Civic duty and civic responsibility several of the basic terms covered in high school government class. It’s our duty as American citizens to uphold the Constitution.
But why and how should we fulfill our duties and give back to America?
While voting is one of the easier ways to fulfill your civic duty, one of the more common and well-known ways Americans are expected to fulfill their civic duty is the dreaded and infamous jury duty.
In fact, I was just recently summoned for jury duty and, to be honest, I was not happy about it. So I decided to do some research.
The website for the Judicial Branch of Arizona states that the United States Constitution and the Arizona State Constitution guarantee the right to trial by jury. In order to have a trial by jury, you have to of course have a jury.
Unfortunately, a juror is not an occupation that you can go to college and study for. Therefore, it is our civic duty to report for jury duty so creating a jury is possible.
It is not fair to deny someone the right to a fair trial. According to the website for the United State Courts, jury service is “one of the most important civic duties you can perform”.
Potential jurors in Arizona are randomly selected from a pool of registered voters as well as the Arizona Department of Transportation records. It is quite common for some people to never be summoned for jury duty.
Others seem to find themselves summoned every two years. It’s just the luck of the draw. Many just hope that statistics work in their favor.
According to the Supreme Court of Maricopa County all residents of Maricopa County are obligated by state law to serve as a juror unless they are under 18 years old, not a United States citizen or have been convicted of a felony and their civil rights have not been restored.
Since we reap the many benefits of being American citizens, it is only fitting that we should do our part to give back to the community. Why should I be upset about serving my community?
We often take our constitutional rights for granted. In the grand scheme of things, jury duty is no big deal.
In fact, it provides plenty of experience. How many people can actually say that they were an essential part of a court case?
Jurors are also compensated for their work. Those called for jury duty are compensated for mileage every day during the selection process and, if selected, jurors receive $12 a day in addition to mileage compensation.
So next time you’re upset about paying your taxes, voting or being summoned for jury duty, just remember your civic duty and that you are doing your part by giving back to both America and your community.
Reach the columnist at agales@asu.edu
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