Jury duty?

[NovelNerd]

Hi, I was curious if anyone here has had to do this before? I've never been contacted about it before because well honestly with my dad being a lawyer they didn't call anyone in my family. I know things have changed in more recent years, and I got a notice the other day. I guess last year wouldn't have been an issue since I was teaching, and I know schools have a plan for that. This year with the subbing it's a problem since obviously if I don't work I don't get paid.

I didn't put this in WYP because it's not really an issue, but I'm more asking about others experiences. If you has to do it how often did they call you in? Was it an everyday thing for so long a period? If it wasn't did they give you time to notify your work? How did you manage to keep bills paid ect?

[kaoskat]

I haven't done it but my mom has a few times. Most of the time she ends up not having to go in and the couple times she did, it was only for a day. I think usually it isn't very long.

[mlp4me]

My poor Dad has been called up 3 out of the last 5 years. Always right around his birthday week that he takes off. You don't want to know what he does to try to get out of it (there's a questionnaire that they send out for the first step in selection)... LOL. The one time he did go it was only for a day.

[NovelNerd]

Oh well that's a bit of a relief. I could afford to miss a day of work with minimal compensation just not long term stuff.

[Marlin]

I did jury duty once, and it was a very interesting, worthwhile experience. Admittedly the case I sat on was pretty mild (fraud). If it had been anything nastier like child/sex abuse I don't know if I would have come away feeling as positive about it. Working with complete strangers to determine someone's immediate future was a really deep, intense but fascinating process.

You can get out of jury duty in my country, but you need a pretty valid reason. The courts pay you, but it's not very much. I was lucky in that my work at the time paid me my full wage for the two or three days I was absent, but I needed to reimburse my work what the court paid me.

Sorry, I forgot to add that ours is done by ballot process. You can be in there for a full day as they call ballots for various cases and not end up being on a jury (like my husband did, both times he's been called. The last time he went in he spent two days working from his ipad as they selected people for cases) or if you have my sort of luck, end up being called up in the first round of people for a case, and being balloted again to be one of the 12 members of the jury for that case!

[joce]

 when you go in(if they even actually call you in) you can say it will be a financial stress since your income is PRN work.

 I was on one and the whole thing lasted a little over two weeks I think. Before they choose us they said if you don't want to do this for any reason leave-but you still could have been chosen for another jury.

 Courts paid us 25 a day but luckily work reimbursed me cuz that wasn't cutting it!!

[melodys_angel]

No, but my moms been selected atleast 3 times now.

We really felt bad for her.

[Teddy]

You know, I was never once contacted for Jury Duty (and I'm 32). I'm thinking it's because I moved around so much for school, internships, and jobs. Maybe they couldn't find me? But now that I live outside the US I guess I'm spared for good.

Hope it's short and doesn't interfere with your work! Maybe you'll luck out and they won't choose you for the actual trial? Alot of people are disqualified that first day they show up for one reason or another and never end up having to actually do it. Or so I've heard.

[NinaMarie]

I've been called up 4 times. One time i postponed it because it corresponded with finals, when my time came around again I showed up and actually got picked but luckily the trial only lasted a week. Another time I went in and sat around awhile then was dismissed. Another time I just called on the day to check up and my group number was dismissed before I even had to go in. I just got another notice to report this month. I'm hoping it will be like the last time and when I call it says my group is dismissed.

[Bow Tie]

I got a notice once around this time a couple of years ago. I went in, waited a while, they brought us in to a room, called people's names and those who weren't called left. I was ok with going down because I was living at home at the time so I didn't have any bills to pay, plus the Christkindlmarket was going on in front of the building I had to go to so I had a nice boot mug of wine to celebrate not getting chosen. Hopefully it won't be too bad for you! It will probably only last a day or two depending on the severity of the case.

[Eviecorn]

I've never had to do it ... *knock wood*

[NovelNerd]

When I looked it up for our state the pay is actually better than most at around $50. The only issue is listed on the form it has different areas I might be sent to and they are all over an hour away. I drive an SUV so actually I would be spending all of that money in gas.   Yeah hopefully they don't ask me to come.

[Radiance]

I would LOVE to be called in for jury duty! GUILTY! They're ALL GUILTY! hehehe! My aunt was on the jury for a case that ended up on Dateline once. Pretty interesting stuff!

[Kaeldre]

I haven't done it yet but, and I'mma sound weird for saying this, I really want to. o.o I guess that's the law geek in me.
I've heard from several people that it's a hassle since you have to take time off of work and jury deliberation can go on for days sometimes.

It kind of interesting how the jury selection process works.

[NovelNerd]

I dunno when I was younger sometimes my dad took me to court with him. I've never liked it, so I probably wouldn't be the best person.