Jury duty

Jury duty or jury service is service as a juror in a legal proceeding.The prosecutor and defense can dismiss potential jurors for various reasons, which can vary from one state to another, and they can have a specific number of arbitrary dismissals, or unconditional peremptory challenge, which does not require specific reasons. The judge can also dismiss potential jurors. When a person is called for jury duty in the United Kingdom, that service is mandatory, and the person summoned for jury duty must attend. Failing to report for jury duty is illegal and results in a wide range of penalties, from simply being placed back into the selection pool to immediate criminal prosecution and having a bench warrant issued for contempt of court. Employers are not allowed to fire an employee for being called to jury duty, but they are typically not required to pay salaries during this time. Jury duty reimbursement is as little as $5 per day, although a juror can plead to be excused for financial hardship. A citizen who reports to jury duty may be asked to serve as a juror in a trial or as an alternate juror, or they may be dismissed.