Jury Duty

[emmybee]

I don't mind it, but finding out if you have physically show up or not is super annoying. It's not enough that they have you call the night before, that is no problem. What chaps my hide is how they expect you to call during the middle of the day to see if you need to show up later that afternoon. Figure it out the day before! Let me work w/out worrying if I have to drop everything at the last minute! I'm lucky that my job is very accommodating, but still....

 

[disneychrista]

I get paid my full wage if I have to serve so it doens't matter much to me. BUT I also work for the court, so while not guaranteed not likely I am going to get chosen.

 

[tvguy]

I realize it seems excessive, but the attorneys aren’t taking long lunches and chatting during those breaks. The midday breaks are for water, bathroom visits, and to deal with any legal issues that came up or are about to come up. Over lunch, as a prosecutor, I have to get escorted back to my office if I have a weapon or a controlled substance. Then I have to call my afternoon witnesses and make sure they know when and where to be. I often have to meet a civilian and walk them to court. But again, I I have to wait for an escort. Then I have to do an A/V test on any recordings/video for the afternoon session. If I get less than 90 minutes for lunch, I’m not eating. I keep protein powder in my office for just that purpose. We do not have the staffing to have assistants or other people do any of that for us unless it is a homicide or there is a victim that got shot/stabbed.

Once court is done for the day at 4:30, I have to contact the next day’s witnesses, ready any exhibits, make sure I have coverage for any cases on the next day that I can’t attend, etc. when you’re on trial, your work day is typically 10+ hours. The “trial diet” is often joked about because you’re all over the place and no time to stop and eat.

The only jury I was on was a Civil case, and the Associates all hand;ed that stuff.

 

[ncc1701]

The area around the Camden County Courthouse is safe during the day. And I'll bet that guy at work made up that story.

Agreed about Camden as I have done that one a few times. I just check to see if it's near a planned vacation and just ask for a deferment ( offer to provide proof). Of course if it falls within the 3 years since the last time I them know so I can be excused. We keep a file with the info so we can provide date , etc.

 

[disneychrista]

What chaps my hide is how they expect you to call during the middle of the day to see if you need to show up later that afternoon. Figure it out the day before! Let me work w/out worrying if I have to drop everything at the last minute! I'm lucky that my job is very accommodating, but still....

They could just make you come in, in the morning even though they are still working out if the are going to reach a deal or not. And then you get to wait all day at the Courthouse, instead of being able to go into work in the morning and at least get a part day in.

 

[aprilgail]

This may be way too late to help, but Massachusetts allows a one-time postponement. Also see this link, since not all college students are eligible: https://www.mass.gov/info-details/l...qualification#jury-duty-for-college-students-

Unfortunately she is eligible- postponing is not much better either because it will cost me money for her to go to jury duty then, many kids postpone until the week after school ends or the week prior to it starting but since she has to be out of the dorm by then I would have to have her stay in a hotel the Sat and Sun after school and the Monday for jury duty, and god forbid they kept her it would be way to expensive- the same with prior to school starting, she moves in on Labor day and then classes start, going up before would be a big mess because she would be in a hotel and I would have to drive her belongings up Labor Day- gives me a headache just thinking about it all!

 

[Poohlove]

I got summoned for the first time ever last year after my father had a stroke and I had used up all of my paid time off. I was granted a "postponement" for this upcoming May. I'm not overly excited about it but I'm not dreading it either. I'd rather use my time off otherwise.

 

[SteveH]

Honest? Annoyed. Our call in process, then go in and sit and wait is annoying. I hate the last minute plea games that are played, my time is worth money. That said very little chance I will ever be called due to the nature of my work.

 

[emmybee]

They could just make you come in, in the morning even though they are still working out if the are going to reach a deal or not. And then you get to wait all day at the Courthouse, instead of being able to go into work in the morning and at least get a part day in.

I get paid either way. I just want to know one way or the other. If I'm at court, then I'm at court. If I'm at work, well then leave me alone until the next day!

 

[elphaba91]

I never have been and now never will be! In my state anyone who’s name is on the roll of the Supreme Court (i.e. has been admitted as a lawyer) can’t be called for jury duty. Prior to being admitted though I likely would have been rejected anyway because I was a law student and/or working in a law firm.

 

[Kathryn Merteuil]

I was excited to receive the notice, but I have never had to go in. I had it like last year some time, whenever I called the number, it said it was unnecessary for me to report.

 

[MrsJackSparrow4Life]

I get the summons all the time but have never actually had to serve. I normally don’t mind it since I only have to call the night before (none of this midday stuff others are posting about) and my work will still pay me if I do get selected.

I did get a little irritated this last time since it had only been 3 months in between summons. At least give me a year break. Hopefully I don’t get another one in 3 months since I will be giving birth around then.

