Jury Duty --again

coskat
Wed, 08 Jul 2009 18:33:28 +0000

Allow me to vent. I just finished 4 weeks of state/county grand jury duty 5 days a week 10AM-5PM. 10 days paid by employer, 10 days nada but the $40 a day from the court. I lost a decent amount of income that is needed for current college son and upcoming senior dtr. OK I get the civic duty aspect ect but of the 20 days/140 hrs spent in my opinion essentially incarcerated we actually spent less than 50% of the time hearing testimony/ voting on indictments. We heard 49 cases. There were days we sat for 6/7 hrs doing nothing but watching movies. Mind you we were 1 of 2 panels of 23. 46 people spending 50% or more of their time doing nothing while our jobs went neglected and if you were self employed losing valuable income. The inefficiency is ridiculous and 4 full weeks is an abuse of our time & ability to make a living. I’d rather go to jail for 30 days at least they feed you there. At least I can’t be called again for 8 years at the state level, 2 at the Federal level. Federal Grand jury is 1 day a week for 18 up to 24 months. My husband just got called for Fed trial jury. It definitely seems once you show up & serve they keep calling you back again & again while many others never get called or serve. There has to be a better way. If I ever get called again I will do whatever I have to not to serve because the stress & aggravation almost gave me a stroke.