Jury Duty

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swiftdog2.0

I tell you one and one makes three...
Mar 16, 2010
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Macroverse
If your employer does not compensate you for the time away then you can claim financial hardship.

Your employer can't punish you if you get selected for the grand jury. Civic obligation and all.

Haven't had to serve on a grand jury. Did get picked for a regular jury. Murder case. Lasted almost a month :(
 

AnnaMarie

Well-Known Member
Feb 16, 2012
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Other
Your employer is not supposed to be able to count jury duty toward absences. As long as you have paperwork saying you're at jury duty for the specified dates. If they try to count you absent it's against the law, at least it is here in Arkansas.....as far as grand jury duty, grand juries don't get called very often. I'd be surprised if you were actually brought in for any of those days...

While your position should be protected legally, I assume employers are not obligated to pay an employee when they are off work for jury duty, are they?
 

Becks19

Well-Known Member
Sep 28, 2009
9,383
16,763
From the good ol Midwest
Sic the clipboard lady on them!!
I would love to be on a Grand Jury. All that examining and so forth is right up my alley! But, with my stupid feet I can't even be on a regular one anymore.
I had jury duty earlier this year. As I grumbled about mine lasting a whole week, my Mom told me that she had Grand Jury duty that lasted for 6 months. I will take my week of civic duty and be quiet.:0:
 

ghost19

"Have I run too far to get home?"
Sep 25, 2011
8,926
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Arkansas
While your position should be protected legally, I assume employers are not obligated to pay an employee when they are off work for jury duty, are they?

That is correct here in Arkansas. Most businesses aren't obligated to pay you, but they can't count being on jury duty against your attendance. The place I worked was a bit of a rarity. If you brought it a document from the court saying you were on jury duty for a whole day, they gave you 8 hours of straight pay just as you had been at work that day with a special notation on your time card. That was more the exception than the norm in Arkansas.
 

do1you9love?

Happy to be here!
Feb 18, 2012
9,284
70,566
Virginia
You've gotten some really good advice so far, but I'll chime in with my experience. I was summoned for Federal Court Jury Duty for a month beginning in July. I had to call in on a Friday. First call, not needed. Great! They gave me a next date to call back. That time, I was selected. I went to the courthouse and there were 2 cases forming a jury that day. We waited in the staging area and were given a brochure explaining more about what our service might entail, what would happen if we were chosen, etc. We then were lead into the judges courtroom, introduced to all of the lawyers and their various folks at the table, as well as the defendants and plantiffs.

We were sworn in together, then asked to raise our hands if we knew anyone we'd just been introduced to. Next we were asked if we'd ever worked for either of the companies involved. Many more questions to go. Each time, folks raised their hands and the bailiff brought over a microphone and folks stated their cause. One guy literally raised his hand for everything. He was determined he wanted out. LOL The judge also allowed anyone who had a reason to be excused that was private to approach the bench. There was a white noise machine that was turned on, so that the rest of the room could not hear what was said. Several folks took advantage of this. I did make it to the final cut, but one of the lawyers let me go. I would have been interested in staying on, but oh well. The whole experience made it less scary if/when I get called again.

You do get paid by the court for serving, so even if you call and get summoned then let go, they will pay you for your day and any parking and tolls that you incurred. Good luck, Nottie!
 

GNTLGNT

The idiot is IN
Jun 15, 2007
87,651
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62
Cambridge, Ohio
7901.jpg
 

swiftdog2.0

I tell you one and one makes three...
Mar 16, 2010
7,095
35,344
Macroverse
....it's kind of comical for me....I've been called and during the interview asked my employment...when I reply I work in a prison and for the Media, they can't get me out the door fast enough.....

Telling them my Dad was a cop used to get me out. Then I got picked for a murder trial. I was juror number 1 after they had burned through about 40 other people.
 

arista

First time caller long time listener
Jul 10, 2006
12,360
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Indiana, USA
I guess the thing is that once you serve at least in Indiana, you can not be called again for two years. I was not thrilled about doing it. However, I guess there is someone who is thrilled. There was a lady who served that said that she wanted to get called.
 

swiftdog2.0

I tell you one and one makes three...
Mar 16, 2010
7,095
35,344
Macroverse
....it's legal...as a state employee, if I get called for Jury Duty, they give me 8 hours of paid Administrative Leave, and we turn over the money the Court gives, which is much less than the 8 hour pay rate....

That doesn't sound fair.

My former employer just paid me my regular rate for the 3 1/2 weeks I was away. I also got to keep the paltry jury duty pay. Although, I was salaried and I was going in to the office for a few hours after the judge dismissed us for the day.
 

doowopgirl

very avid fan
Aug 7, 2009
6,946
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dublin ireland
I got called for jury duty once. In this country you have to go in every day for a week. You go into a cortroom where the defendant can reuse you for no reason. They also call your name, not just a number.I excused myself on a child abuse case being a survivor, but you have to do it in the courtroom by whispering to the judge. It was an awful experience. I hope yours is better.