My son served on a grand jury just as he was starting a new job so he had to work that out. He was only about 25, and was elected foreman. He found it interesting but there were a lot of cases brought to them, several a day. A lot of ”white collar” and financial cases. He wasn’t living at home then so we didn’t too much information.

Then covid hit. They stopped meeting for several months. The backlog that arose! Eventually they called him, as foreman, to ”get the band back together”. Of course, some people had moved, died, etc. One benefit was that they started paying for parking so people didn’t have to take public transportation, and brought lunch in so they didn’t have to go out. They met in a courtroom instead of a deliberation room for more space. Eventually his term ended.

His jury came from all walks of life. So did the cases.

Sorry I can’t offer any more than that.

I got a letter saying I was being considered for grand jury duty. I had to fill out a questionnaire; they asked my age and I was in my late 60s at the time. I assume they scratched out my name when they saw that because I never heard another word.

I don’t lnow why its become so ingrained in the American psyche to dread jury duty, ignore notices, and come up with clever ways to try to get out of it. Trial by jury is an integral part of our justice system and democracy, why not participate? If it creates an honest burden for whatever reason then expain and get out of it. That’s not hard.

I’d prefer to get put on a real case as grand jury sounds time consuming and unsatisfying, but overall I’d do whatever is asked of me. They seem to have lost my address as I haven’t been called in decades.

I have never been called to serve on a jury. I wonder why.

Longtime registered voter, lots of other documentation and creds.

adding to my prior thought - In my opinion anyone who skips out for less than serious and legitimate reasons, forfeits the right to complain about stupid jurors/juries who ”get it wrong.”

I served on a grand jury about 12 years ago, and was foreperson, which meant that I had to sign my name to all of the indictments. We met once a week, and I believe that my term was 6 or 8 weeks. It was interesting, and I preferred it over regular jury duty.

Oh I wasn't trying to get off jury duty. I actually had that thought as I was driving there food. I would want somebody like me on a jury. I want somebody who is fair-minded, thoughtful, and it mattered enough to do the right thing, to them. Now it's my chance! All the people I saw who were on the grand jury, were very excited to do it, and already seemed very community minded. For their own jury and towards whatever they might face. I was pretty proud. I love Nashville!

Ive served on two juries, one fedral case. It went on for two weeks. It was a very interesting experience espevially since the accused person was so obviously guilty, there was not much to discuss. We were all of one mind.

So that it's clear to readers, grand juries do not participate in actual trials. Their role is preliminary to actual trials when they are involved with criminal cases. Grand jury functions do differ from state to state and are often involved in more things than the criminal justice system.

A friend was called to serve on a grand jury a few years after his retirement. He had spare time and figured it would be a way to perform a service to his community. Most of his time, which over the course of his term was substantial, was spent hearing presentations about investigations of the functioning of local governmental departments. Reports on reviews done by people in Inspector General-like roles, and also those of financial auditors. Also, investigations triggered by whistleblowers.

Examples - the parks department was found deliberately classifying spending in the wrong budget categories, because it was easier to get some types of spending plans approved by doing so. The Sheriff's Dept intentionally miscategorized furniture and equipment purchases at year end used to remodel the offices of top officials as otherwise unspent budget allocations intended for jail improvements. Stuff like that.

They did spend a little time with criminal cases. Overall he was disappointed and thought it to be a waste of time. This individual had previously served on trial juries which he found to be interesting and rewarding, which he described as a contrast with his grand jury experience.

Rob, I’ve served several times but never grand jury. I’ve heard it can be lengthy, and not everyone can do that. I’ve always found jury duty to be both interesting and boring. By boring I’m referring to a lot of sitting time when we weren’t needed in the court room. I received my last summons a year ago but never got called in.

Just adding I know people who received a summons and ignored it. Nothing ever came of it. A couple people were even sent a ”Notice of Failure to Appear” after not responding to a summons. They ignored those, too. Again, nothing happened. A jury assembly clerk once told me about 30% of people respond to the summons sent out. I know it’s a cost issue, but the courts should send them out registered or certified requiring a signature. Could be harder for people to claim they never received it.

Rob - I wasn’t suggesting you were trying to get out if it. In fact, only upon going back and re-reading your post did ”try to avoid” stand out. I simply stated my opinion on those who try to get out of it essentially because they don’t feel like it. I got out if it when I was self employed, my wife got out of it when she was undergoing chemo treatment. There are legit reasons to ask to be excused or deferred.

A funny story about trying to get out of jury duty-

One of the times I appeared because of a jury summons, I went and waited to be called for my turn for voir dire. One waits while other prospective jurors already called are questioned by the lawyers and the judge. A fellow who was called ahead of me decided his ticket to being dismissed was to pretend he didn't speak English, only French.

He tried to offer a series of lame and obviously inaccurate answers to questions, saying repeatedly he didn't understand the questions. The judge stepped in, asking several times until an answer appeared, how long he'd been in the US. And other relevant facts. He finally was able to pull out of the guy that he was a US citizen, had been in the US for 30 years, but he insisted "Non, je ne comprends pas tres bien l'anglais" No, I don't understand English very well.

