Friday, October 20, 2006

Jury Duty: Why Such a Drag?

Carolyn Elefant discusses a recent Christian Science Monitor reporting on on the state of jury service. Many jurisdictions have very high no-show rates -- 20% nationally and up to 90% in Miami. What can be done? Shorter service requirments (one-day trials), pleasanter jury assembly rooms, ...? Elefant remarks that when she handled court-appointed criminal work in DC, she "was always surprised" by "the aversion that other lawyers had to serving on a jury." Why wouldn't a lawyer want to serve? "I can't think of better CLE than that." Making Jury Duty More Appealing, Legal Blog Watch, Oct. 18, 2006.

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1 comment:

Jay Taber said...

The week I spent on a jury was one of the most memorable and humbling experiences I have. Twenty years later, with a bad back and fatigue problems, it wouldn't be much fun, now.

With compensation barely covering bus fare, I can sure see how someone faced with missing a paycheck or unable to afford childcare might indeed think twice before registering to vote.