Yates trial shows jury duty can last a long time
by David A. Cardon, Esquire

Dear Mr. Cardon,
I have been following the Andrea Yates trial and heard that the jurors had to listen to the case for over one month. I am a resident of Virginia Beach and was recently notified to report for jury duty. I am in my twenties and have never been on a jury before. Just recently I started a new job and am worried taking off time will affect my job. Can you tell me how long jury duty usually lasts? Will I be paid any money? How can I be exempt from serving on a jury? What can I expect? How often can I be called for jury duty?

Our judicial system relies heavily on the jury system to ensure fair results in criminal and civil cases. Harry Carrico, Chief Justice of the Virginia Supreme Court once said "As a juror, you are providing an important public service. You are also helping to uphold an essential part of the American system of justice – the right to a trial by a jury made up of persons representing a fair cross section of the community. You don’t need any special skills or knowledge to be a juror, but you do need to be fair, impartial, and willing to keep an open mind."

Your employer: By law, an employer can not fire, demote, or penalize you for missing work to attend jury duty. You should check to see if your employer will pay you for the time you miss for jury duty.
Length of jury duty: In Virginia, jury duty lasts one term of court. Depending on where you live, that could be up to four months. The summons you receive for jury duty will specify the length and exact dates of your jury duty. It is unusual for one case to last one month, although it does happen. (You might remember, the O.J. Simpson case lasted several months!) If it is anticipated that a trial will last an unusually long time, the jurors will be given an opportunity to explain why they can not sit on the jury for a long time. more>>

VIRGINIA BEACH, NORFOLK, PORTSMOUTH, CHESAPEAKE, HAMPTON, NEWPORT NEWS

1192 SOUTH LYNNHAVEN PARKWAY VIRGINIA BEACH, VA 23452  757-306-9060  EMAIL US  

Available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week!