely accused of a crime.


So you could have afforded not being paid for 5 months?


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## Joshie (Dec 8, 2008)

Yvonne's hubby said:


> I am sure of that.... particularly for the poor bugger falsely accused of a crime.


I get what you're saying but you've got to understand that most people cannot afford to lose months of pay. I'm happy that you can afford this but most cannot. It would be nice if the government would pay normal base salaries.


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## Dolly (Dec 13, 2003)

I served on a jury once (not federal though) and it lasted for weeks. I'm sorry to say that the pittance offered did not even cover my fuel to and from the county courthouse every day. Sad, but true fact of life. It did seriously impact my financial well being, and it took me a couple months to get back on solid footing. I did my duty, and figured that it was someone else's turn to do theirs. The next summons I recieved I went, and while going over the list of questions they ask, I asked the bailiff if he knew what jury nullification was. I am a firm believer in it. He excused me without further comment and I have not received a summons since.

Unfortunately, we have no way of knowing if a trial is going to last days, weeks, or months. That's the problem. Can you afford to miss work for a few days, a week or two, or a few months? We shouldn't have to look at it that way, but again, we have to be factual and honest about it.


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## Evons hubby (Oct 3, 2005)

where I want to said:


> So you could have afforded not being paid for 5 months?


Yep, dont mean I would like it, but I have maintained a backup fund for a good many years now that has been known to last me 8 months with out a paycheck. I wasnt "broke" then, but I gotta admit, I was beginning to wonder how much longer I could hold on. Another 3 or 4 months may have been problematic. I have served on several juries over the years. We must have a bit different system here in these hills than yall do. Court is held one day a week, and nearly all of our trials are completed in that day.


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## empofuniv (Oct 14, 2005)

Before the Mr and I retired we both served LOTS of jury duty. He has a summons right now even though we have moved out of state. Being federal employees our salary was guaranteed. DD2 did receive a jury summons at our home address when she was in the military...I wrote them a note explaining that she was homebased on opposite coast and was deployed. She has never been summoned since even though she has lived back in CA for many years now.


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## charmd2 (Apr 14, 2011)

I work for a private based employer who pays us our base rate for jury duty. I always get excused. My brother is a defense attorney and our prosecuting attorney in the county I live in is a coleader in our 4h club. For some reason everyone in the area thinks my opinions may be biased? I may be the most impartial juror in the county, but good luck getting anyone else to believe that.


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## MushCreek (Jan 7, 2008)

I was a sole proprietor business, and got called for jury duty. I explained that serving would shut my business down. They didn't care. Luckily, it was only one day, but a couple months would have put me out of business and into bankruptcy.


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## nebula5 (Feb 4, 2003)

I have been called for jury duty 3 times, but 2 cases settled before trial. The 3rd time was county grand jury. It lasted 3 days, and my employer paid me for those. Don't know how long they would have kept paying if the trial had lasted weeks, though.
NY state at the time reimbursed $40 a day for jury duty, for those needing it.


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## Micheal (Jan 28, 2009)

During my working days if I was called for jury duty the company I worked for always made up the difference between jury duty pay and my base salary. Could be a NYS law don't know but every company I had ever worked for did the same..... Have you checked with your place of employment to see if they do the same?

Although now that I'm retired, no one cares; since retirement I haven't been called for jury duty once.... don't figure!


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## Ambereyes (Sep 6, 2004)

My company pays our regular salary whenever we get called for jury duty. Been called several times when I was out of country, tends to make the county mad when you can't show up, LOL.. I have only made it past the initial jury selection once, since I am very opinionated when it comes to crime and punishment during the jury questioning.


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## Old John (May 27, 2004)

Back in the late '70's or early '80's, I was put on the Regular panel of a Petit Jury, for 3 months. Every other Tuesday, I had to be downtown at the City-County Building for Jury Duty.So, I actually served on a jury every other Tuesday, for 3 months, 6 Tuesdays for 6 Trials.

