Jury duty AGAIN

[Nerdius Maximus]

Okay, I'm 30 years old, I live in a (fairly) major metropolitan area, and I've been called THREE TIMES. I know very few people who have been called even once. What gives? Why me? Fortunately, my job will pay me while I'm out, so it'll be like a paid vacation.

 

[Bears Discover Fire]

Okay, I'm 30 years old, I live in a (fairly) major metropolitan area, and I've been called THREE TIMES. I know very few people who have been called even once. What gives? Why me? Fortunately, my job will pay me while I'm out, so it'll be like a paid vacation.

It could be worse. I live in a high density population, but I've been called for jury duty every year since I turned 18 (I'm just shy of 28). My jobs through the years have never once paid for jury duty. One year, I almost lost my apartment when I was living paycheck to paycheck and lost 2 weeks of work when I was selected for a trial.

I have no explanation for why I'm chosen every year :-/.

 

[auntiehill]

Luck of the draw, my friend. When I lived in Austin, I got called every year for about 4 or 5 years in a row. Never ONCE sat on jury.

Then we moved to a smaller town in a less populated area. I only got called ONCE in 5 years, but I actually sat on the jury, all the way to the verdict.

 

[Marten]

Haha, no such thing in Sweden. Nice, actually.

And safer, I'd guess. We let lawyers do that job instead.

 

[John Picard]

Hey Nerdius,

I'm in Cleveland County and haven't been called for jury duty in the 17 years I've lived in Oklahoma.

 

[bigdaddy]

Massachusetts you can only be called once every 3 years. I was called back in 2008 when I was 22.5.

 

[farmkid]

I'm 36 and have never been called for jury duty. My wife, however, has been called at least 4 times that I can remember. She was always let off, however, because she was the sole proprietor of a child care business she ran in our home. To serve on the jury would require she shut her business down, costing us a lot of money and greatly inconveniencing her clients as well. There's a good chance she would lose all of her clients in the process, as well.

 

[Miss Chicken]

I have only be called for jury service once and that was almost 20 years ago. I could easily get out of it now because of health issues.

I remember how the court in Hobart once was so short of jurors for a particular trial that they had to grab people off the street to make up a jury. I think this was a result of the accused being so well known that many of the people originally called had to be excused because they knew people connected with the case.

 

[Mallory]

In Oregon you can be called for jury duty once every two years. I've generally been excused for one reason or another, the last couple of times due to health issues. I expect to be called again this year, but also expect to be excused again since I'm disabled.

 

[Haggis and tatties]

Last time i go called for Jury duty was 2006, i enjoyed it, quite interesting to see what goes on in courts.

 

[Haggis and tatties]

Opps..double post for some reason.

 

[Nerys Ghemor]

I got called once in 2005 by the federal district court. I ended up being excused because I was in college and about 1 month out from moving away. I haven't been called again since.

Mallory--Just curious, but you WOULD be permitted to sit on the jury if you felt it was something you wanted to accept, right? I sure hope they wouldn't kick someone off if they felt they were up to it.

 

[mari]

I've never been called for state courts, but several years ago was picked for the federal court in New Haven, CT. I sat around for a whole day and then the stupid defendant pleaded out so nobody ended up serving. I think I was unemployed at the time, so it actually cost me money to take the train out there, buy lunch, etc. Ugh. Now I've worked for lawyers and pretty much know every lawyer and judge in the state, so it'd be tough to seat me.

 

[Velocity]

I live in a town of about 15,000 and have been called twice in 20 yrs. Both times they didn't end up seating a jury. I got paid $36 for 2 days of sitting around. The USCG paid me as if I was at work and I turned the piddly check over to the Command as required. I've heard that jury trials are not often held anymore because most people plead out. This last time, the first defendant they called hadn't appeared in court so they let us go while they looked for him. Then they ended up letting us go because the judge said it was a waste of our (the potential jurors) time and he knew we had better things to do than sit around waiting.

 

[Miss Chicken]

When I did jury service I wasn't employed. I received $40 for a full day, $20 for a part day. One the days I did a full day I received a meal allowance of $8.50. My busfres were reimbursed. Also I friend of mine took care of my children before and after school and she recieved a payment from the court.

These payments were non=taxable and weren't regarded as income so my benefits weren't affected.

I imagine that payments have increased somewhat since I served.

 

[MeanJoePhaser]

I was called twice last year, which they say isn't supposed to happen. Never had to leave the room, either. Cases were pled out instead. I was disappointed, because I wanted to try Homer's idea "just say you're prejudiced against all races."

Got free juice and pastries...and $14. Wow. Parking was like $3+, though.

 

[Punky]

It could be WAY worse. Were I live, if you get the Jury Duty letter in the mail, they can call you as many times as they want for 6 MONTHS.

I have only had that happen to me once and in the six months I went in about 25 times. It was a BIG pain.

 

[Punky]

BTW Miss Chicken LOVE the avatar

 

[Miss Chicken]

trekkiedane made the avatar for me several months ago. I have had a long wait to use it.

 

[RJDiogenes]

I've been called two or three times over the years, but I've never had to serve. I think it would be kind of interesting.