I agree with you too. I knew you were not complaining about the payment, but the waiting. The waiting is most annoying. I did get called into a trial once (drunk driving) but the lawyer must not have liked something about me. He kicked me out. On the plus side I was dismissed shortly thereafter AND I went into work. Something most people don't bother doing when they know they are on the boss' dime.

 

Since you brought it up, I will tell you exactly what I was thinking (otherwise I would not). Many an American has given their life for this country, so giving up tips or commissions for a day, or two, or more is really not that great a sacrifice. But as you said in your original post you could care less.
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Dave,

While I happen to agree with you that jury duty is a civic responsibility of the citizens, I don't think it should impose an economic hardship on those who serve. I'm lucky in that my county has the "one day, one case" rule but even then you can get a case that will stretch out for the better part of a week or two. In these times it's hard enough to make ends meet if everything goes right. Missing a few days of work could be quite a hardship.

I agree with Lainey that the days pay shoul be raised. Like her I can't think of where the money would come from, but I think something needs to be done.
[/quote]Stop your whining. I served for almost a week after I had just gotten married and started a new job. I didn't get paid squat from my company for the time I served. I just sucked it up and did my time.
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Ray

Just so you shouldn't think you're the only good citizen, when I lived in New York City I served twice. In those days you had to be there for a full week whether or not you got a case. One time I got a case on Friday afternoon and it went well into the next week. It ended in a mistrial. Very frustrating.

In those days I was in business for myself. Not only wasn't I compensated, but serving actually cost me money.

 

We’ve reached the point where I have to bow out……… but not before saying I’m disappointed the inconvenience of sitting around for a few hours or losing some pay means more than living up to a civic responsibility that does not come up all that often. No doubt there are examples where serving has been/could be a severe hardship but I really suspect the court would, more often than not, understand that when and if true. Another reason for you to look forward to old age, that gets you out of it.

Next someone will expect you to shovel your sidewalk in you live in the city in the winter.

 

None of us lived in the time before there was a jury system. None of us lived in the time that a revolutionary war was fought against a sovereign that appointed his friends to decide guilt. None of us lived in the time that the 13 colonies debated a Constitution that included a jury trial provision. None of us lived in the time when those colonies refused to sign the Constitution without a Bill of Rights requiring that the defendant be given a speedy trial before a jury in his or her home state. None of us lived in the time after the Civil war when the Constitution was again amended to require the states to provide a jury trial to defendants charged with the violation of state laws.

It is good to remember that those times were so bad that people fought for these rights with their very lives. Thanks to that sacrifice we, the people, now decide if the state has proven that our fellow citizen is guilty. There will always be people that don't care about this right. People will always be inconvenienced by jury duty. But try to think of it as a rare right and privilege held by the people rather than the government. Maybe that will help.

 

^ Excellent points, LB. For whatever reason, I've not been called for jury duty in about 30 years, when I lived in a different county. A bit surprising. I had an interesting experience then - was eligible for a few days (week?). Called in every day to see whether to report or not. I ended up serving on three cases. One was an embezzlement case. Two were really serious - a man who molested his stepsons while his wife was at work, and a man whose wife sued his cardiologist for malpractice after he died. I was relieved the morning of the molestation case when I was not chosen for a rape case. Then I got chosen for the molestation case in the afternoon, which was pretty awful. There was some sitting around until the afternoon if not chosen for the morning cases. I didn't think twice about serving. I believe I was paid $20 each day I served. I think the younger generation has a different mindset about jury duty (and a lot of other things).

 

Dave, I'm sorry you feel the need to bow out. You obviously have a strong opinion, which is valued. Bill has raised some excellent points.

I do appreciate the jury system, and the right to a fair trial. I don't think I'm the odd person out if I start grumbling about getting a notice to serve on jury duty. It can be inconvenient as hell at times, and if a financial hardship will result, it is hard to convince people that serving on a jury is a privilege.

I don't think not being thrilled or feeling honored to serve on a jury is a matter of being self centered, selfish, or being of another generation. I will show up if summoned, but I will be grumbling.

I'm of the opinion that the system needs work. I respect the opinions of those of you who disagree with me.

 

I have only been called to serve once in my 42 years of voting and I served with pride. I do have to say that there needs to be a better method of compensation for the jurors. What they give you today will not cover the cost of parking (yes, our county charges you to park!). I am lucky that my employer covers my full pay and doesn't adjust it down to account for the juror pay. He can afford it and considers it our duty to serve. Others are not that lucky.

I don't care about the time "wasted" because the victim deserves all of the help they can get and the perp does deserve their day in court (no matter how much I want to hang them).

 

Only once did I have to go in and sit with others waiting to be called. That ended in about 2-3 hours, they had enough faces and sent the rest home. Have been "on call" many many times. If called, nobody does my work, so I don't get paid, but I also consider it a civic duty to serve.

An aside, one of my friends served on a jury which was on a murder trial. A local dentist shot his estranged wife, admittedly, wrestling for a gun. That trial went on for 4-6 weeks!

 

That'll get you jail time where I live.

I do feel for those that are not compensated for the time 'though.

 

I have received notice but have not had to SHOW UP to sit n wait for at least 10 years. Our county has a system where you call up the night before your "date", log into the system and see if you are still need to show up....based on progress on new cases getting ready to start. In at least two notices, my number has not been needed.

I would actually LIKE to serve at least one time to see what it's like. Someone mentioned age....is there an age where you are exempt from service?

PS: Our county pays something modest per diem AND provides free parking in the courthouse garage