UNITED STATES—I’m frustrated America, and if you’ve been in my shoes you might be frustrated also. How many of you have ever been summoned for jury duty? Of course, most Americans have, in most situations probably only ONCE or TWICE in their entire lifetime. Hmm, now what if I told you I have been summoned for jury duty probably 20 times in less than 12 years. I’m in my 30s, and I think I have been summoned and served jury duty more times than my parents and grandparents combined people.
Before I even turned of legal age, I had already served jury duty once. Right after doing so, I was summoned 2 more times in the same year to serve jury duty at the local and federal level. I was excused from both because I had just served. A pattern started where I was getting called all the time for jury duty, and I stopped to ask myself, why in the hell am I constantly being summoned. I mean I know people who have NEVER served, yet someone who has served multiple times continues to be called year after year after year.
What gives? I thought the American government was to be fair and balanced? It’s not so balanced when the same person is summoned to serve on a jury week after week after week. I’m all about civic duty, but damn how many times is one person expected to perform the civic duty which so many other people consider to be a joke? Why can I say that? Well, I have served TWICE on federal cases and I was baffled at how careless people were when it came to the legal system. About 75 percent of the individuals who were selected to serve on the case could care less of what the outcome was.
That really boils my blood. This is someone’s life in stake especially when you’re dealing with a high-profile case like murder. I mean when 10 of the 12 jurors look at one another and note, as long as we can get out of here that is all that matters. That sucks people, it sucks royally and the fact that people think it’s acceptable is worse. I do understand the process of selecting a jury is never, and I mean never an easy task, but at the same time, what happens if you fail to adequately screen the jurors to show if they are actually going to be involved in the process? It never happens, I mean never happens.
For most people, you sit in a room with a bunch of disgruntled other people, patiently waiting to see if your number will be called or if you’ll get the opportunity to go home early. Most of us keep our fingers crossed with the prospect of serving our annual jury summons and not having to be called for another year if they’re lucky, some never again in their lifetime.
I just wish the government was more prone to go after those who don’t work, versus focusing attention all the times on those who have a 9-5, or have to worry about completely re-adjusting their schedule to fit a day of sitting and waiting where you don’t even receive minimum wage per hour. Like there is no way the government can think that $40 for sitting in a room for 8 hours is acceptable, especially for someone who makes $10-$15, it’s like a slap to the face. Now, of course, you can ensure to collect the money from your employer that you will miss for the day, but who in their right place of mind would take $40 over $200? Um, I know I wouldn’t people, so the courts shouldn’t either.
I swear I am hoping this latest jury summons I have received is the last one I receive for the next 10 years, because someone being called 3 times a year from the local, state and federal government to serve for jury duty is just not fair people. Let’s find a bit of balance when it comes to the important service of jury duty America!
