By extension, this isn’t far off from the guy who ended up shot because he got pulled over for a parking ticket. The dude argued that the cop stopped him unnecessarily and wouldn’t give his license or registration. He was warned multiple times that he would get arrested over a stupid parking ticket. He ends up wrestling the cop to the ground in traffic when the cop is trying to remove him from the car and get shot by another cop. So, a $35 parking ticket ends up in getting shot.

You have to pay for parking and you cite this as a reason for not serving jury duty. This could escalate into a bench warrant and eventual arrest with that now on your record. Are you really thinking clearly? Besides, you’ve already said you can afford it if it was for something YOU found valuable, like pinball, etc. The fact that YOU don’t see a person’s right to a jury by their peers as valuable to you says volumes about you as a person. None of what it says is positive. And I’m saying this not trying to insult you, but the fact is that this is a petty, bad look. Remember.... freedom isn’t free (nor is it completely paid for by your taxes).

errrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr............................

I grew up in Plano, and I wouldn't. I'm sorry, but Plano, at least from 25 years ago to today...is full of self righteous twits. The school system was an absolute abomination for people like me that did not fit into a very specific mold, and they didn't give two shits if I succeeded or failed. Their answer to things like not being able to run track? Run harder. Teacher didn't bother explaining the fundamentals of a major part of algebra because they spent every single day answering dumb questions that any idiot should've known two years before that during time they were supposed to be ACTUALLY TEACHING THINGS FOR THAT GRADE LEVEL.... tough shit, better hope your parents know how to teach it. Getting the shit harassed out of you and beat up for being the overweight nerd kid, and you finally punch the fu--er back? Yep, out-of-school suspension for you and nothing for the ass that did much worse for months beforehand.

Also, west Plano is the worst goddamn tippers known to man. Like seriously, I could deliver a pizza from Independence and Legacy all the way to EDS, like 20+ pies west of the tollway (That's a HUGE delivery area..probably why that Domino's location closed!), and those asshats would not tip at all. Same for Dr. Pepper corporate building.

Screw everything about Plano...

If the law does not require employers to pay wages to employees serving jury duty, and the government doesn't reimburse those lost wages, what makes you think the govt is going to pay for all your incidentals for showing up?

I always thought the jury pay during the selection period was to help compensate for incidentals like parking, gas, lunch, bus, taxi, or uber. Even though it's a pathetic amount, everyone has different incidentals, so the pay is for however you need to use it. It's not your "thank you," "reward," or compensation for your time. Those are given verbally by the judge when you're dismissed.

“What you are about to witness is real. The participants are not actors. They are the actual people who have already either filed suit or been served a summons to appear in a ... municipal court. Both parties in the suit have agreed to dismiss their court cases and have their disputes settled here, in our forum: The Pinside Court”

B012822B-DFBC-4C5A-8714-FB81A396CF65 (resized).jpeg

If you want the right to vote in this country, one should remember there is a price to pay. That’s right. Jury duty parking fees

Can you tell them you wish to walk there, and they have an obligation to provide pedestrian access from your house to the courthouse?

Not true.

As soon as you read the OP's heroic crusade to fight the cost of parking for jury duty, you know its gone to shit.

Pretty much the same way in Los Angeles County. I find it hard to believe any municipality would make you pay to park, or pay without any repayment.

Gee I cant imagine why.

I would have stopped reading this thread, but I'm waiting to see how long it takes for Godwin's Law to take effect.

That's your point out of this entire thread? The US Treasury and State Governments do this every day through taxes. Are you really arguing that you'd rather the governments tax us more to cover these costs, vs paying directly for the incident incurred? I'd much rather pay the government a jury tax when I serve jury duty, versus paying a higher tax every year that may or may not go towards jury duty parking. Seems a very silly argument.

As for serving itself, it's a civic duty. One of the few we have left. There are many inconveniences that people incur to serve. You spoke of the single mom holding three jobs. You do realize, that she's likely not reimbursed for hours lost from her job, right? Or she's not reimbursed for the daycare she might have to find for her children. What if her job provides her lunch at the cafeteria, but now she has to buy her own lunch? What if she has a very strict budget for gas usage, and this drive to the courthouse will exhaust the gas she has allotted for travelling to work. You act that this parking cost is the only cost that's inconvenienced to jurors. There's a whole host of direct and indirect costs associated with jury duty, but we incur it because we as a collective citizenship have fought for the right to a jury by our peers. I think you've really lost sight of the bigger picture here.

Lastly, you lament about personal attacks, but you snidely did the same to the whole board. Because you've been judged by a jury of your peers, and you don't agree with the verdict, your position is "I should have known better" about the people on this board, as if we're all lacking because we don't agree with you.

Ask the court if a seat will be provided for your emotional support peacock. Just beware, if they say yes, you are gonna have to find a peacock.

Geez... thanks for reminding me, now I'm going to have to keep reading too... for statistical reasons.

