This Sucks, Grand Jury

[xoxoxoBruce]

A friend who lives in north New Jersey got this letter today...



WTF? Yeah, yeah, civic duty, democratic process, yada, yada, yada. But one day a week for twenty fucking weeks? Most people have to work for a living. Even if she was working nights, with the traffic it's still a couple hours drive each way.

There's probably a law saying your boss can't fire you for missing the time, but I doubt there's a law that says he has to pay you. And just because he can't legally fire you, doesn't mean he can't be vengeful in a thousand other ways. Bad performance reviews, no raises or promotions, rubbing his balls on your coffee cup.

This sucks big time, especially after being unemployed for almost a year, having a heating oil tank leak with a $200k+ proposal from the state for clean up, and several other downers. But those are personal crosses to bear, this has to suck for any working person.

[glatt]

That seems really poorly thought out.

If you make it easier to serve on a jury, then people won't be trying like hell to get out of jury duty.

I've been called to serve on a jury three times over the years here in Arlignton.

The first time, I had to show up for three days and hang around in the morning until I knew if I was going to be put on a case. First two days I found out after an hour that I wasn't needed, and I went to work. I was put on a case the third day and the trial lasted a few hours. Since I had then served on an actual jury, I was then excused for the remaineder of that Jury session. (Two weeks, I think.)

the second time, it was for federal district court, and since I had actually served on a jury within the last 3 years, I was excused and just mailed back a form.

The third time, it was for county court again, and I had to show up the first morning at the courthouse for a couple hours and then went to work, but after that, they had a phone number for me to call the night before to find out if they needed me the next day. I called that number for two weeks, and they never needed me, so I never went in again.

The clerk of the court has a lot of leeway in how they set the system up, and it sounds like NJ has a very messed up and inconvenient system that encourages people to lie, cheat, or steal their way out of serving.

[xoxoxoBruce]

Someone told me yesterday they served on a Grand Jury in MA where they had to report two days a month for three months.

I get jury notices every couple years. I kept telling them I was too deaf to serve on a jury unless everything they wanted me to hear was amplified or I was close enough to the speaker to see their face. Then one time some woman at the courthouse called me and gave me a raft of shit saying I could hear her on the phone. I explained I have a special phone and hearing aid which amplified the caller, but still had to turn off the TV or any other competing sound.
The next time a notice came I sent it back with a note saying I'd love to help the defendants avoid the crooked court system that fucked me over.
I was excused immediately. After that I just tell them I'm deaf and they don't argue.

[Gravdigr]

I, a convicted felon, was living in another county and received a notice to serve on jury duty in the county in which I was born. I had to call and tell them I was a convicted felon, and didn't live there anymore.

Don't they check that sort of thing?

[anonymous]

My father is on the grand jury rfn.

[Clodfobble]

In Texas all you have to do is have a baby. There's a little check box for "I'm the sole caregiver for a child under 10." I've been coasting on that for 10 years, and I have another 2 left. Can't even remember how many times I've been called up.

[fargon]

Keryx was called up a few years ago, and got sent home. I have not been called since I've been in Wi.