Being a registered voter and whatnot, I have never been called for jury duty, course, I’m only 23. But, can one “volunteer” for jury duty? Sounds kind of fun, in a way. Probably wouldn’t want to do it more than once, especially if I were to sit around doing nothing all day.
But is it possible?
of course not! Anybody who wants to do it is inherently not qualified! (just like it should be in presidential races)
This is interesting. I’ve been a regularly registered voter since I was 18 (I’m now 42) and haven’t been called to jury duty ONCE! I’ve lived in 3 different states and always in cities, but never been pegged for doing my civic duty. shrug Go figure.
There is no way to volunteer for jury duty. The veniere is picked from various lists - to include voter registration - but is not augmented by volunteers.
I was once summoned to jury duty, but it was about a year after I had moved; the summons came to my old address, in a city in which I was no longer resident.
I kind of doubt I’d end up serving, even if called.
If volunteers were allowed, every criminal would have all his friends to volunteer. Actually, being acquanted with or related to the accused is a disqualifier.
Sorry to spread gossip and innuendo, but I think I read somewhere that novelist Steven King tried to volunteer for service on a grand jury, but was turned down.
You do volunteer for the grand Jury. I did. But- it is a lot of work, maybe 20 hrs a week- i was lucky- as I work for the Feds any “jury duty” is paid. Most Grand Jurors are retired.
In some CA counties- you could “take your turn now”, ie volunteer- but I don’t know if you can anymore.
Umm, peace- when you get selected for jury duty- no-one knows what trial you are gonna be on. Thus volunteering as you wanted a particular trial would be mostly useless.
My guess, based on the number of times that people of my acquaintance have been called, is that most people in the U.S. can expect to be called for jury duty about once a decade. The average length between calls for jury duty is probably a little more in some areas, a little less in others. It’s easily possible that by luck you could go for 20 years or more without ever being called.
I’ve been a registered voter in the same city for 15 years and have never been summoned to jury duty.
I dislike jury duty. I get called every year, while others have never been called. I dislike the way jurors are used as pawns to encourage a settlement before the case goes to trial. (That is, the judge pulls a few dozen potential jurors from the jury pool just to show the lawyers that the case “really is” going to trial unless they settle right now.) I dislike downtown L.A. I dislike being in a room corwded with hundreds of people, and there are never enough seats. I dislike the one teevee being tuned to Oprah or Sally Jesse. I dislike how each side tries his best to get a biased jury; the defense excusing people he percieves may not be sympathetic to his client, and the prosecution excusing people he thinks will be.
All this for $5 a day.
To answer the OP, I’ve not heard that volunteering for jury duty is an option.
I’ve been voting for 22 years now, and I have never been called for jury duty! My wife has only been voting for 8 years (it took her disgust of Bill Clinton to get her to register) and she gets called for duty every year! I don’t get it!
We have lived at the same addresses with each other, and have had the same last names for 21 years, hell, we even have the same initials (PKB) but she get’s called and I don’t. I’d call the court and ask them if one could volunteer, but that might remind them to send a notice to my wife again.:rolleyes:
I don’t think that the only way that people are called for duty is if they are registered voters. My daughter got called up, and she isn’t registered, and my SO got a summons and he isn’t even a citizen. He’s Canadian. He is a resident of the US though. So I don’t know…anybody else been called up that isn’t registered?
Many jurisdictions use other lists to supplement the list of voters. This includes phone books and local tax rolls. I think that you have to be a citizen to be on a jury, but you could get called up (and then be rejected when you get to the courthouse) if you’re not a citizen.
California uses a combination of DMV and voter registration rolls to choose its jurors. They’ve been trying to broaden the jury pool for the last couple of years. Most courts have finally switched to one day jury duty, i.e. if you don’t get put on a case on the first day, you’re done for at least a year. Not all the courts in LA County have done this yet.
Los Angeles County asks for people to apply for grand jury duty. It uses 23 people and it’s a fulltime job. You get $25 a day for it plus mileage.
$25/day is below minimum wage. As I do not expect CA courts to violate the law, I have to surmise that the courts (i.e., the judges, the lawyers) do not consider jury duty a full time (or serious) job. I definately do not consider a lawyers job serious. Though their fees are more than $25/day, they are more than $2.50/minute…
Texas also uses driver’s license registration for jury selection (I think they switched from voter registration a few years ago).
I got called up a few months ago (after two years of eligibility), but was exempted since I’m in school 1200 miles away from home.
Being on the Grand Jury is definately serious, and is nearly a FT job. Things like Jury duty, and other such govt duties are exempt from the minimum wage law. In Santa Clara Co we got a “big” $40/diem + milage.
Folks, if you live in a “Civil grand Jury” state, then, if you can afford the time, i really suggest volunteering once for the Grand Jusy. It is worthwhile & satisfying.
The LA County Grand Jury tells you that serving on the Grand Jury is a full time job. They don’t imply that it is a job where you get medical benefits and such. It is advertised as a job where you are giving your time to the people of Los Angeles County. You are giving some money as a token of appreciation.
You don’t have to serve on the jury duty and you are given a few months notice before your term starts so you can arrange your other personal concerns before starting the job.
You can’t volunteer in Massachusetts. Your objectivity would be questionable if you looked eager, anyway.
We pick ours at random from a combination of voter and driver lists. Service is for one day or one trial, whichever is shorter (most trials last less than 3 days, they tell us). If the trial lasts more than 3 days, you get a $50 per diem. If your panel is excused via a phone message the night before, you’re still on the hook to get picked. If you show up, you’re off the list for 3 years whether you’re impaneled or not. There are NO exemptions by profession, and only seniors or the handicapped are excused without the judge’s permission (and they can serve too if they want to). You can postpone your date by up to 3 months, but only once.
Grand juries meet 1 day a week for 3 months, I believe.
I like that system - it keeps the task from being a real burden on anyone except the few who get impaneled on a long trial, and it gets all walks of life in the jury pool.
I’ve been called twice (I’m 41) and served once, and I was very impressed with the lengths the system goes to to provide the accused with fair treatment.
Wait your turn; it will come soon enough.
Daniel, I was trying to make a joke, but now I am serious. Do you know why is it exempt? How come the Big Bro makes the law which is only for others to obey? Maybe, jury duty is not really a wage job, but a “civil duty” and the pay is not technically “wage”. Is it taxable?