The strange part is that I was elected Foreman, on each of those Juries.
And the Verdict in each of those Trials was "Guilty".The Evidence was all, right there.

I have since been call for jury Duty twice. And, each time the Defense Attorney eliminates me. So, I think it is very unlikely I will ever serve on another Jury.

ETA..........I forgot the important part about getting paid. I was employed at Ford Motor Co. at the time. And, my employer, in the interest of Community Service, made up the difference in what I was paid for Jury Duty and my regular wages.
So, I didn't lose a dime.


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## BlueberryChick (May 12, 2008)

For me, the problem isn't the money. My husband is our breadwinner. The problem for me is child care. We homeschool and don't have anyone who can step in to help for more than a day or so. 

The jury summons I received last spring said that you can only be dismissed for child care reasons if your children are under seven. So they think leaving an 8 year old home alone is fine?! If I'm called again and don't have someone to watch my children, I will bring them with me.


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## Alice In TX/MO (May 10, 2002)

When I worked at a school district and was called for jury duty, I received my regular paycheck, but they wanted me to sign over to the district the $10 that I got for serving. I found that very odd.


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## fordy (Sep 13, 2003)

..............I've always enjoyed all the juries I've served on, except those where both the defense and prosecutor keep exchanging offers for most of the day without any updates to the jury members . Kinda insulting in a way ! , fordy


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## nobrabbit (May 10, 2002)

Good luck with getting excused. My husband just finished his year of Federal jury duty. He was required to go the first Thursday/Friday of each month. He tried to get excused with the reason being he was the sole feeder for our farm and another that he manages. The Federal court he was called to is 35 miles away to boot. They told him to figure it out. There were quite a few folks that owned their own businesses (contractors, etc. ) that would lose money, there were some folks with medical problems - they were all told it was their duty to serve. He said the only person that was excused was a full-time student.


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## Danaus29 (Sep 12, 2005)

Dh served 2 weeks. He had to turn his pittance that didn't even cover parking and lunch (can't bring your own) over to his employer before they sent his standard pay. Took nearly a month before we got those paychecks.

I was called once when both my kids were under 5. I was told that if I didn't show up they would send a police car to pick me up. I told them they better make sure there were 2 carseats in it because I didn't have a babysitter and I was not about to drive in downtown Columbus. They never did show up.


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## where I want to (Oct 28, 2008)

I hated being on a jury. For some reason I wasn't called for decades and I sort of thought I was missing something. 
Then I got called. I enjoyed it for about a half an hour. The further it went on the worse it was. 
The thing is like theater where the opposing lawyers throw out allegations, leave out what you need to know what is right, then you sit with a bunch of people who are various at best and dumb as mud in at the worst.
Luckily on the drunk driving case, the jury foreman was a scientist from a university who bothered to explain what "calibration" actually was and what it meant to those who had never heard the word. The court never saw to it that people understood it.
Then a moron on the jury said, after we had battled to a concensus, that he wanted to change his vote "to shake things up." I'm surprised the waves of anger from the others didn't cause him to burst into flames. 
Since then I'm called all the time and dread it.


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## Awnry Abe (Mar 21, 2012)

It's our duty. Don't forget it. Some things in life are more important than a paycheck. Sure it sucks when you realize at the end of it all that you wasted your day/week/month on someone that was guilty as ---. But arent you glad they had to prove it? We now have a government that has officially pointed the cross-hairs at its own citizens. The day we are relieved of this duty by some "better option" will be the day that same government expands its list with an ever growing paper-thin layer of phony justification.


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## Steve in PA (Nov 25, 2011)

I'm a Libertarian who strongly believes in jury nullification. I put that in the "other stuff we should know" section. Strangely, I never get called for jury duty


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## beccachow (Nov 8, 2008)

While I agree it is our duty, so is feeding the family. If you have been able to prep and haven't had the misfortune of having to live paycheck to paycheck or having your lifesavings stolen from you as we did from a low life who got his day in trial and gets to spend his life in prison with three square meals and hot showers while we get NOTHING to restore our lives, then congrats, you're doing it right.