The judge lost patience with the guy, said something like " I suspect there's more here to know", but dismissed him to stop wasting time.

I was called to fill an empty seat about 15 minutes later. I answered the questions posed to me. When done, the judge asked "Is there anything else about you we should know?"

I responded "Yes, I speak French. I could have translated for that other fellow"

That comment got a good round of laughter in the courtroom, including from the judge and the lawyers.

I have served on a jury (not a grand jury), but once I passed the bar exam and was licensed, was not chosen to serve again.

Grand Jury duty would be difficult for me. The nearest courthouse for those is almost 100 miles away. I do know people though who have been called on who live even farther than I do.

I've served on so many juries - and two of those were murder trials. Socializing with a couple of attorneys one holiday, they both said they'd never seen anyone imposed on serving for more than one. Something about me our prosecutor especially liked?

When I got yet another summons (I'd been getting them about every other year) I called my doctor, asked for help. She said of course. You've done your share. She wrote a letter for me asking I be permanently excused from more duty but that was after 6 or so violent crimes, 2 of those murders. I do feel like I fulfilled my duties,

I've never been called for duty, and I have voted in every election since I was young, so my name is out there. Now I'm probably too old. Is there an age limit?

I didn't think you were referring to me food. I was pointing out my thought that other people might want to have 😉 , adding to what you were saying. I don't think we should try and get out of it.

I'm an alternate for the grand jury. So I am somewhere in between. I'll help out, but I'm not doing the bulk of the work. I work more than 70 hours a week, so I really don't have the time commitment. Also, and this was the kicker for me, and even the judge agreed, currently, we have one car among the three of us in the household. Somebody is always picking up or dropping off for work. I hope that changes in the next month.

And to add to what Elmer is saying.... There's arraignment, pretrial, Grand Jury, and then the actual trial, should it go to trial. It can be pled out, or there not be enough evidence to even go to trial. What I liked about today? They said if you didn't find enough evidence, you can say that it didn't have it, and it'll go to the next grand jury, once they find enough evidence. You don't have to send it to trial. I found that interesting. They basically said don't waste the Court's time.

I did also think this might be an interesting discussion, for anybody who has served on a grand jury to offer up information. Again, I'm barely on the sidelines. I hope I get to do my service, for the week that I'm guaranteed to have service, and maybe more. I just couldn't do the full 3 months worth.

DH served on a Grand Jury a few years ago. He was 'on call' for a year. He went to two different cases. One was a murder case. He found it quite interesting. Businesses have to give you the time off so it's not only retired people who participate. He said all sorts of ages and people were serving. They give a stipend that is given to employer and the employer gives you jury duty time off and pays you full salary.

The policy you describe, arcy, isn't the practice everywhere nor for every employer. In my state, as an example, there's no requirement for employers to provide for jury leave at full pay. Many don't, especially with workers paid on an hourly basis or who work part time.

And, if you put two and two together, that's a not-infrequently used response to the question " Is there any reason why you can't serve on a jury". It's one I heard a few times . Ditto for people who ask to be excused because they're self-employed and can't afford to miss work days.

I think serving on a jury is a civic duty.

elmer,

I have to wonder if things haven't changed? The process arcy described, is what's happening currently in Tennessee. For two red states, to have such a similar process, I have to think it's probably pretty standard? You get full day pay from your employer, they can't take time from your personal time off, and you also get paid juror pay. Parking is paid for, and food is paid for. And we skimp on things here??? I can't speak to the rest of the US, but if we are like this, I would think everybody else is like this?!?

I don’t know why its become so ingrained in the American psyche to dread jury duty, ignore notices, and come up with clever ways to try to get out of it.

I was fortunate in that my employer paid my wages if I served on a jury. Not everyone is so fortunate, or people who are self-employed lose money if they serve. I don't know if it is the same, but it used to be that the jury would pay people $10/day for their jury service. That is hardly anything to make it worthwhile for someone who does not have an employer to pay their wages for the day, or someone self-employed.

Plus the cost of parking if free parking isn't available, or the cost of transportation if one must get to the court by other means than their own transportation.

So someone who isn't compensated by their employer is actually paying to serve on a jury. Hardly much incentive to serve.

No, rob. Don't assume anything is standard. Laws and practices of all kinds vary considerably from state to state. Why? Because each enacts, revokes, and changes laws individually and independently, as the legislatures and executive branches see fit. There's no system or function at all to compare or standardize practices, other than what the federal government requires. Fed laws also don't require compensation for jury duty.

Fed:

Jury Duty | U.S. Department of Labor

California:

Employer Information | Judicial Branch of California

In my county, parking is covered and mileage at (last time I got it) 10 cents per mile. No food allowance is provided.

" I can't speak to the rest of the US, but if we are like this, I would think everybody else is like this? "

rob, here's a good example why that assumption shouldn't be made. This concerns a local governmental agency's non-compliance with a federal law and with apparently no action taken at the state level to help fix the problem. It's a dispute that lasted over 40 years. One that, in my opinion, should have never needed legal action to begin with.

