Importance of Jury Duty

Jury duty is a public service that all citizens of the United States, at one point or another, must go through. Jury service is a role that requires an individual to act as a juror in a legal proceeding. When a citizen is called for jury duty in the United States, the service is rarely optional.

If jury duty is skipped, or a legitimate excuse is not made to the local court system who issues jury service and individual will face strict financial penalties. As a result of the role's importance employers are obligated to respect the local government's request that the individual must serve as a juror.

Jury duty is a specific requirement for all citizens of the United States. When called to serve as a juror an individual will receive a summons from a local court house requesting their presence in a court hearing. The individual is given a specific date and time of their respective jury service. The facts or nature of the case, however, are not included in the summons.

When the individual shows up to the appropriate court house he or she will be joined by a group of potential jurors. State employees will then screen the potential jurors to reveal the presence of any biases that could irrecoverably alter the verdict or lead to a prejudiced viewpoint of either party in the trial. After answering the questions, the individuals will either be accepted to serve as a juror or will be dismissed. The selection process is critical because the fulfillment of a fair trial is a Constitutional right offered to all citizens regardless of the crime's severity.

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