For the rest of us, reality is that a budget that fit perfectly last year will no longer cover the basics. Gasonline has skyrocketed, we can't afford new cars. Food prices through the roof for even the most basic staples. MUCH smaller take home pay due to tax increases. Skyrocketing insurance premiums. Utility bills that have doubled and are costly no matter HOW much you try to conserve. As some have mentioned, our kids may be homeschooled; our attempt at self-suffiency in that department doesn't leave a lot of room for these types of things.

I don't really have a dog in this fight; I have hardly ever been called and my number never came up when I was called, not to mention my employer is required to pay a full day's salary for jury duty absence no matter how long it goes. I am fortunate.

I just get a little touchy when folks write off other's misfortunes because they personally wouldn't be affected. Count your blessings, but you just can't know what roads others have travelled to be in whatever financial state they are in.  No harshness really intended to anyone, just an observation in general.

With today's legal acrobatics and nonsense, what should be a slam dunk now can take weeks to settle. Most folks can't afford to put themselves in that situation for a variety of reasons.

Yes, it is my duty and yes, if I get called I would show up. I couldn't fault others who genuinely can't, though.


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## Sawmill Jim (Dec 5, 2008)

Yvonne's hubby said:


> I am sure of that.... particularly for the poor bugger falsely accused of a crime.


Then it gets worse he gets judged by 12 people not smart enough to get out of jury duty to boot :Bawling::smack


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## nobrabbit (May 10, 2002)

Federal jury duty is very different from county/district. My husband was required to attend 2 days a month for a year, now he can be recalled up to 18 months. He didn't mind performing his civil duty though it was a bit of an ordeal finding someone to feed but Federal court tries the worst of the worst and the cases can be quite disturbing.


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## emdeengee (Apr 20, 2010)

IMO Jury duty should be paid. Where I live transportation is not paid if you live in the same city as the trial. If you live a specific distance outside of the city you may receive a small travel allowance. Parking is not paid even though most courthouses have a parking arcade where judges and lawyers park for free. There is no allowance for childcare.

Those persons selected from the jury panel to serve as jurors receive the following payment: 

From day 1 to 10: No fee
From day 11 to 49: $40.00 per day
From day 50 to the last day of trial: $100.00 per day. Trials of this length are rare.
Funnily enough (not) if you are on unemployment insurance you can do your jury duty and still collect your benefit.

And there is no tax deduction for lost income while you serve.

Serving on a jury for 10 days with your income cut off while you incur new expenses is punishing the juror not the criminal.


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## mnn2501 (Apr 2, 2008)

Alice In TX/MO said:


> When I worked at a school district and was called for jury duty, I received my regular paycheck, but they wanted me to sign over to the district the $10 that I got for serving. I found that very odd.


That's pretty standard.
My employer does the same thing.


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## nobrabbit (May 10, 2002)

Federal Jury paid $75.00 per day + $0.55 per mile plus parking costs.


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## kasilofhome (Feb 10, 2005)

I really want each person to think when they are called for jury duty that

It is YOU gift to serve your fellow man. That you got that gift by the death of many persons in the past who cared so much for freedom then and for the future where you are now. 

