Juror 944898

Two weeks of jury duty and I never saw the inside of a courtroom. Fully 80% of the 200+ people in the pool had the same experience.

 The first week we were all there Monday and Tuesday. Then they asked us to call a phone number after 6pm for group number instructions (I was group 200). I got lucky Wed, Thurs. and Fri. and was not called. I was able to go to work but as I could not schedule appointments in advance there was not much to do.

 The second week started the day after Labor Day and we were all called Tues. and Wed. to sit and wait all day. My group was called Thursday and I reported again to sit around with no one leaving the jury pool. I got "lucky" yesterday and was not called so I went to work and tried to set appointments and get some quotes out.

This experience was very hard on me. I am the sole supporter for my wife and me. I have lost valuable time in interacting with my customers and developing new ones. There is no calculating the actual cost to my income.

 They will be sending me a check for $12.50 for each day I appeared. The cost of parking was $7.00 per day and we could not take a lunch. If we ate at a local eatery it exceeded the daily wage. I am not even counting the gas it took to get there and back.

 This is the first time I ever reported for Jury Duty and I will never do so again. I fulfilled my civic duty this time and sat around all day in a room with 200+ other individuals that were mostly missing work as the majority did have jobs. 

 Of the entire group there was about four disability cases that they called on group numbers for requiring six jurors each for the entire two week period. It seems that everything else was settled or plea bargained. I know that we had an impact by being there and that I would want a jury of my peers if I ever needed one, but the cost is to great for me to do this again. I have two years before they call me again but I will get a doctors release if called again.