Smith Wallis & Scott September 2018

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Falsities You’ve Been Told About Jury Duty

JURY DUTY MYTHS Summoned to Court

selecting jurors for a long time and know when someone is lying to them. Your best bet will be to give honest answers to the questions they ask.

NO VOTING, NO JURY DUTY According to another circulating myth, if you aren’t registered to vote, you don’t have to serve jury duty. Many people believe this myth because voting enters you into the jury duty pool, but there are other means by which citizens are chosen. Other ways you’re entered into the pool include buying a home, paying taxes, and getting a driver’s license. Even if you aren’t registered to vote, you’re still liable to be summoned. SERVING JURY DUTY WILL GET YOU FIRED If you’re worried about getting fired for serving jury duty, you can breathe easy. Your employer cannot fire you once you’ve been selected for jury service. In fact, if your boss threatens to fire you for it, they will face the penalties, which include fines and even jail time. Many employers know and understand this, but if yours doesn’t, you can submit a file of complaint to the trial court administrator, and they will take care of the rest for you. The system to select jurors has been around for a while, and those involved know what they’re doing. It’s best to go in with an open mind and be completely honest. After all, it is your civic duty to do so.

There are so many rumors about jury duty that it can be difficult to know which ones are true. Here are three of the most popular speculations, debunked.

ADMITTING BIAS WILL ENSURE YOUR DISMISSAL If you admit that you are biased when you serve jury duty, it does not guarantee your dismissal. In fact, a judge cannot dismiss you for being biased — but an attorney can. In addition, attempting to portray yourself as a biased person can put you in a troubling situation. Attorneys and judges have been

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