Should Citizens Be Forced into Jury Duty?

Like paying taxes, and registering for selective service, Jury Duty is described as a civic obligation. As a citizen, it is something you must do, willingly or not. To have the freedoms of living in the United States, citizens must serve the country to judge criminal trials when called upon.

US Citizens Can expect to be called for Jury Duty.

Jurors are selected randomly from voter registration lists, motor vehicle lists, telephone directories, and utility company lists. Therefore, chances are, if you live in a country you will be called upon at one time or another. Being called does not mean you will have to serve on a trial jury, but that you will be interviewed to serve. A person can be called on as often as once a year. If you receive a summons, you should not ignore it but respond, whether you are able to attend or not.

Why do I have to serve jury duty?

Many people do not want to serve jury duty for one reason or another. Perhaps I will cause a financial hardship if they miss time for work. Perhaps children will be left without a caretaker is a parent serves. Other people feel it will cause emotional distress to themselves to serve. Jury duty service is not voluntary. This means if they call you, you must respond. If you have a good excuse to not attend, you may be excused. Reasons you may be excused are financial hardship, case bias, pre-formed opinion, or if you are a convicted felon.

What happens to the juror after Jury Duty?

Once the verdict is made and the trial is over, the jury is given closing instructions and sent home. A recent Dr. Phil show profiled the Jurors from the infamous Scott Peterson trail. Just by serving on that trial and administering their verdict, their lives have been seriously affected. Most jurors say they need to see a therapist, which the government has not provided. According to the superior Court of Arizona, “Serving on a jury is not a common experience and may cause some jurors to have temporary symptoms of distress… Some temporary signs of distress following jury duty include: anxiety, sleep or appetite changes, moodiness, physical problems (e.g. headaches, stomach aches, no energy, and the like), second guessing your verdict, feeling guilty, fear, trouble dealing with issues or topics related to the case, a desire to be by yourself, or decreased concentration or memory problems.” They encourage the sufferer of this depression (which is clearly described above) to resist bad thoughts and get on with their life.

What are my options if I cannot be excused or am afraid to serve for personal and emotional reasons?

You have no options. Recently in Dade City, Florida, after being picked first from the jury pool Monday to hear a civil trial at the Pasco County Courthouse, Harrell, 20, showed up in court the next day with little enthusiasm for his civic duty. He handed over his juror’s badge to Circuit Judge Wayne Cobb’s bailiff, saying he didn’t want to serve any longer.” To make a long story short, he was jailed for 15 days.

How do you feel about serving on a jury?

Personally, though I would probably go, if I could make arrangements for my homeschooled kids, I would be afraid of ending up fearful, depressed, or worse. I do not feel anyone should have to serve if they have reservations. What do you think?