I’ve been called for jury duty six times, served on three juries.
You show up the day you’re called. There will probably be about five hundred people there.
Depending on how busy the court is that day, you might not have to stay.
They might say numbers 1-250 stay, 251-500 go home. So it depends on your number.
If you’re part of the group that stays, they might break it down further, and 50 of you might get called into a courtroom.
Now out of your group of 50, they’ll choose twelve to be on the jury.
The plaintiff and defendant’s lawyers choose the twelve. If you’re picked, they want to make sure you have no bias to the trial. If they think you might swing the jury, they won’t pick you.
So you have to wait and see.
If they pick twelve before they get to you, then you can go.
If you are one of the twelve, you’re there for the duration of the trial.
Then the plaintiff and defendant come in, then the judge, then the trial starts.
A lot of people try to get out of jury duty, and they’ll give a lot of excuses. They have to work, they can’t afford to take time off, sometimes the judge lets them go, sometimes not.
But it’s fascinating being on a jury, and it is a big responsibility, and I encourage you to go.
Plus the county gives you a check for FIVE DOLLARS for your time. Don’t spend it all in one place.