How does jury duty work?

[Rakehellion]

How do you pay your bills if you're dragged away from your normal job and paid less than minimum wage?

 

[lxskllr]

You don't. You can claim hardship, and the judge might let you off, but they don't have to.

 

[highland145]

Tough shit. I think I made ~$4/hr.

Do your civic doody.

 

[Rakehellion]

You don't. You can claim hardship, and the judge might let you off, but they don't have to.

So a person can actually lose their house over this?

 

[GagHalfrunt]

Your chances of winding up on a long trial are about the same as being hit by lightning. For every O.J. circus trial there are about a bajillion that last 2 days or less. Generally, for trials expected to be marathons you will be excused if you can show hardship, but for normal trials you suck it up and serve. You're not going to have much success trying to show you'll be ruined by missing a day or two of work.

 

[Slew Foot]

Tough shit. I think I made ~$4/hr.

Do your civic doody.

f that, if they want me to miss a day of work, they can pay me my normal wage

 

[lxskllr]

So a person can actually lose their house over this?

Theoretically, yes, but I'm unaware of that happening.

 

[justoh]

How to get out of jury duty: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_MFebZlUJ7E

 

[WaTaGuMp]

I dunno, I always get out of it.

 

[highland145]

So a person can actually lose their house over this?

You need proof but I could see someone getting on a 4mo murder trial and taking a serious hit. I work for myself, so that would be me but my house is paid for.

 

[Printer Bandit]

The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), a federal law, does not require employers to pay employees for jury duty service.

 

[lxskllr]

works still pays you if you're on jury duty.

Yours might. Mine doesn't. Seriously, that might not be a bad mandate. Put the burden of expense on the employer(with some rebates from the government). It would be another tax, but it's a reasonable way to get people to participate in the system. *Many* people don't participate in jury duty, and a worst case outcome is we have a small group of "professional" jurors. It doesn't take much imagination to figure out why that's a bad idea.

 

[BoomerD]

Just go pick up a couple of felonies...That's almost guaranteed to get you out of jury duty for life. (it has for me)

 

[highland145]

f that, if they want me to miss a day of work, they can pay me my normal wage

Or a 30 day sentance for ignoring them. Whatever works.

 

[Printer Bandit]

i still don't get why a jury of random people is allowed?

why not have 12 trained judges that went to law school instead?

 

[highland145]

Just go pick up a couple of felonies...That's almost guaranteed to get you out of jury duty for life. (it has for me)

Illegally transporting liquor should not count.

 

[Ruptga]

How to get out of jury duty: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_MFebZlUJ7E

I was going to post something like that. I'm sure it gets tried all the time though, and you could probably be held in contempt (or something) if they're pretty sure you're making it up.

Maybe something more plausible would be to rant about how our legal/justice system is a corrupt farce, and you'll be voting not guilty no matter what.

 

[Ferzerp]

Jury duty usually works like this.

You show up. They say we don't need any of you. Every case took a plea bargain. You go home.

At least that is how it has always worked for me.

 

[Printer Bandit]

true jury duty would be randomly selecting 12 people to be in the box.

currently, there is a screening process where lawyers from both sides can weed out people, aka rigging.

 

[lxskllr]

i still don't get why a jury of random people is allowed?

why not have 12 trained judges that went to law school instead?

So a group of people beholden to the government hearing cases brought by the government... That's one way of making a corrupt system worse...

 

[Six]

You'll have to go when called, but that doesn't mean you'll get selected. Chances are that you won't get selected. If you do get selected, at that time, you can asked to be let go due to whatever circumstances. Judges are very understanding. Just don't lie. Judges are very good at entrapping a liar.

 

[AznAnarchy99]

I claimed hardship a few weeks ago. They wanted to put me on an attempted murder, assault, and child abuse case. I can't afford going 2 weeks without normal pay.

 

[WaTaGuMp]

Illegally transporting liquor should not count.

How about sex with sheep?

 

[highland145]

How about sex with sheep?

That's between Boomer and ewe.

 

[MongGrel]

It varies, I've been called up to about 5 Counties and one Federal one.

Never have went to a trial I guess, but had to go to the Federal one and sit through two days of vetting, but as they had plenty of people that seemed retired etc and I had recently started a new job I mentioned that and I think they nodded me on.

They seem to hit me about every 2 or 3 years I guess.

Wasn't so bad when my job did use to pay me for it, not so in the new one.