Greenville County ‘Juror Shortage’ Under The Microscope

Jury service disrupts peoples’ lives. They miss work, school, picking up kids/grandkids from school/daycare or taking them to school or other appointments. For some of us, being herded through the metal detectors is a de-humanizing act which we would prefer to avoid. Some people have no or few “nice” clothes to wear to these court appearances and it is sad, in the 21st Century, how many judges there still are who think it is their place to be arbiters of fashion and grooming standards for people who wind up in their courtrooms.

Some time after the worst of the Covid plandemic was over, I received a jury summons. I might have been inclined to go but I was not wearing a suffocating dog muzzle for anyone. My courthouse was still going to extremes, playing along with the bogus game that masks protected anyone.

I called the clerk of court for my county. I informed them that I was a retired LEO and, having spent a significant chunk of my life in courtrooms, was sick to death of them and did not wish any additional time in one. I further stated that because of my prior occupation, I did not feel that I could render a fair and impartial verdict. The clerk informed me that the case I was drawn for was a civil case and as such, my prior occupation would not matter. I told her that I had breathing issues and could not wear a mask as required in the brochure they sent me. She said I would need to get a doctor’s excuse for that. Like W T F? At that time, I had no health insurance. I could not afford to get an excuse to satisfy their petty authority and attempt to force involuntary servitude on me. I asked if lawyers, the judge, and witnesses were required to wear masks in court. She said they were. I countered that I have a serious hearing impairment. As such, I do a combination of lip reading and listening. Masks muffle voices and make them much harder for me to understand. Additionally, I cannot read lips of someone facing me if they are masked. This is true! I told her that if she really wanted someone like me on her jury, then I will come in as ordered. She put me on hold and came back a minute later, telling me to disregard the summons.

If judges need jurors badly enough, they should start paying them a minimum of $100 per day to offset the expense and inconvenience of having to appear in court. This would help with babysitters, gas, other transport such as cabs or Uber, meals, etc. This is not an unreasonable amount. Additionally, instead of the SCAG’s office compiling computer files of jurors to be selected (often the same people over and over and over, again), how about compile lists of people who will gladly volunteer for jury duty? If you pay them $100 or more per day, lots of bored housewives, senior citizens, unemployed persons, and others would probably sign up. Make the $100 per-diem not subject to tax or count against unemployment checks in any way. This might help aleviate the juror shortage and improve attitudes about serving, for some, at least.