So you have received a letter in the mail. You read it and
grimace, finding out you have randomly been selected for jury duty. The normal
jury service expected is two weeks worth. You should know getting out of jury
duty is difficult, the only way out is a pre-planned vacation or surgery coming
up. But those excuses can only work once, and you will have to eventually visit
jury duty. You shouldn’t put it off, as this is your civic duty. Many people
are unsure of the process of jury duty, so here is to expect before going in.
The first time going to jury duty can be intimidating. You will go through a
security check, and placed in a jurors only room. At any given time there will
a 100 or more people all waiting to be assigned to a trial. One of the typical
tropes of jury duty in media is the long waits, and they are justified. You
could be lucky and get placed on a trial early on the first day. But generally
you should expect to wait at least a few hours, or even a few days. While
waiting there isn’t much to do. Bringing that book you’ve been meaning to read
can be time well spent.
Many people are worried about compensation for their time spent as jurors.
There is compensation you can request. Things like transportation there can be
covered. Cars, motorcycles, as well as bikes have a per mile rate. Public
transportation is covered such as bus fare. In the United States
jurors get compensated $50 dollars a day, and also get reimbursed for meals. If you
are on salary, your employer isn’t required to pay while you are off serving
your civic duty. But they can opt to pay salary. It is illegal for your
employer to fire you for missing work due to jury duty.
Now the wait times and compensation have been discussed. What should you expect
to be doing for a jury selection los angeles ca? Generally you will fill out a questionnaire about some
basic information about yourself. Some stuff include your age,
occupation, and interests. This is to help make the jury fair, and unbiased in
each case. Once you are determined to be a good match for a specific case you
will be selected. If not you’ll be dismissed and wait for the next case.
Now you that you are selected, the judge will speak to the jurors, and give
them some simple instructions. Some things may include like taking notes. The
judge will give you some other basic information about the trial, such as the
expected length. The court case can go from a day or two, all the way to
months. Once each side has given their case, the jury will be separated into a
room and begin the deliberation. When trying to reach a verdict, the jury can
use any life experience to draw from, but no outside sources. Once the decision
has been made, the bailiff will be told, and the verdict will be shared. You
have completed your civic jury duty.