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Let me start by saying that I'm THRILLED to have opened the mailbox today to have discovered a summons for jury duty for February 4, 2008. I vote in every primary and general election, voice my concerns on political message boards, and have begun to take a great interest in judicial and political processes.
However, I've just done a bit more research, and I must admit I have some concerns. First of all, 2/4/08 is a Monday, and I have school Monday-Friday. I could see cutting class for one day, but the summons specifically states that I am mandated to report for at least four days. I most certainly can't miss four days of college courses, but there was no option on the summons for a student deferral. I'm also concerned that I'll only be paid $9/day for my services. I could understand if I was only going to be there for an hour or two, but I've talked to people who say you must report at 8:30 AM and often don't leave until 3:30 PM. That works out to be just over $1/hr. I could probably make as much in a third-world nation.
I think it would be an honor to serve my county by being selected as a juror, but I refuse to miss potentially an entire week of school because of this. After all, I'm paying roughly $60/hr. to attend class, and I could easily be losing a good $800 or so to skip school while serving jury duty while only getting $36 back in return. That seems like highway robbery to me.
What are your opinions? How likely would I be to be chosen to sit on a jury? How likely would I be to be able to adjust my jury duty around school? How likely would my professors be to excuse my absence for a week?
Let me start by saying that I'm THRILLED to have opened the mailbox today to have discovered a summons for jury duty for February 4, 2008. I vote in every primary and general election, voice my concerns on political message boards, and have begun to take a great interest in judicial and political processes.
However, I've just done a bit more research, and I must admit I have some concerns. First of all, 2/4/08 is a Monday, and I have school Monday-Friday. I could see cutting class for one day, but the summons specifically states that I am mandated to report for at least four days. I most certainly can't miss four days of college courses, but there was no option on the summons for a student deferral. I'm also concerned that I'll only be paid $9/day for my services. I could understand if I was only going to be there for an hour or two, but I've talked to people who say you must report at 8:30 AM and often don't leave until 3:30 PM. That works out to be just over $1/hr. I could probably make as much in a third-world nation.
I think it would be an honor to serve my county by being selected as a juror, but I refuse to miss potentially an entire week of school because of this. After all, I'm paying roughly $60/hr. to attend class, and I could easily be losing a good $800 or so to skip school while serving jury duty while only getting $36 back in return. That seems like highway robbery to me.
What are your opinions? How likely would I be to be chosen to sit on a jury? How likely would I be to be able to adjust my jury duty around school? How likely would my professors be to excuse my absence for a week?
Any and all advice is welcomed. Thank you!
You think it is an honor to serve your country by sitting in a court room for one dollar per hour. Then you also have to pay for parking and sometimes but not always pay for lunch too.
Seems to me that you/we are being disrespected and offering you a dollar an hour for your services is an outright INSULT. You are right. You can make more money in a 3rd, 4th or even 8th world country. If some claim that money is not the issue then I ask the courts to pay zero to those serving on Jury.
You said how wonderfull it would be to serve in one sentence but spent several more paragraphs saying why it is bad.
You are confusing me. Quite possibly it could be that you really really really do not want to do it but you are saying you would like to because the government/big brother attempts to brainwash the public into believing that it is a good thing to serve. Do you feel this is true?
To some this is an extreme hardship. If you are very lucky you will lose just a few days from your life. If you are unlucky you might get stuck for months on end inside or outside the court room. Enough to devastate you and your family financially.
What ever happened to the talk of professional Juries?
I wish you much luck in your studies and your awfull situation.
Oh my. I don't even know what to say to the post above this one . . .
But as far as getting out of jury duty for school it will probably not be a problem. I think it is great that you are civically minded and are honored to be called. I have only been called to serve once and I too was excited to possibly be a part of our judicial system.
I'm sure there will be other times your serviced will be needed.
What ever happened to the talk of professional Juries?
Lawyers got involved and it went to a trial before jury
SWB, why not do research to see what type of case(s) you are going to go before? If it's a simple case that's just been appealed, it might actually do you some good to do this. Check the docket - they are public knowledge.
And in the end, if you don't want to - there should be forms at the court house for student deferral.
Let me start by saying that I'm THRILLED to have opened the mailbox today to have discovered a summons for jury duty for February 4, 2008. I vote in every primary and general election, voice my concerns on political message boards, and have begun to take a great interest in judicial and political processes.
However, I've just done a bit more research, and I must admit I have some concerns. First of all, 2/4/08 is a Monday, and I have school Monday-Friday. I could see cutting class for one day, but the summons specifically states that I am mandated to report for at least four days. I most certainly can't miss four days of college courses, but there was no option on the summons for a student deferral. I'm also concerned that I'll only be paid $9/day for my services. I could understand if I was only going to be there for an hour or two, but I've talked to people who say you must report at 8:30 AM and often don't leave until 3:30 PM. That works out to be just over $1/hr. I could probably make as much in a third-world nation.
