Fashionable Justice

mark056 said:
I was irritated by the one person in the article, a real estate broker, who said that he had given the courts enough for five weeks. Well, jury duty is a civic responsibility. Bragging about not getting selected for jury duty, demonstrates a lack of civic responsibilty which is ironic because so much written on this forum deals with how responsible gun owners are, and how we support the constitution and all of that. Jury duty goes back to common law and is one of the things that seperate us from a lot of other countries.

Respectfully,

Mark

Mark, I'm not defending the guy, but to put this in perspective . . .

- Real Estate agents (if that is what he really is) get paid ONLY commissions on sales and listings.

- If he is out on jury duty for 5 weeks, he earns $0.00 for that time and also loses prospects who end up working with other brokers.

- That is a significant out-of-pocket expense to incur to serve on a jury.

- IIRC, MA Courts pay something like $8.00/day for jury duty. I also recall a figure of $40.00/day which I think is for Federal Court jury duty. After taxes, you might be able to buy lunch (in Boston) on the $40.00 and you will have spent ~$28.00/day to park in Boston for the privilege.

It may be our civic duty to serve on juries, but the court systems "have not gotten with the times" and elevated their stipend for those that actually need their paycheck to pay their bills.
 
IIRC, Len (and this was about 9 years ago, so my memory might be a bit off), I got $50 for jury duty on a manslaughter trial in Superior Court in Newburyport because we went to 3 days instead of the 2 they promised (we got the pay because of the 3rd day). Don't know about the lower courts tho.
 
I have ALWAYS hated wearing a tie . . . it feels like a garrote on my neck.

I avoid the suit and tie routine like the plague, anywhere that I can. Only one job that I had for ~1 year "implied" that we always had to be in a jacket and tie . . . and we sat at desks in a large bull-pen, never saw a customer (nuclear power plant design outfit . . . Stone & Webster Engineering), and this idiocy was strictly by the department management (I transfered out to another job which didn't demand jacket and tie, in the same building doing similar type work).

I don't recall how I dressed the one time I was called up to jury duty back in 1992, but if it ever happens again I will show up in decent slacks, a dressy shirt and a sweater (if cool weather).

If someone wants me to concentrate on listening to hours of testimony, I will pay a lot more attention dressed as I noted above than I will in a jacket and tie.

That's just me.
 
"- Real Estate agents (if that is what he really is) get paid ONLY commissions on sales and listings." Len

Len,

I figured that someone would make that point and I realize that you are not defending the guy....kinda surprised it was you, though, as I hold you up as a role model of sorts for civic duty and responsibility.

Right now when brave young men and women are dying on the battlefields of Iraq and Afghanistan, young men and women who really don't make a lot of money, jury duty is a pretty small sacrifice.

Frankly, five weeks of jury duty seems downright pale in comparison, even at 8.00 dollars per day.

Anyone in commission sales has to plan for the lean times, it comes with the territory and unless I am mistaken, this time of year is not a good time to sell real estate. I heard Rick Shaefer on 96.9 last Saturday advise people not to put property up for sale this time of year, but to wait for spring. This just isn't a good time.

I would surmise that when you have been at various Lodge activities you have dressed more formally, and I would be surprised that your police uniform (when you were part-time) didn't include a neck tie at least part of the year.

As you reminded us once, service takes many forms, and if going five weeks without a paycheck in what is still the greatest country in the world is too much of a hardship, then perhaps one should move to one of the Socialist Scandanavian countries that use paid jurors.

With all best wishes,

Mark
 
I'm surprised that the guy didn't tell the judge that a long trial would be a financial hardship to him. I know that they ask that sort of thing. Why didn't he just say "Judge, I'm a realtor; if I don't work I don't get paid"?
 
Chris said:
I'd dress up more than I do to go into the office.

Then again, I'm wearing sweatpants and a long sleve T-shirt and my slippers at the moment.... (^_^)

Well, it is MY home and MY office... (^_^)

If I had Jury duty today, I'd have worn the following:

Nautica boxers (pattern will depend on that I grabbed)
Ralph Loren Polo straight front khaki pants in Charcoal
Cabela's Cotton Fatigue Sweater in natural Heather
Lands End Comfort socks in black
Mitch Rosen belt (as always, but with an 'empty' feeling)
Sketchers Leather Clogs (match the belt)
LL Bean 'barn coat' with wool lining with a green cotton exterior shell.
Beaver Creek Hat Co. 5X Bever pelt western hat - brown.


Damn, I just had my smiley face boxers, jeans, sweatshirt and socks on for the whole day.
 
Mark,

Like I said, I was just injecting some "reality", not defending a position either way. So don't be surprised when I throw out "talking points" . . . they aren't necessarily my personal position on a topic.

I don't think it is fair to hold up brave men/women dying on a battlefield to whether or not someone may feel strapped being on a jury for 5 weeks where the out-of-pocket expenses far exceed the stipend that they get. Too many Americans live paycheck to paycheck and this will indeed hurt them.

There are "neglected areas" of MGLs (and Fed too) that tend to screw some segments of society. Example: If I served someone a subpoena (must appear in court or some other designated place for a deposition) the law required me to hand them $6.00 for their time and ~$0.10/mile . . . that is an insult! Judges/prosecutors/etc. that had to travel get a rate that is multiples of that. It just "isn't important" enough for legislators to deal with. BTW, the mileage rate finally did go up ~1 year ago. If jurors were paid a stipend of $60 (tax free)/day that wouldn't be unreasonable and you'd get more than unemployed/retired folks volunteering to be on the jury.

The lower ranks of the military are another "neglected area" regarding pay! That should be (but probably won't be) rectified by our fat-cat legislators!

Regarding my hatred for ties and desire to avoid suits as much as possible:
- Yes I usually wear a jacket and tie to Lodge (I and a few others did skip the tie a few times in hot weather).
- Yes when I worked in uniform, I wore the "uniform of the day" (short sleeve and no ties from May 'til <probably September>). It was the only right thing to do, regardless of comfort. Realize that the ties were clip-on, which does not give you that "choked feeling", so they are more tolerable.
 
LenS said:
Regarding my hatred for ties and desire to avoid suits as much as possible:
- Yes I usually wear a jacket and tie to Lodge (I and a few others did skip the tie a few times in hot weather).

I, too, hate wearing a tie... but like you, I suck it up and wear it for Lodge.

BTW... the Master of Franklin Lodge tells me that February or March will be Hawaiian Shirt Night - dress of the evening will be a Hawaiian Shirt, NOT jacket and tie. (I imagine that we'll be racheting up the heat that night!). All Master Masons with such attire are cordially invited. (No, we won't throw out those who wear a jacket and tie!)

Ross
 
Military pay is gettng a little better(and I mean a little) I am going by what Alan is getting every 2 weeks. He is at the same rank I was and I compare to what I was getting then. Granted Alan is also single so it also makes a difference. Also not including his hazardous duty, and combat pay too.
 
MrsWildweasel said:
Military pay is gettng a little better(and I mean a little) I am going by what Alan is getting every 2 weeks. He is at the same rank I was and I compare to what I was getting then. Granted Alan is also single so it also makes a difference. Also not including his hazardous duty, and combat pay too.

I was going to say, Paul makes some pretty good money.
 
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