Why stop there? Jurist should get paid

From Jonathan Gewirtz at Chicago Boyz regarding juries and Martha Stewart

Yes, jury service is important, but how many able people are willing to take a several-week forced vacation in exchange for fifteen dollars a day? We effectively force jurors to subsidize our legal system, and the more a juror's time is worth the more he pays to serve. Perhaps it would be better to pay jurors an amount that comes closer to compensating them for their time -- if they are intelligent people, maybe $200 a day as a start. It would be expensive, and there are many individuals for whom such an amount wouldn't be nearly enough, but it might improve the quality of jury decisions, particularly in complex and white-collar cases.

That makes no sense to me. Either jury duty is a civic duty, the cost of which each citizen will only have to bear once or twice in his lifetime, or jury duty is a civic duty the cost of which should be borne by society as a whole. I’m inclined to the latter, because so many folks can’t bear the disruption in their lives, so many are unsuited to the task, so many sneaky enough to worm their way out of it no matter what. So why not…

Pay jurors their full pay (verified through tax returns) for the full duration of their service.

Would that make the courts too expensive? So what? The legal system is unarguably one of the prime functions of our government. It costs what it costs. Why should only a few bear its burden? Could this help the courts to put an end to frivolous lawsuits (of which I’ve been a victim)? And I am hardly the first to notice that most jurors who end up in the box are not exactly underemployed, if you know what I mean and I think you do.

Simple. Fair. Direct.

Comments

[Bone]

As the system works now I am afraid to put my life or property in the hands of a jury. I do not want my future depending on six or twelve people (depending on the constuction of said jury)who were not smart or crafty enough to get out of service. Being former law enforcement with a father who is a retired deputy sheriff I will never be allowed to serve on a jury by any defense attorney..
However, if payments to jury members were instituted wouldn't my equal rights be violated. I would be shut of from a possible income source and all law abiding people would love to see me serve on as many juries as possible. I am familar with the system and a fairminded man.
Mudbone

[Pedro]

Screw your rights, Bone! No one likes you and your mother dresses you funny. (NOTE - Bone is a very old friend. This is NOT contributing to a hostile blog environment.) But seriously, that 's why you'd base it on two year's tax returns - no one would be getting paid extra. Or wait, we could have a volunteer option! Now that would be scary.