I think it would be an honor to serve my county by being selected as a juror, but I refuse to miss potentially an entire week of school because of this. After all, I'm paying roughly $60/hr. to attend class, and I could easily be losing a good $800 or so to skip school while serving jury duty while only getting $36 back in return. That seems like highway robbery to me.
What are your opinions? How likely would I be to be chosen to sit on a jury? How likely would I be to be able to adjust my jury duty around school? How likely would my professors be to excuse my absence for a week?
Any and all advice is welcomed. Thank you!
If you are a full time college student, you may not have to serve...
Location: Oklahoma(formerly SoCalif) Originally Mich,
13,387 posts, read 19,448,031 times
Reputation: 4611
Quote:
Originally Posted by SWB
Hello,
Let me start by saying that I'm THRILLED to have opened the mailbox today to have discovered a summons for jury duty for February 4, 2008. I vote in every primary and general election, voice my concerns on political message boards, and have begun to take a great interest in judicial and political processes.
However, I've just done a bit more research, and I must admit I have some concerns. First of all, 2/4/08 is a Monday, and I have school Monday-Friday. I could see cutting class for one day, but the summons specifically states that I am mandated to report for at least four days. I most certainly can't miss four days of college courses, but there was no option on the summons for a student deferral. I'm also concerned that I'll only be paid $9/day for my services. I could understand if I was only going to be there for an hour or two, but I've talked to people who say you must report at 8:30 AM and often don't leave until 3:30 PM. That works out to be just over $1/hr. I could probably make as much in a third-world nation.
I think it would be an honor to serve my county by being selected as a juror, but I refuse to miss potentially an entire week of school because of this. After all, I'm paying roughly $60/hr. to attend class, and I could easily be losing a good $800 or so to skip school while serving jury duty while only getting $36 back in return. That seems like highway robbery to me.
What are your opinions? How likely would I be to be chosen to sit on a jury? How likely would I be to be able to adjust my jury duty around school? How likely would my professors be to excuse my absence for a week?
Any and all advice is welcomed. Thank you!
It's more likely that you won't get chosen, there are 12 jurors and thousands of people will called in for jury duty on the same case you were.
You just show the college dean, your boss and anyone else your "Jury Slip" (if chosen) and legally they have to accept the days you miss with no loss to you.
When the school is informed your on jury duty, legally they cannot charge you or you can take them to court for reembursments and the inconvenience.
You could say that your "bias" toward one party which may cause a "conflict of intrest" and you won't get chosen.
I've got a slip for jury duty 5 times, every time I called the #, an animated tape told me I wasn't choosen.
One time I forgot to call in,,,,,,,,,,nothing happened.
In Ca. I think it's 4-5.00 a day.
desertsun41 wrote
Quote:
You think it is an honor to serve your country by sitting in a court room for one dollar per hour. Then you also have to pay for parking and sometimes but not always pay for lunch too.
Depending on the type of case, some jurys are sanctioned.
My wife was called and chosen once on a murder/rape/kidnap case in Ca. This Physco rapist was kidnapping young girls, raping them and then bashing their heads in with the butt of a rifle.
The were sanctioned for 3 weeks and had to stay in a motel.
How about this? In order to get a jury trial, one has to have served jury duty? We all can come up excuses as to why serving jury isn't convenient for us at any given time to...small kids at home, school, work, etc. Some people have valid reasons why they can't serve on a jury. Like they're in the hospital. Or they're attending a wake and funeral of a family member, etc. Many of us take our judicial system for granted. Sure, it's not perfect, but there are places in this world that don't provide its citizens with jury trials. Many people have died in wars for our freedoms and in my opinion, we should gladly serve as jurors.
How about this? In order to get a jury trial, one has to have served jury duty? We all can come up excuses as to why serving jury isn't convenient for us at any given time to...small kids at home, school, work, etc. Some people have valid reasons why they can't serve on a jury. Like they're in the hospital. Or they're attending a wake and funeral of a family member, etc. Many of us take our judicial system for granted. Sure, it's not perfect, but there are places in this world that don't provide its citizens with jury trials. Many people have died in wars for our freedoms and in my opinion, we should gladly serve as jurors.
I think it's a little different when you're a full-time student. I remember one time someone I was in a class with missed two weeks of school due to jury duty. I don't know if they managed to catch back up with their classes or if they were just completely screwed. Most employers will reimburse their employees that have to serve (i know my last job was supposed to), but when you've already paid out of pocket for your classes, and if you get stuck with a trial that takes you out of classes for weeks, you could potentially be wasting an entire semester.
It doesn't sound as if your summons said you'd have to show up four days in a row. You should inform your professors of your summons, then show up on 2/4 for what will basically be an orientation. Different courts have different procedures, some have different pay scales. Until you go you won't really know. If, after hearing what's expected in this case, you feel that it's too much of a burden, explain why to the judge. As has been pointed out, jury duty can be deferred to a later, more convenient time. Or you may be excused outright.
DC
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