Jury Duty

I was summoned for Jury Duty this week. I got the notice two weeks ago, only to get a follow up letter last week that changed the date from February 17 to the 9th. And apparently I have to be ready to take this whole week and attend, if I'm called.

This isn't really a problem for me, as I am currently unemployed. But I couldn't help feel sorry for those who have jobs. They have to come into a room and sit for up to 8 hours for $10-15 a day, and it's not law that their employers pay them for the missed work. Today, we were told to call the hotline at 9 AM to find out what our orders were. The hotline told me to call back at 10. At 10, it told me to call back at 11. At 11, it told me that no jurors were to report today, but to check back tomorrow at 9 AM...*sigh*

Talk about inconvient for those with jobs. You take a day off without pay, expecting to go into the court, but each time you call in, it tells you to wait. Then, it says you're not needed. What about those housewives with young kids, who have to pay for daycare or babysitters, expecting to be out of the house, and then not end up going? Talk about money down the drain.

Don't get me wrong. I guess jury duty is everyone's...well, duty. But it's still a pain in the ass.

Another thing. How come some people seem to get jury summons all the time and some people never seem to get it? What's all that about? An elderly woman yesterday was saying that she gets a jury summons at least once a year, but her husband has never had one. My mom seems to get them every other year or so, but I can't recall my dad ever having gotten one. My sister, only a year and a half younger than me, has never gotten one. I've gotten three, one almost immediantly after turning 18.

At least this time I'm not driving all the way into Seattle.