Called to Jury Duty? There are problems, but know your rights!

by Iloilo Marguerite Jones
Executive Director
Fully Informed Jury Association
1-800-TEL-JURY www.fija.org
Tuesday, February 16, 2010

Yes, it is true that jurors are terribly underpaid compared to all the other players in the courtroom. Look who is not giving up their salary for that day: no one expects judges, bailiffs, clerks, or lawyers to come to the courtroom and work for $6 to $20 per day, so why does the government threaten jurors unless they do this?

Further, compare the salaries of these private working jurors with those of the government employees: most of those called for jury duty make about half as much as those government employees in the courtroom.

Most politicians are lawyers, and therefore have no interest in raising the pay of jurors, strengthening the concept of juries or jury service. Politicians have no interest in mere housekeeping that protects the human rights of the individual, you see.

Yet, if a juror does not show up when summoned, giving up their day’s wages, they can be fined, jailed, and maybe even worse, if they resist.