Jury Duty

[DCLMP]

That's a $500 fine in my state along with the option for the judge to find you in contempt and throw you in jail until you do serve.

Does your state mandate employers to pay you? Mine does not.

 

[Mokat76]

I used to live in a low-population county along the US-Mexican border. When you added the requirement that juries be fluent in English, the eligible juror pool got real small real fast. In two years I got called three times and served three times. Two were state, one was county. All cases were for drugs in amounts way beyond personal use. I continued to get my regular pay from my employer and didn’t have to take vacation days.

 

[Chirple]

I've seen where telling the court in person that serving on a jury could cause a financial hardship, but where I live if you don't show up without a medical excuse you will be held in contempt.

 

[_19disnA]

Whether or not your employer pays you for jury duty doesn't eliminate the obligation to participate if requested. I would assume rules about pay from your employer vary by state. If you are salary vs hourly probably makes a difference as well as whatever union agreements are applicable for those part of a union.

I was only involved in jury duty one time a number of years ago and my employer encourages employee participation as part of your civic duty. The court paid a small stipend for participating but don't recall how much it was but not very much as I recall.

 

[soccerdad72]

Whether or not your employer pays you for jury duty doesn't eliminate the obligation to participate if requested. I would assume rules about pay from your employer vary by state. If you are salary vs hourly probably makes a difference as well as whatever union agreements are applicable for those part of a union.

I was only involved in jury duty one time a number of years ago and my employer encourages employee participation as part of your civic duty. The court paid a small stipend for participating but don't recall how much it was but not very much as I recall.

The times I’ve seen people get excused for financial hardship usually involved being a small business owner where they wouldn’t make anything if they weren’t actively working. Not employees of companies.

 

[bobbiwoz]

I’ve been called three times, and sat on two juries.
I’m over 75 and I opted out the last time.

 

[snowwite]

I've never reported to jury duty and never will. My employer doesn't pay me to go so unless the courts want to match my salary. I'm not going.

I don’t know if it’s the same everywhere but here you will have a warrant out if you fail to show.

 

[snowwite]

Does your state mandate employers to pay you? Mine does not.

We get aid a whopping $50 a day

 

[BayouQueen]

I've been sitting on a jury duty card. Pardon the pun.
No way can I do it. They have a new system to just go online and make your excuses. Not sure how you know that the excuses are acceptable, but that's what I did.
Once again thank you to the Dis'ers here because it's very possible I would have ignored it and been put in the pokey.

 

[Chirple]

At the end of 2022, I received a jury summons for January 24 in 2023. I was having a TKR in January. First I had to request a deferral for medical reasons. The jury office emailed a form for my surgeon to complete. Once it was returned to me, I had to email it back to the jury office. They granted the six month deferral.

Sure enough, six months later I received a jury summons. The Friday before I was supposed to call in, I received a text and an email that I was dismissed for 3 years. That never happened to me in the past; I have always had to appear in person.

 

[DCLMP]

I don’t know if it’s the same everywhere but here you will have a warrant out if you fail to show.

uh no. You send back the form explaining why you can't go. For many people including myself it would be a financial hardship. I cannot afford to takes weeks or months off work without pay. There are a number of reasons people can't do it. Childcare, homeschooling, health problems, running a business etc. You can't abandon your kids and file for bankruptcy to sit on a trial. In some states employers are required to pay you. That would certainly makes it easier.

 

[DCLMP]

I've been sitting on a jury duty card. Pardon the pun.
No way can I do it. They have a new system to just go online and make your excuses. Not sure how you know that the excuses are acceptable, but that's what I did.
Once again thank you to the Dis'ers here because it's very possible I would have ignored it and been put in the pokey.

Doubt you'd go to for jail for that... then again are justice system is so screwed up you never know.

 

[Living42Day]

I would love to serve on a jury, but will never be selected because of my career.

 

[snowwite]

uh no. You send back the form explaining why you can't go. For many people including myself it would be a financial hardship. I cannot afford to takes weeks or months off work without pay. There are a number of reasons people can't do it. Childcare, homeschooling, health problems, running a business etc. You can't abandon your kids and file for bankruptcy to sit on a trial. In some states employers are required to pay you. That would certainly makes it easier.

I tried to get out of it for those very reasons when I was a young single mom. The court could have cared less. Thank God I knew the defendant’s daughter so I was dismissed.

 

[EACarlson]

Does your state mandate employers to pay you? Mine does not.

No, it is not a state law. Employers are required to give you the time off with no adverse affects to your position, but nothing regarding pay. I would be absolutely against any such mandate. No reason the employer should be paying when you're not producing for them. I would be in favor of raising the court paid per diem to be more at least minimum wage. Mean daily income would probably be better, but that's not going to happen, especially in wealthier counties.
Thankfully I work for a very highly rated company that is all for doing their civic duty. I have to pay my per diem back to the company but I get full pay while I'm there. Still going to have to scramble for childcare at least one day of that week as it's my kids' spring break and my wife has to work from the office one day.

 

[mousefan73]

This is reason number 99 why I am happy I no longer live in the US. I am so against the "Random" jury system that really on the US chooses ( some countries still have it but less than 1% of trials use them). Such an archiac system. I was once called and thank god not picked. I would have come up with excuses to get out, acted crazy , sick whatever.

Why i am against a Jury simpy because random people are stupid. I consider myself an educated person who can understand basics things and more complicated things. But I would NEVER want to be put in the position to make a decision based on law when I have no education nor practical understanding of the law. and god forbid I am tried by my peers, to put my life on the hands of some random person, no way.

People are idiots.. simple put and a simple briefing by the court on the law at hand sorry, how does that compare to a judge??? yes judges are corrupt, but so are people.

 

[Moliphino]

uh no. You send back the form explaining why you can't go. For many people including myself it would be a financial hardship. I cannot afford to takes weeks or months off work without pay. There are a number of reasons people can't do it. Childcare, homeschooling, health problems, running a business etc. You can't abandon your kids and file for bankruptcy to sit on a trial. In some states employers are required to pay you. That would certainly makes it easier.

Your previous post sounded like you were just ignoring it entirely, which would definitely get you in trouble.

 

[DCLMP]

Your previous post sounded like you were just ignoring it entirely, which would definitely get you in trouble.

I don't know about that.

 

[sam_gordon]

I don't know about that.

If/when you get your jury summons, then just ignore it (and I agree with @Moliphino, that's how I read your previous statements). Let us know what happens.

The one time I was on jury duty, my company paid my normal rate (and I was hourly), I had to turn in the per diem I got from the court (I think it was $15). NOT a state law to require that as far as I know.

 

[TippyThomas]

Your previous post sounded like you were just ignoring it entirely, which would definitely get you in trouble.

That's how I interpreted it as well.