Yes, it cost money out of your pocket--It cost someone in the past everything

Auther unknown 

*Have you ever wondered what happened to those men who signed the Declaration of Independence?*
*Five signers were captured by the British as traitors, and tortured before they died. Twelve had their homes ransacked and burned. Two lost their sons in the Revolutionary Army, another had two sons captured. Nine of the 56 fought and died from wounds or the hardships of the Revolutionary War.*
*What kind of men were they? Twenty-four were lawyers and jurists. Eleven were merchants, nine were farmers and large plantation owners, men of means, well educated. But they signed the Declaration of Independence knowing full well that the penalty would be death if they were captured.*
*They signed and they pledged their lives, their fortunes, and their sacred honor.*
*Carter Braxton of Virginia, a wealthy planter and trader, saw his ships swept from the seas by the British navy. He sold his home and properties to pay his debts, and died in rags.*
*Thomas McKeam was so hounded by the British that he was forced to move his family almost constantly. He served in the Congress without pay, and his family was kept in hiding. His possessions were taken from him, and poverty was his reward.*
*Vandals or soldiers or both, looted the properties of Ellery, Clymer, Hall, Walton, Gwinnett, Heyward, Ruttledge, and Middleton.*
*At the Battle of Yorktown, Thomas Nelson Jr., noted that the British General Cornwallis, had taken over the Nelson home for his headquarters. The owner quietly urged General George Washington to open fire, which was done. The home was destroyed, and Nelson died bankrupt.*
*Francis Lewis had his home and properties destroyed. The enemy jailed his wife, and she died within a few months.*
*John Hart was driven from his wife's bedside as she was dying. Their 13 children fled for their lives. His fields and his grist mill were laid waste. For more than a year he lived in forests and caves, returning home after the war to find his wife dead, his children vanished. A few weeks later he died from exhaustion and a broken heart.*
*Norris and Livingston suffered similar fates.*
*Such were the stories and sacrifices of the American Revolution. These were not wild-eyed, rabble-rousing ruffians. There were soft-spoken men of means and education. They had security, but they valued liberty more. Standing tall, straight, and unwavering, they pledged: "For the support of this declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of the Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other, our lives, our fortunes, and our sacred honor."*
*They gave us an independent America. Can we keep it?*


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## Evons hubby (Oct 3, 2005)

Sawmill Jim said:


> Then it gets worse he gets judged by 12 people not smart enough to get out of jury duty to boot :Bawling::smack


Actually no... he can always opt out of the jury trial and have his case heard by the judge only. But remember judges are sometimes a bit smarter than those 12, and may not swallow the nonsense presented by the defense.....while the jury just might. 
Twice now I have stood up before a jury (a grand jury, but thats still a jury of my peers).... told them I had committed the crime (a pretty serious felony) I was being accused of in great detail, and walked out of the courtroom a free man! This was two separate grand juries, same crime/case and both juries voted unanimously to not indict me. I find it amazing what a jury is capable of!!


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## kasilofhome (Feb 10, 2005)

If I needed the money in order to server on Jury Duty. (when I have serverd--I could afford it) I would look to help from a church or a VFW or the Rotery or any group I respected and supported my view that jury duty is serving and protection the what is the Best of America. I doubt that I would have to go far for help.


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## Joshie (Dec 8, 2008)

MushCreek said:


> I was a sole proprietor business, and got called for jury duty. I explained that serving would shut my business down. They didn't care. Luckily, it was only one day, but a couple months would have put me out of business and into bankruptcy.


DH received several summons when he was self employed. He was always excused. He was the sole breadwinner so serving would have been disastrous. I was summoned twice with a couple of months about 15 years ago. One was federal and the other county. I went to the first one, spent a day sitting in a room twiddling my thumbs. At the last minute the defendant took a plea. I didn't even get enough to pay for my parking. 

When I got the next summons I called, asking how I could get excused. They told me to send the form back, telling them why I could not serve. DD was a very small child. I was nursing and she was ill. I had nobody to watch her. Even if DH had been able to stay home with her she needed care beyond his ability. My mom, an RN, was scared to be alone with her. 

It is a shame that I never received a summons when I was able to serve.

Kasilofhome, do you think that a person who is worried about losing their home because they have no income is going to be impartial? They are going to want to get out of there as quickly as possible. I think that it is wonderful that many larger employers pay employees serving on juries. I don't think that when our jury system was created they ever thought trials would last months on end.


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## kasilofhome (Feb 10, 2005)

Jos.

Do you think the men and women who have been overseas as the banks forclose on there home were distracted. Sorry--just as many people could not and some would choose not have a sick infant due to the strugle you stepped up to the duty. 

