Jury Duty

[VeraBlue]

I've served as foreman on a jury, about 18 years ago. Pretty cool, then they settled out of court.

I was summoned about 4 months ago to a US District court, which is a bigger deal than county court. This is 2 weeks of being on call, which is significantly a bigger pain in the derrierre. Against my conscience, I was excused due to the nature of my job. It's impossible to run a kitchen from the inside of a jury room. It's equally impossible to not know till 5pm the previous evening if you are going to be in that jury room or not. The court clerk agreed and excused me.

....for 3 months, it seemed. I was summoned again 1 month ago. Same deal. I'm on call from 10/6 to 10/17, required to phone in every evening to ascertain if I am required to report the next day. This is madness. I have to get someone else to cover me, yet I don't know if I'll need that person till 5:30. Then that person has to get someone to cover him, not knowing till I call. I cannot check production, place orders, guage inventory, etc.

I didn't request another excuse because I'm sure the whole thing would show up just in time for christmas. I also was informed that my company will pay for three days of jury duty, and make up the difference of what is paid by the court for 2 days, giving me a total of 5 days that I can serve and still make enough money. If I get put on a jury, and this case lasts more than a week, I'm up the proverbial creek.

I suppose I can plead financial hardship. Who can afford to miss days of work and not get paid? Not anyone I know.

I fully support and encourage everyone to do their civic duty and report for jury duty. It's a huge inconvenience but think of the alternatives. Wouldn't it be nice, though, if there was a nice little law that required employers to pay full salary while an employee is out doing what is required by law.

I mean, I don't want to have to show up and be all contrary and disagreeable, you know... Contempt of court just doesn't look good on a resume.

 

[roadfix]

Being self-employed, I've never even bothered to reply to any of the dozens of summons I've received in the mail over the years. I've always ignored them. For some reason I stopped getting them about 3 three years ago. Go figure...

 

[pdswife]

It's our duty to go... to serve ....to do... that being said... it SUCKS!!!!!

Here, when called we have to go and sit in the court house for three days waiting to see if we get on a trial or not. We just sit and wait... if we get called the trial can last frin anywhere from a day to three weeks. 15 dollars a day and milage. That doesn't quite cover the 20-25 dollars a day it costs to park!! ( last time I was lucky enough to get chosen to be on a trial I had the gas stolen from my car and got a $101 ticket too!!!) It's our duty....

 

[elaine l]

Just looking at this post is probably going to cost me an overdue turn at jury duty!

 

[roadfix]

Now that I've posted I might get something in the mail...

 

[jeninga75]

Never been called... *knocks on wood*

Hope I never do because I couldn't afford it. I agree also that you should be paid full wages for any work missed.

 

[elaine l]

Now that I've posted I might get something in the mail...

Just sent it......hehehehe

 

[suziquzie]

I had it once, before kids.... sat there 5 hours a day and 3 hour lunch breaks.... to "see" if I got chosen. Never did.

I was called a year or 2 ago but I was a stay at home mom then and had nowhere for the kids to go.... I'm working now but DH works overnights... same deal. He can't be up with them all day every day for lord knows how long, and I don't get paid for it where I work.

 

[Adillo303]

I got called. The deal is tht you go one day, If you get picked, you are there for a trial, however long that lasts. Parking paid for in a county garage.

I was in a pool and could have been selected. The case was someone suing a vet for killing her cat. They asked me if I would be prejudiced, got excused. Now I'm good to go for 3 years.

AC

 

[Barbara L]

I have served most of the times I was called (never made it onto a jury though), but when I was a substitute teacher I had to ask for an excuse. They had called so many people that time that there was standing-room-only. They said if it was a financial hardship, to get in line. Since I was only paid for days I actually worked, they let me off. I have only come close to getting on a jury twice. One of them would have been interesting, but the other was so horrendous that I am glad I didn't make it onto that one.

Barbara

 

[Saphellae]

I had a dream not that long ago that I was called for Jury duty I hope it wasn't a sign.

 

[Constance]

I was called once, but my doctor wrote me an excuse based on the fact that I took medication for depression and high blood pressure.

 

[love2"Q"]

forgot to call for federal jury duty .. a night in federal jail cured me of it ...

 

[pdswife]

yeap, that would cure me too!!! OUCH!

 

[Mama]

I was called twice, got picked once. It was a case of the "father" shaking an 18 month old so hard that the baby will be blind the rest of her life. It was the most heartbreaking week of my life.

 

[dave the baker]

Got called several times, got on a jury once. Guy liked to beat up women. Sent the louse to prison, he was guilty as hell. Got the duty in November here in San Diego. I have no idea how long or even if I'll be selected. It's been my opinion for many years that the courts ought to draw on the retired population first, spare the working moms and dads, etc. Nothing will ever come of that idea - it makes too much sense.

 

[VeraBlue]

Got called several times, got on a jury once. Guy liked to beat up women. Sent the louse to prison, he was guilty as hell. Got the duty in November here in San Diego. I have no idea how long or even if I'll be selected. It's been my opinion for many years that the courts ought to draw on the retired population first, spare the working moms and dads, etc. Nothing will ever come of that idea - it makes too much sense.

My boyfriend is a lawyer who works with grand juries...and that service could be for months, up to a year. He agrees with you regarding retired population. He also agrees that nothing will ever come of it.


I don't have to pay to park, though. There is a municipal lot for jurors. How lucky for me, eh?

 

[getoutamykitchen]

Was called once, got chosen and 10 minutes into the trial we were sent home. Mistrial! Bummer, I was looking forward to it. It was a drug related case.
I have sat thru a murder trial 2 or 3 times and I pray I never have to go thru that again.

 

[letscook]

got called twice and when called in the first day was told i was excused for the week. No cases going on. so far so good haven't gotten called again. watch today Ill get notice.

 

[simplicity]

Vera, - since you were excused the first time can they summons you again so quickly? I know there are laws covering the frequency you can be served a jury summons. I just don't know what the laws are.