Jury Duty vs. Paintball

[Shingo]

Dear AO. I come to you for your wisdom.

I just received a Jury Duty notice in the mail. I know a lot of times people just toss these letters in the trash when it clearly states that it is illegal to not respond to these things. But I don't have time to do Jury Duty and I have several games scheduled for the dates I most likely have to serve.

Why I don't want to serve:
-Jury Duty pays only $15 a day for my time
-Can't afford to miss work
-Work doesn't compensate for Jury Duty (even takes from my PTO)


Possible consequences:
- May be fined $1000.
- May serve 5 years in Jail.
- May have to do both jail + fine.

My questions:
- Should I just ignore the letter and trash it?
- Respond to the letter and make up some excuse to get out?
- Just do it and become more in debt due to the lack of $$$ for serving jury duty?

Any response would be greatly appreciated. Please share if you have any experience with this. Thanks.

~Shingo~

[Lohman446]

You should do your duty as a citizen of the country and respond to the summons of the court. I mean, its bad enough that we don't have mandatory military service (warning - hyporcritcal statement, I tried to enlist and could not because of my vision) but we even have people trying to sneak out of jury duty...

[Conversekidz]

please leave the US, its people that don't want to give their civic duty that is causing the USto go into the gutter.

[shartley]

As posted by others, it is your duty.

[Shingo]

It's not really that I don't want too.... but I can't afford to take this time off. So it's more of a cash flow thing. $15 a day??? I can make more money working at McDonalds for 3 hours! Heck.... I wouldn't mind joining the military myself since the government actually compensates for the time and effort I put into it.

I also pay my fair share in taxes without any complaints, participate in community fundraisers and donate to charity. I even pick up trash around my community and recycle. I put in more for this country then most Americans.

But having to pay to serve Jury Duty??? Serving Jury duty for seven days cost me more then the $1000 fine. The government already enforces companies to pay at least minimum wage for their employees. How is serving jury duty any different?

~Shingo~

[Skywalker]

As posted by others, it is your duty.

Screw that crap, I just got one in the mail and I'm planning on telling them I'm prejudice or something. If there was some sort of motivation for jury duty I would have no problem doing it. Basically they tell you that you have to pay for parking, miss work (which means no paycheck for you) , and you should bring a book or something b/c they make you wait.

[cdacda13]

Go, you have to.
But, when they start asking you questions, act either retarted, or as a complete racist. They will throw you out, but you still did your duty

[Steelrat]

Screw that crap, I just got one in the mail and I'm planning on telling them I'm prejudice or something. If there was some sort of motivation for jury duty I would have no problem doing it. Basically they tell you that you have to pay for parking, miss work (which means no paycheck for you) , and you should bring a book or something b/c they make you wait.

Society takes care of you, sometimes you have to pay back a little bit.

[Lohman446]

I know full well the cost of jury duty, however it is still a duty. Would you prefer, if you were ever innocent and on trial, to have a jury of working successful people or "the people who were too stupid to get out of jury duty". Its your civic duty, do it...

[Shingo]

I just responded to the summons and dropped the envelope in the mail. No I'm not ignoring it. No I'm not saying that I'm racist or act like a retard during my review. Yes it is my Civil Duty and I'll do my part.

If it's gonna cost me to put a deadbeat criminal in jail or save an innocent person from getting punished, then I guess it'll be another contribution I give to this country.

Thank you to all who put in their input.

~Shingo~

[shartley]

I just responded to the summons and dropped the envelope in the mail. No I'm not ignoring it. No I'm not saying that I'm racist or act like a retard during my review. Yes it is my Civil Duty and I'll do my part.

If it's gonna cost me to put a deadbeat criminal in jail or save an innocent person from getting punished, then I guess it'll be another contribution I give to this country.

Thank you to all who put in their input.

~Shingo~

And thank YOU. You made the correct choice.

[RusskiX]

I just responded to the summons and dropped the envelope in the mail. No I'm not ignoring it. No I'm not saying that I'm racist or act like a retard during my review. Yes it is my Civil Duty and I'll do my part.

If it's gonna cost me to put a deadbeat criminal in jail or save an innocent person from getting punished, then I guess it'll be another contribution I give to this country.

Thank you to all who put in their input.

~Shingo~

Thank you for making the right decision.

You may even find it enlightening to watch the judicial process from the inside. When I served it gave me a whole new perspective.

And who knows... maybe you will be selected for a paintball litigation case ...or even better the next Jacko prosecution . Then you can write a book about the experience and make millions on the advance .

[Slimm Jimm]

keep us up to date on the proceedings if you get in

[Mr. BoBo]

Location

I'm under the impression your job has to let you go for jury duty and has to pay you for that time off.

If your an FTE, not a contractor - then they are required to let you go.

[tony3]

I know full well the cost of jury duty, however it is still a duty. Would you prefer, if you were ever innocent and on trial, to have a jury of working successful people or "the people who were too stupid to get out of jury duty". Its your civic duty, do it...

i.e. michael jackson case