You mean he's expected to have to find his own emotional support peacock for performing his civic duty!?

I think he is more worried about the single mom with three jobs, how is she supposed to find an emotional support peacock?!?!!?

I have two feelings concerning this thread

1. Fuck jury duty! What an inconvenience. I get to waste my day and lose money because someone else couldn’t figure out how to live by societies rules.

2. Where does one go for an emotional support peacock?

Sending one your way now!

peacock (resized).jpg

Haha awesome!

If I have to go to jury duty...... I go.......

forest-gump-beard-1 (resized).jpg

So much for innocent until proven guilty.

This thread is awesome. If I had this much free time to complain about such petty stuff, I could probably quit my second job.

I admire your resolve, but holy hell, aren't there better battles to fight? Maybe crazy high property taxes, fuel taxes that are used for anything BUT roads or other dumb ass taxes like the Privilege to Work tax. Yup, we actually have one of them where I live.

You win the Internet for the day.

/EndThread

Jury duty is not a "privilege" but a burden.

I know you weren't taking me seriously. That's why I put

But whateves.

Zitt be thankful you don't have to drive through Georgia to get to the court house.

Cost my son aboot a grand to drive 15 over in the peach state. That was for an attorney, fine & court fees. No points or entry on driving record. Otherwise it would have been $1150.00 and an entry on his record. He would have got their lovely "Super Speeder" separate ticket in the mail a few weeks after he thought he was all done with them.

As soon as he told me about his little incident in Tifton, I had him get in touch with an Attorney. Money well spent.

I just want to know how you get the red vest on that thing.

Georgia cops are aggressive. Tifton, Georgia cops are hyper-aggressive. Don't speed in Georgia. Florida? Keep it less than 10 over and no problem...

If it is not delivered by registered mail they have no way to prove you received it therefore they can do nothing to you for not showing up. I have done it countless times. I have a business to run, I don't have time to go down town for what is most likely a trial for a traffic ticket, which I believe to be nothing but forced revenue enhancement in the first place. The one time I went it was because it was sent by registered mail I told them that I believed cops should be doing something more productive than hiding behind stop signs or sitting on the side of the freeway writing ticket and regardless of what was said I believed the man was innocent. The practically held the door open for me and I have never received another summons.

Well stated. Perspective helps.

Wasn’t sure how to weigh in here without it sounding critical of Zitt, that wasn’t my desire.

It’s a duty that is one of the many small pieces of the United States. IMHO, it’s a necessary inconvenience.

He's not trying to get out of jury duty. He's protesting the parking fee out of principle.

Let's hope that the day you need the legal system to work for you, that similar minded individuals don't circumvent the system and its integrity.

It's fairly simple. It only requires 2 dudes (minimum 5'11", 220 lbs), a ratchet strap, a road flare, a can of Crisco, a Hitachi Magic Wand, and 2 pieces of Bazooka bubble gum.

What's the second piece of Bazooka bubble gum for?

OP.....
Bro, get your lazy ass down there and do your duty.
Pay the parking, pay for your sandwich lunch, sit in traffic going home.
I have to sit on a Federal Grand Jury and lose 1 to 2 weeks of real work and several Thousand dollars.
If you can afford pinball machines, you can afford this civic duty.
Ohh, and Semper Fi, boy have I served.

Backup

I was having a switch matrix issue on one of my machines so I contacted the State Bar Association for advice.

You now want them to pay for your food and gas?!?
What the hell dude....

So.....what happened???

This ... is ... brilliant.

He's frantically searching Craigslist for a peacock

How much is parking per day? I bet the payment you will receive to serve on the jury will cover it.

I've been called several times to various courts, but only made it to the courtroom once. Since I worked in downtown Fort Worth at the time just a few blocks from the county courthouse, I wore my everyday attire (a conservative suit & tie) to the courtroom. Long story short, didn't take much time at all for the defense attorney to strike me during voir dire. Let's see, a middle-aged white man with a masters degree dressed in a suit . . . probably too smart for my liking - strike! Ever since then, I always dress in a suit any time I'm summoned as I truly think this is what got me excused the time I did make it to the courtroom.

I will say this, I was really impressed by the prosecuting attorney (it was a civil case where some kid made an illegal turn and nearly killed a lady). There were probably about 50 people in the jury pool during voir dire, and he actually named every single person as he addressed them and asked 2 to 3 relevant questions of each prospective juror based upon the questionnaires we all filled out, and I never saw him once refer to his notes. Dude must have had a photographic memory. On the contrary, the defense attorney seemed to stumble all over himself. Not nearly as bad as the stuttering lawyer from My Cousin Vinney, but not too far off.

One other oddity I recall from that experience is that when the judge asked if anyone in the jury pool felt like they couldn't serve, one young guy stood up. He walked up to the bench, he and the judge smiled and chatted briefly, then he left the courtroom. Turned out he was the judge's nephew.