Being the good citizen that I am I was overjoyed when the summons for jury duty arrived about a month ago. Actually I was kind of upset. Who has the time for this? My first reaction was to try to postpone it, but then I said no. Serve and get it over with. I opened the summons, answered the questions, and mailed it back. Hoping, all the while that they wouldn't need me and would send back a letter thanking me for ny response and telling me not to show up. No such luck. A week later the follow up form, with my badge and instructions arrived.

Here in Morris County there is a policy of "one day, one trial". If you don't get on a case the first day your term of service is finished. If you do get selected you serve for the period of the trial, typically two to three days. Sitting here, I don't know what to hope for. If I get selected it could be interesting to hear the case and deliberate. On the other hand, if I'm not selected my term is finished today, but I'm bored, sleepy and restless. Sitting around waiting is not for me, my eyes are tired from the book I've been reading and I don't want to read the New York Times again. It's looking like lunch is going to be the high point of the day.

I tried to prepare last night. I charged my iPad, my smartphone, my iPod and selected a book that I've wanted to read for a long time. I just didn't realize how quickly I'd get tired and bored of each.

So now it's 10:45 in the morning. I sitting here typing this. The clerk just announced that the two judges are trying to settle their cases before trial so it doesn't look like they'll be calling us soon. Lunch is an hour and a half away and dismissal is five and a half hours away. There's some silly daytime show on the TV and we're all getting restless.

I've been here since 7:30 this morning. I really do believe in the American system of jurisprudence, but I'm beginning to wish I asked for a postponement.

I'd much rather be at work.

 

That's what you get for voting.

Seriously, good luck and may it pass quickly.

 

^ Sorry but I disagree. It's easy to see why today's youth think "its all about me" if we set that kind of example.

 

.. We(you) are lucky to have such a great legal system here in the USA.

 

I'm fortunate in that my employer pays us our regular pay rate for the duration of our service. But we have to sign over the county, state, or Federal payments to them. So far I've never received a summons from either. I would gladly serve if asked but I know it can be a tedious process from Barb's experience serving on a murder trial many years ago when we were still living in Chattanooga.

Hope it works out well and quickly for you Rob.

 

I have served several times. I consider it my civic duty.

 

Where do I start?

 

At about 11:15 we were notified that there was going to be one trial. All of us were brought up to the court room for the voir dire. I wasn't selected with the first batch of eight. The judge opened with a number of questions and a few of the people selected were dismissed. After a few rounds of selections a satisfactory jury was finally seated. The trial was expected to last three days. Most of the people answered the questions honestly, a few did everything they could to be dismissed.

I wasn't even selected for the voir dire nor were about half of us. We were sent back down to the jury assembly room where we were dismissed for the day. Because it's "one day, one trial" my service is finished for a few years.

The voir dire process was very interesting, and I'm sure a trial would be too. The problem with jury duty is the time spend in the jury assembly room just waiting to be selected.

Still, it is a civic duty that we have to do in order for the system to work.

It was quite interesting to watch those people who tried to get excused and to listen to their excuses. Mostly the judge didn't fall for them, but in general the connivers were dismissed by the lawyers.

 

I get summoned quite often. But I seldom if ever get chosen to serve, even at the times I would choose to serve on the jury. Unfortunately the lawyers often avoid picking academics in voir dire, alas.

 

I have done my civic duty and showed up for jury duty. I will show up again, if called. I understand where folks are coming from regarding the financial impact being a juror can cause. I think there should be better compensation for those that serve. Most small businesses (mine included) by law, pay for three days of jury duty. After that, I'm on the hook. Self employed people are really impacted financially.

The lawyers get paid, the judges get paid, the clerks get paid, the defendant may even have a free lawyer. All this does make me think that the juror compensation issue needs to be reviewed.

Of course I have no idea who would pay for juror compensation.

Let the begin.