Kelly v. Board of Education | Tennessee Encyclopedia

I received a summons for Federal Grand Jury in San Francisco in the late 80's. At that time my employer would reimburse me something like $15 a day for my time off if I were to be chosen. I took public transit, which used my $15 benefit right away.

The judge said that those who were chosen could serve up to 18 months. I heard all kinds of excuses used by those who wanted out, but the judge was ruthless. "I'm the sole proprietor of a business." Sorry to hear it. You'll have to make arrangements. "I'm getting married in February!" Not if you're chosen for the jury.

I hoped I would not be chosen. I had recently divorced and literally could not afford to be on the jury.

When the judge was done, he thanked those of us who were not chosen, then told us to walk down the hallway, as there were other courtrooms looking for jurors. I was chosen for one of the "regular" juries and only served 2 weeks. A very interesting international drug smuggling case. The defendant spoke only Farci, so everything had to be translated.

@sephia_wa - I think I was pretty clear in expressing my understanding for those where serving would present a legitimate hardship of some sort. Loss of pay - or full pay - would certainly be a hardship.

Here in NY there are rules about pay, which take into account company size, length of jury service, amount of normal wages in relation to standard jury pay, and what the employer decides to pay above any required minimum. In my case my employers continued to pay full salary as I’d guess many larger employers would, especially for exempt positions. When I was 1099 I asked to be excused.

food, yes you were clear. I was merely responding to your first sentence because it has become ingrained in the American psyche to dread jury duty, ignore notices, and come up with clever ways to try to get out of it. I'm in WA state and worked for a federal contractor, and was fortunate they paid for me to be gone on jury duty. I realize not everyone is as fortunate.

i've never been called for jury duty and i have always wanted to serve. i suppose it was because i was married to the prosecuting attorney who later served as the circuit court judge.

i worked in law offices my entire adult life, everything from family law to personal injury to criminal law.

i live in a tiny rural community. jury duty can be a hardship on a lot of people, particularly farmers. i remember one time a local farmer was sent a summons for jury duty which he crumpled up and threw in the trash. when trial time came around and he didn't show up, the judge sent a county deputy out to bring the guy to court to explain why he ignored the summons. he hemmed and hawed and finally told the judge he simply didn't have time to devote to courtroom shenanigans. the judge, in no uncertain terms, told him that a jury summons was a court order, not an invitation to be accepted or declined. he sentenced him to 3 days in jail, suspended, but got his point across.

i once worked in a larger county where a man was charged with vehicular homicide. this was a very well-known and respected member of the community and finding unbiased jurors was taking forever. it got to the point where the judge sent deputies out to the streets to round up people to come to court to see about serving. very unconventional but it worked.

Even this looks outdated, but here's a list by state of jury duty laws. Tennessee is actually in both categories now: full pay and employer can't use your personal time off. It's not even half of the states. Shame on the ones that don't. Doesn't seem very progressive not to do these things.

I will say, the court clerk (I think that's his title) specified, that if the employer has 5 employees or more, they are required to pay you your full pay. Didn't matter the size of your department. I have to say, that fits me well. I am one of a kind, and have no backup for full-time job. So my employer has 10s of thousands of employees, but just one of me. It's a burden since my work doesn't happen while I'm out.

https://workforce.com/news/jury-duty-laws-by-state

I'll take a hard pass on grand jury duty. I've been selected as a jurist 3 times and been rejected 3 times. I'd prefer to end my career at that.

" Shame on the ones that don't. "

Really? This comment immediately recalls the proverb giving advice for proper conduct for people who live in glass houses.

I don't think the issue is nearly as critical or important as you're making it.

If you're in the mood to cast accusations concerning real shameful behavior, reread the Kelly v. Board of Education matter I linked above. That should offer REAL targets for you to think about, right outside your door.

Too bad Lonejack, you've missed out on experiences I think everyone should have a few times. Trial jury experience, not grand juries.

I think you misread my comment Elmer. As i said, I've been selected as a jurist 3 times. Two of them were murder trials. Three other times I was not selected from the jury pool.

I guess so. Selected and rejected 3 times suggests 3 in total, not 6. Sorry. I was selected 5 times, was not impaneled (but not rejected) 2 times, served on 3.

The most difficult for me was a murder trial with 3 defendants. I was an alternate and the trial lasted 2 months. Deliberations took a week, and the alternates were required to remain in the jury assembly room the entire week. The defendants (gang members) were all found guilty. When it was finally over, the jurors (including alternates) were all escorted to their cars by deputies and told to take alternate routes home. I remember going in the opposite direction from home and making a couple stops first.

The one time I was called & chosen for jury duty was for a Superior Court trial for child rape. Though I understood and accepted the need and my responsibility to step up to the plate and perform my civic duty, the experience was nightmare inducing for me. The responsibility for making a fair and well reasoned decision that would so greatly affect the lives of two strangers, the defendant and the accuser, as well as their families was a heavy burden.