Yes, there are times and siduations --just as you expressed that are just. and we as a society need to give them the time. We all know and hear about the jury is filled with only those too stupid to find a way out. 

Everyone has hardships and I wish that the people serving had it easier but life is not fair.

Would it be better that only the rich retired serve?


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## emdeengee (Apr 20, 2010)

No matter how civic minded you are there is a problem with unpaid jurors. The juror has no control over the length of the actual trial. But they do over their part. If sitting on a jury is costing the juror income that they really need then just how willing do you think they are going to be to devote even more time to in depth deliberations? I wonder how many people are serving sentences because the trial took 8 days and jurors number 3, 7 and 8 have each lost $1600 in income and they have rent due or medical bills to pay?


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## Sawmill Jim (Dec 5, 2008)

kasilofhome said:


> Jos.
> 
> 
> 
> Would it be better that only the rich retired serve?


Maybe 50/50 non working people those that never have worked . The old slippery slope of define jury of ones peers :help::cowboy:One reason i bet many take a plea deal lot of people can't repeat what one person says to another and get it right let alone from one day to the next . :sob:


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## kasilofhome (Feb 10, 2005)

Em

Sorry but you have to plan in advance you yourself have stated that your planning for the unknown (just cause something happens) has saved you. Everyone should plan for storms, unemployment, jury duty, car accidents one can not always pick the money challenges in our lives. DH having brain damage did not make my list----but if we knew with the term of his self paid disablity insurance we would have been covered. Life happens.


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## Steve in PA (Nov 25, 2011)

emdeengee said:


> No matter how civic minded you are there is a problem with unpaid jurors. The juror has no control over the length of the actual trial. But they do over their part. If sitting on a jury is costing the juror income that they really need then just how willing do you think they are going to be to devote even more time to in depth deliberations? I wonder how many people are serving sentences because the trial took 8 days and jurors number 3, 7 and 8 have each lost $1600 in income and they have rent due or medical bills to pay?


What actually burns me is that the only people in that courtroom besides the defendent not getting paid (very well) is the jury. The Judge and most likely the Attorneys have driven their BMW and parked in the gated lot while the jury takes a bus or tries to find free parking.

The courtroom staff decent salaries and most likely full healthcare/retirement but many of the jurors are the people paying that salary AND losing money to be there.


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## Danaus29 (Sep 12, 2005)

Here witnesses that have been ordered to court get more reimbursement than jurors and they don't have to be there all day.


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## Farmer Willy (Aug 7, 2005)

I was just excused from jury duty begining of this month. I allowed as I had an hour drive to school twice a week and then work, but I could serve when I finished school. Got a call back from the clerk, good luck in school, do well and congradulations for improving myself.

I was bunted out of jury selection years ago. I allowed as yes, I knew the prosecutor, had played football with him in our youth. I then made my opinion known that pulling a man off of a bus for a public intoxication charge was bull as the man had left his car parked in the lot rather than drive it drunk. I suspect I was a bit biased in that case.


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## wannabechef (Nov 20, 2012)

emdeengee said:


> No matter how civic minded you are there is a problem with unpaid jurors. The juror has no control over the length of the actual trial. But they do over their part. If sitting on a jury is costing the juror income that they really need then just how willing do you think they are going to be to devote even more time to in depth deliberations? I wonder how many people are serving sentences because the trial took 8 days and jurors number 3, 7 and 8 have each lost $1600 in income and they have rent due or medical bills to pay?


You made a very good point.


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## airotciv (Mar 6, 2005)

Yes, it's our duty and I believe in this system. I have been called for jury selection 4 times in the last 6 years and I have noticed in my county that people with employers that don't pay for jury duty, medical and school issues are usually excused. How to get off jury duty, tell the truth. 

Judge: Tell me about you? Live on a small farm in ____ and raise goats and sheep, etc.. 

Judge: Do you have any hobbies? Yes, etc..

Judge: Do any of the Lawyers have any questions?