 

[wgeo]

I wonder how much pay has to do with it. I'm self employed and if I get called into jury duty I lose all of my income for the day - that hurts. I'm sure I would mind jury duty much less if I was still receiving a full days pay.

 

[amcnj]

Overall I never minded it, but I did get paid for jury service, so that makes a difference. It used to be more of a hassle, in that you had to report every day and sit there and wait. Now with the phone in the night before, a lot of that has been eliminated. Here once you have completed your jury service, three years is the soonest they can summon you again, and if they accidentally do so early, you can be excused. Whether you will even be asked back every three years depends on the county population and the number of cases that county typically has. I was in an every three year county for a number of years, but only had to physically report a few times. I was never seated in that county, but was twice in another, one for a civil case and one a criminal case. I was glad to have experienced both. I once got a notice for grand jury, but unfortunately had a vacation planned so asked for a postponement, and the replacement date was for petit jury, not grand, so thus far have never had grand jury service.

 

[Spencer Wright]

I don't mind one bit. Whether I am at my office or work I get paid the same, ect.

I will say I have it easy. (i.e. no kids with daycare or hourly wages I'm losing). I've only been ever called once, but I'm hoping for like a six week trial!

I will be more attentive to dates if I am called this year, as I have a vacation coming in May and August (be careful what you wish for). I had a co-worker's daughter who just had a long weekend at Universal planned, and almost had to cancel due to jury duty.

She went one day, and then was called back the second, but as she had already paid and the trip was over $500, she was dismissed.

Three WDW trips in a row, my father got called and was luckily deferred.

At least here in SE PA, counties seem pretty quick and easy to defer.

 

[aprilgail]

I got summoned for the first time ever last year after my father had a stroke and I had used up all of my paid time off. I was granted a "postponement" for this upcoming May. I'm not overly excited about it but I'm not dreading it either. I'd rather use my time off otherwise.

Your company makes you take paid time off for Jury Duty?? I never worked for a company that did not pay for jury duty and made you use your own time that's crazy.

I wonder how much pay has to do with it. I'm self employed and if I get called into jury duty I lose all of my income for the day - that hurts. I'm sure I would mind jury duty much less if I was still receiving a full days pay.

I got paid for it but it really sucked if I got called on a Monday- since I worked Sun 10om-6am I had to go right to jury duty Monday morning after being up all night working. One of my co workers was on a trial that lasted weeks and he would be off the whole week for Jury duty but have to work Sat and Sun nights and go directly to Jury duty Monday morning- he said more than once the Judge caught him falling asleep there- after 2 weeks the judge wrote a letter to our work saying there was no way he can work Sunday nights and go to jury duty Monday morning for the trial so he at least got off Sunday night but still had to work Saturday night.

 

[mrodgers]

Joy!

It is potentially a week off or more from work.

Opposite, dread. It's potentially eviction and repossession after the first week. I kind of need to work to pay for life.

 

[kdonnel]

Opposite, dread. It's potentially eviction and repossession after the first week. I kind of need to work to pay for life.

My company pays my full salary while on jury duty.

 

[mrodgers]

My company pays my full salary while on jury duty.

I get paid for a full week, but I am hourly and work a lot of overtime. I went for selection a few years ago for the day and was let go at the very end after 9 hours. Now being divorced, that single day of Jury duty that I still got paid for 8 hours would be a huge loss for me. A single day of Jury duty would be loosing not only the extra 4 hours at time and a half that I would have worked, but also the additional 8 hours at half time I loose on the rest of the overtime for the week because of an 8 hour regular day not worked not counting towards the 40 hour regular hours. I work 70 hours a week because child support doesn't leave me anything left to take care of the kids after living expenses for myself. That day of Jury duty is 1/3 of the dentist bill that I just got yesterday for my daughter's wisdom teeth. I live in a mobile home and pay lot rent. That single day of Jury duty is the money for my lot rent and my electric bill that month. That single day of Jury duty is the overtime I needed to work to pay for this quarter's car insurance bill that is coming up. That pay I miss from a single day of Jury duty would feed me for a month and a half. That single day of Jury duty is 3 months worth of payment on the furnace I had to finance last year when it was 4° in my living room while I was trying to chill on Christmas evening after all the family stuff.

So yeah, it's pretty much dread for me. I just received a questionnaire. I have a feeling of dread.

 

[monsterkitty]

I get called at least once a year. Two years ago I was called twice. This February I received a notice for jury duty in March. Today I received another for April. Sometimes my jury number gets on the list and sometimes it doesn't. We joke about it at school. If a sub picks up my absence then my number won't be on the list. If a sub doesn't pick up the absence my number will be on the list and other teachers will have to cover my classes.