UNITED STATES—It is your civic duty America. I’m referring to jury duty, which can be a pain sometimes. You never know when you’re going to receive that summons in the mail, you have no idea how inconvenient it can be in terms of your work schedule, it impacts your personal and family life and then you have to worry about commuting and being paid little to nothing for what is called your civic duty. I mean I get paid $40 to $50 a day for more than 8 hours in a courtroom. Guess what that is not even the federal minimum wage. You’re getting like $4 to $5 per hour.
Any parking fees you incur, you’re responsible for and when it comes to transportation coverage you get paid pennies on a dime. What is fair about that people? Absolutely nothing, nothing at all people and I don’t understand why the government does not compensate Americans more for jury duty. It is amazing because I have been called for jury duty consistently every single year since 2008. I remember 2008 like yesterday because I was summoned for federal jury duty. Yes, this trumps a city or state summons people, and it seemed like nothing I said waivered the judge or the lawyers for the plaintiff and defendant.
I found myself on a jury for more than 2 weeks. Two weeks people and it could have been worse because with federal cases you have no idea how many witnesses might be called to testify on the stand. We were told at the time some cases can last 6 months. Can you imagine not being able to work your job for 6 months and having to go to a courtroom each day for 5 days a week for that period of time? It would absolutely drive me bonkers.
I think the thing that annoyed me the most was realizing not all jurors think alike nor do they care about what is actually taking place. I cannot remember how many jurors was on the case, I believe 12 or 13, out of those 12 or 13, only 2 of us cared about the actual case. The other jurors when we started to deliberate didn’t care a single lick, they simply stated, whatever you decide we’ll agree with. I mean this is a person’s fate and you’re putting it into the hands of people who could care less. That is the issue with jurors people do not take it seriously and that is terrible to realize a fate can be in the hands of a person who is simply concerned about getting home and getting out of that courtroom.
Ever since 2008, I have been summoned for jury duty every year in the first or second week of January like clockwork. It could be local, state or federal government. I remember right after serving jury duty in 2008, I got summoned months later for both local and state jury duty. Luckily, I had just served so I didn’t have to come. However, I was always told if you serve jury duty once, you are not likely to ever be called again during your lifetime. I have served on actual juries 4 times during my lifetime and I’m still getting called every single year. Like is there no one else who can be summoned besides me. I know family members that never get called for jury duty like ever, yet I get at least 2 to 3 summons every year.
Give me a break already. I can see if I’ve served just once, but now, I’ve served multiple times on an actual jury, not just showing up for jury duty and sitting in a room for 8 hours and then being sent home. What’s worse is hearing people you don’t know complain about being summoned when it’s their first time and they’re like 50 to 60 years old. My argument: why don’t you try being summoned every single year, so cry me a river! I have been summoned again this month and just hoping that I’m not stuck in a situation where I’m serving for more than a few days or a few weeks.
As they say, serving on a jury is each American’s civic duty. However, I have served my civic duty more times than most Americans can imagine. I would love to get a break from being summoned every single year, I think I deserve a break.