Lawyer 1: What do you like to watch on TV? Court TV, ect. but that caught Lawyer #1's attention, Court TV.

Lawyer 2: You said you live in ____ and tell me what you don't like about this area? Very strange question. Then I say, looking at the Judge, Wild Turkeys and Logging Trucks. She could not stop laughing.

I was dismissed, because of the logging truck comment, it was a case envolving a logging truck.

Now, my DH just got a summons for Federal jury duty, little worried. Looks to be much different than the County system.


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## TriWinkle (Oct 2, 2011)

To paraphrase a well-known movie:
"God I love the smell of self-righteousness in the morning!!"

That disgust some of you are throwing about so flippantly...It goes both ways...Get over yourselves...


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## kasilofhome (Feb 10, 2005)

Jury duty is such a minor thing to do for our system of justice to be. Maybe our justice system is leaning toward coruption because we are not as involed as we need to be. Someone else can do it --I am too-- what ever. Well, steading our society needs to come from the private persons on up. A trial by jury is a part of the check and balance of the goverment.

Laws are not always just. Our system includes though it is rarely talked about Jury nullifcation. This is very important as it provide at the grass root level a judgement of the law as well as the specific case and siduation.

Knowing that person have been drafted and had their lives more that inconvieced but end to allow us today the chance to set our own goals and try to be what we each want. I would rather be mocked and put down to cowering and quieted to fit someone elses comfort zone. 

Having the blessing of hanging with people twenty to forty years older than myself and listening to them I heard the stories of the hardships families went thur when husbands, son's and fathers were somewhere and maybe they would come home. A time when a young bride lived with a MIL who spoke only Italian and seemed to dispiese the woman who took her boy away from her. 

Yes, we all have troubles and if we would just work together as people used to maybe our troubles would be lighter. 

There really are always going to be hard times but is freedom always an option. No, the freedoms we forgot to value are slipping away. I am no saint I would rather take the easy way and serving on jury is a country club compared to what could be faced in a battle. 
If caring about the future of the American way is
self-righteousness to some so be it that is your right. I will not give silent approval for dising the jury system.


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## Joshie (Dec 8, 2008)

kasilofhome said:


> Sorry but you have to plan in advance you yourself have stated that your planning for the unknown (just cause something happens) has saved you. Everyone should plan for storms, unemployment, jury duty, car accidents one can not always pick the money challenges in our lives. DH having brain damage did not make my list----but if we knew with the term of his self paid disablity insurance we would have been covered. Life happens.


You are right; we should all plan for life's contingencies. Have you ever considered that that might be impossible for some? Using my life as an example, what would you have done or how would you have prepared?

DD was self employed for more than 30 years. When we were married his business paid our bills but didn't give us one penny extra. We have two children who developed unexpected, rare, difficult to diagnose, and impossible to cure diseases. In DD's first 16 weeks of life, her medical bills amounted to $1,000,000. We were responsible for tens of thousands of dollars.

Our children have been chronically (and I must say, expensively) for almost 25 years. Even though I made very good money we could barely make out bills. At some points nearly half of our income has gone to medical bills. Several times we came close to being out of debt but a medical emergency always seemed to follow. 

Although I really wanted to we were unable to save for retirement. We've taken vacation three times since our children were born. Each time somebody else paid. The only time we ate out was during the many out of state medical visits. Three and a half years ago I became disabled. Two years ago DH developed cancer. 

I realize that our circumstances are rather extreme. Even so, there are plenty of people who find it impossible to save for emergencies. Even if a person could have but didn't save for emergencies do you think it is right for them to serve on a jury, without pay, for a week or two or more? Is such people are worried that they won't be able to pay rent or utilities or put food in their bellies? Right or wrong do you think they would be impartial? Would you want them to decide your fate? I would not.


