Jury Duty

[BigDaddyFin]

add this to the list of things that used to involve me getting arrested and now they give me a check.

I got jury duty.  I don't know what I'm serving on or anything just that I have to be to the Monroe County Courthouse at 9am tomorrow morning. 

Hoping I get a murder or some kind of capital crime like robbery.  Might just get grand jury shit.  Who knows?  either way it's gonna be fun and exciting.

[Dave Gray]

Most of the time, they call you in and then let you go home....down here anyway.  I've gotten it twice, but never selected.  This last time, I just called in every day and they never even made me show up to the courthouse.

[StL FinFan]

Mr StL sat on a jury in a personal injury case.  It took a couple days.  He found it interesting.  If I ever get questioned for jury duty it will go something like this:  Do you support the death penalty?  I sure do!  Fry 'em all!  Thanks, you're dismissed.

PS - I don't really support the death penalty.

[Buddhagirl]

The only time that I got called it was for a case that was going to take months so they went around the room and you could opt-out right then and there if you didn't have months to sit on a jury. It took all day though because there were so many of us. (For some reason I was one of the last called. It wasn't alphabetical or I would have been one of the first.)

[Phishfan]

The only time I was ever selected I was able to get an exemption to not show up (I was in school out of state).

Like Dave said, I bet you don't even get selected for a case. Just about everyone I know was not selected.

Side note, how does you work handle jury duty? My work sent out an e-mail a couple years ago saying that according to CA law (where my company is based) they do not have to pay for jury duty. I know the check the gov gives you is peanuts.

[bsfins]

I'm happy to say,this wont happen to me here...Conflict of interest....My mom seems to get called constantly for jury duty,generally she doesn't get picked...

[MyGodWearsAHoodie]

Mr StL sat on a jury in a personal injury case.  It took a couple days.  He found it interesting.  If I ever get questioned for jury duty it will go something like this:  Do you support the death penalty?  I sure do!  Fry 'em all!  Thanks, you're dismissed.

PS - I don't really support the death penalty.

Your opinion on the death penalty (either way) would likely not excuse you from jury duty on a personal injury case. 

[MyGodWearsAHoodie]

Side note, how does you work handle jury duty? My work sent out an e-mail a couple years ago saying that according to CA law (where my company is based) they do not have to pay for jury duty. I know the check the gov gives you is peanuts.

That varies state by state.  Many states require at least large employors (15 or more) to pay employees for time missed.

FYI.  Where your company is based is irrelevent.  For example if you live and work in WV and serve on a WV jury your company would have to pay you based on WV law.  It could get messy if you live in one state and work in another.  (I think where you work would prevail)

[Phishfan]

That varies state by state.  Many states require at least large employors (15 or more) to pay employees for time missed.

FYI.  Where your company is based is irrelevent.  For example if you live and work in WV and serve on a WV jury your company would have to pay you based on WV law.  It could get messy if you live in one state and work in another.  (I think where you work would prevail)

In Florida I don't beleive employers have to pay for jury duty either.

Either my company is lieing or you are incorrect as well. They specifically said that they fall under CA law in the e-mail. This is a small business as far as employees goes anyway.

[Sunstroke]

If I ever get questioned for jury duty it will go something like this:  Do you support the death penalty?  I sure do!  Fry 'em all!  Thanks, you're dismissed.

If someone ever asked me a question like that during jury selection, I'd throw a "you have to reject me now" response back like "It depends whether it's a good looking person or an ugly bastard that's about to be executed..."

[MyGodWearsAHoodie]

In Florida I don't beleive employers have to pay for jury duty either.

Either my company is lieing or you are incorrect as well. They specifically said that they fall under CA law in the e-mail. This is a small business as far as employees goes anyway.

Your company is lying (or more likely, simply mistaken regarding their obligations as it pertains to what state's laws govern with no intentional desire to deceive).  

If you work in Florida, your employer is required to follow Florida law regarding your employment.  For most things it is typically doesn't vary much.  I don't know the respective laws, but for example if CA only requires employers to give a 20 min lunch break and Florida required a 30 min one. You get a 30 min one, even if your coworkers in CA only get 20 mins.

The biggest difference is often the min wage.   Which varies by state.  Many have the same as the Feds but many have a higher one.

If neither Florida nor CA require payment of wages for jurors, then it doesn't matter much.  

But YOU ought be aware of the Florida law as there maybe instances where you have rights, your employer may not be aware of, that you may wish to exercise.  I advise being selective.  If Fla requires a 30 min lunch break and CA only 25 I would not upset the apple cart over 5 mins that could get you branded as a trouble maker.  On the other hand, if it turned out that the difference in law was regarding payment of wages during a four month trial I would make waves over thousands of dollars.

[StL FinFan]

Your opinion on the death penalty (either way) would likely not excuse you from jury duty on a personal injury case. 

Well yeah.  It would have to be a murder case.

[StL FinFan]

If someone ever asked me a question like that during jury selection, I'd throw a "you have to reject me now" response back like "It depends whether it's a good looking person or an ugly bastard that's about to be executed..."

That's even better!

[Phishfan]

Good points Hoodie. I feel confident I could get myself off just about any jury anyway. I can be pretty convincing (and my company offers written letters stating the impact of time missed for jury duty) that they claim was only denied once.

As for anything else, I have it pretty good. They give me pretty free reign. I really don;t have anything to make waves over.

[Sunstroke]

A facebook quote from one of my friends back home in AZ today...

"just got out of jury duty by prefacing every answer with... "according to the prophecy""