Jury Duty

I've been called for jury duty. It pays $30 a day. My daycare bill is $25 a day. I work for the city. I am only part time at 30 hours so they will not pay my salary difference. You would think that the city government would recognize your civic duties. I may only be 30 hours a week, but we depend on that salary to make ends meet. I serve for 3 months. I understand jury duty as being part of your civic duty, but bringing $5 a day whenever I have to be there is going to make things very difficult for us. Lovely system.

Can you not claim economic hardship to get out of it? That's an option here and where I grew up.

Beats where I am. I got $8 a day. Obviously it wouldn't have covered the cost of day care if we had needed it (heck, now it wouldn't even cover the gas to get to the court house). The only up side was my job- they paid me for the days I was out, and didn't mark down themas sick days, either. All I had to do was show them the notice that I was called for jury duty and sign the check from the county over to them.

That really sucks

http://www.iowacourtsonline.org/Jury_Service/Frequently_Asked_Questions/

Yes, I would write and ask to be excused for economic hardship. Three months?? You have probably been called for a specific trial... perhaps they can instead switch you to "regular" jury duty which is just a week.

Tell them you are a flaming racist man hating crazy person!!
and then show up and say you slept with one of the defendants.

:/ but seriously, that sucks. Regular jury duty is bad enough..

How it works here most people do not even end up having to show up. you call in the night before and they tell you to come or not. Of course I was one of the groups called and one of the hundred picked to be on the jury. They did ask if we wanted to be there or not for any reason and they would just let us go.

Judge did not care if your racist, for or against guns, hate baby's etc. his speech was actually kinda funny. He said it takes all types and it does. And honestly it's scary to think who can decide these things because the thinking of some people ( your peers) is just not there!

My cousins husband got called for one where he drives into Cleveland once a week for a year ( maybe its a full week a month)and sits on a grand jury.

I got $15 or $25 a day but I gave that back and my work pays me for serving jury duty.

The judge SHOULD care if you have a prejudice that can sway your verdict. The attorneys will care too and can ask for you to be dismissed.

I had to show up every day I did jury duty though only one of the cases actually went to jury selection. It was a child molestation case. When it was my, the judge asked me if there were any reasons that might make me unable to be an impartial juror, and I said "yes," and he said "thank you for your candor, you may go." Didn't even ask me what or why.

But if your case does not deal with it what should it matter. Everyone is prejudice against something. And half the jury would be one way and half the other. This is why they ask a general do you need to go.

Our case dealt with white rich guys. No guns. No issues people could use to get out of it.

The defense attorney and DA ask specific questions during voir dire and will strike you from the jury if your answers make them think you will be inclined to the other side. Most courts also have a number of strikes each side can use to dismiss jurors that they don't want without a reason, so even if you do get called in for voir dire you stand a good chance of getting dismissed.

So, even if you don't get an economic hardship bye you still have a good shot at being dismissed.

As I said, if you have a prejudice that would sway your verdict, it will matter.

No issues anybody could have in a case involving rich white guys? Pretty sure the entire "occupy" movement shows there's plenty of issues with rich white guys just because they are rich white guys...

Thus his point that anyone can be prejudice against anything.

They ask their questions and that's it. Once we were picked no it did not matter because the lawyers has selected us. If we were better for the other side that's their fault.

Which again, sitting on that jury was scary to realize some peoples thought processes. Have some biases- but be able to think clearly.

The judge really puts it together well. I liked the guy.

We also filled out a multi page form before hand. Do you know the judges? How may you be biased etc?

If you can't be fair they give you a chance to leave.