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## beccachow (Nov 8, 2008)

No one is denying that jury duty is our...duty. (Where is a thesaurus when you need one)? The problem comes for some when the trials can go on and on, and even one day of missed work may mean the difference between paying the electric or not. I would gladly stand in for someone who faced such a hardship. While some are lucky enough to have jobs that pay for jury duty, some do not. In a perfect world, we would have prepped enough or been able to save enough money to cover this. In the real world, families are having enough trouble in the modern economy putting gas in the car. Families that were doing well and socking it away four years ago have had to dip into their savings over and over; less take home pay, super high inflation, rising insurance rates, higher taxes all around...these things take their tolls. 

Perhaps we should make it so all employers must pay at least SOME money for the day's missed work since jury duty is out of the hands of the employee. You would find a lot more willing people if their livelihoods weren't at stake.


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## whiterock (Mar 26, 2003)

I've been called three times. Last time the jury box was filled before they even got to me. The other times, the lawyers asked me one question and I was out of there. I have no prob with serving, I am retired now so it wouldn't be much on county level. Federal would require me to go into city, and that would be dangerous for those city folk that didn't get out of my way, no threat there, just old red neck driving like a country boy but in the big city. I got health issues as well that might require a bit of assistance if i had to sit for long periods. I wouldn't know where to go , or park, or anything else at this point of life either. My last trip as Fed was way back in the 80s. Lots of changes in 'Big D since then.


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## TriWinkle (Oct 2, 2011)

kasilofhome said:


> I will not give silent approval for dising the jury system.


What? You want a cookie?


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## Joshie (Dec 8, 2008)

beccachow said:


> Perhaps we should make it so all employers must pay at least SOME money for the day's missed work since jury duty is out of the hands of the employee. You would find a lot more willing people if their livelihoods weren't at stake.


I agree with you except for this. This could put an undue hardship for some small businesses. There are a lot of businesses that can't afford to pay employees missing work. If the employee was vital or out for a long time they would have to pay for the employee out for jury duty and for the replacement. 

We as a people should spend money for things like jurors instead of being so darned wasteful.


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## where I want to (Oct 28, 2008)

Frankly we need a lot less trials where juries are required. The last time I got called, I spent about 4 hours in a room with maybe a hunder others. The judge came out with the two attornies involved and made them apologist for keeping us all here. I did not ask but I suspect they came to an agreement that they could have reached much earlier had they tried. 
I think that the people who make a living out of the court - the attornies- should pay for the use of the court house staff and juries in civil cases. In order to practice, they should have to pay a substantial amount of court costs up front. I imagine they would find ways to avoid wasting the jurist's time if they had to pay for it.


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## wannabechef (Nov 20, 2012)

where I want to said:


> Frankly we need a lot less trials where juries are required. The last time I got called, I spent about 4 hours in a room with maybe a hunder others. The judge came out with the two attornies involved and made them apologist for keeping us all here. I did not ask but I suspect they came to an agreement that they could have reached much earlier had they tried.
> I think that the people who make a living out of the court - the attornies- should pay for the use of the court house staff and juries in civil cases. In order to practice, they should have to pay a substantial amount of court costs up front. I imagine they would find ways to avoid wasting the jurist's time if they had to pay for it.


And lawsuits should go before a non biased board to see if the lawsuit is worthy or frivolous. It should be a vote, the most votes out of 12 gets a lawsuit.


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## beccachow (Nov 8, 2008)

wannabechef said:


> And lawsuits should go before a non biased board to see if the lawsuit is worthy or frivolous. It should be a vote, the most votes out of 12 gets a lawsuit.


 I wish I could unlike this just to like it again. Frivolous lawsuits account for so many increases...health care, car insurance, you name it.


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## kasilofhome (Feb 10, 2005)

TriWinkle said:


> What? You want a cookie?


 
No, not a cookie. I just want a trial by my peers for me, and you and everyone else should there come a time if a person is brought up on charges.

Nullification and the jury is what has and will (if we keep the system) protect us --the sytem was set up to protect us. 

An understanding of the Juryers bill of rights is a prepping item in a cival time.


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