Opinion: While most people complain about the boredom jury duty represents, it’s time to recognize and embrace its importance.

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When I got a letter from the Multnomah County Circuit Court, I panicked and tried to remember what I possibly could’ve done to get into legal trouble. Did someone see me jaywalking? Had I accidentally stolen something valuable? I mentally prepared myself for a world of disappointment from my parents. Opening the letter and seeing the words “jury summons” was initially the relief of a lifetime. After about 5 minutes, though, I started to panic again. I realized I knew almost nothing about jury duty.
As far as I can remember, the last time I learned anything new about jury duty in school was eighth grade. My class had a field trip to the courthouse, where tour guides explained the system to us. We even got to watch a trial. It was fascinating, and I had a great time picturing myself as a juror someday. In my mind, I would be about 40 years old, an established career woman with impeccable judgment and the perfect business wardrobe for court. I certainly never expected to be a 19-year-old with exactly zero pairs of formal pants. Even though legally I’m an adult, I certainly don’t feel like one. How in the world could the court possibly pick me?
Since I’m still fundamentally the tryhard I was in high school, I immediately jumped into doing research. Like a caricature of a teenage girl, I first looked up what to wear. I’m sure you can guess exactly how excited I am to spend time in an old building in August without being allowed to wear a tank top, shorts or sandals. Beyond that, I learned a ton of information about the process that I had never heard before. I wasn’t aware the lawyers and judge ask prospective jurors questions in a process called voir dire, which is meant to ensure the jurors can make fair decisions. Now I’m afraid I’ll say something stupid in front of everyone, but I’m so glad I know about it ahead of time.
One thing that really surprised me as I was doing research was how many results painted jury duty in a negative light. Titles like “Why We All Hate Jury Duty” were common, and I can’t count how many tips I saw for getting out of the process altogether. No wonder I haven’t learned anything about it in years! If everyone views jury duty as an annoyance rather than a civic opportunity, why would they waste time teaching young people about it?
According to a Pew Research Center survey, people below the age of 29 are less likely to view jury duty as an aspect of good citizenship. From my perspective, though, serving on a jury is a unique and interesting right, and we should celebrate it rather than complaining. I understand it’s not everyone’s idea of an interesting way to spend their time, but there are few opportunities to participate in government functions so directly. We should recognize the importance of participating in fair trials. If nothing else, it’s sure to be an educational experience.
I find it bizarre that someone can be summoned for jury duty without knowing basic details about it, and that shouldn’t happen to anyone else. We need to start thinking and talking about it in, at the very least, more neutral terms.
One glaring issue with jury duty in Oregon is the juror compensation. According to the juror information sheet I received, jurors earn $10 per day for the first two days they appear and $25 for any following days. They are also reimbursed for public transportation fees. Currently, the absolute lowest minimum wage in Oregon is $12 per hour, but it’s $14 per hour in Portland. The gap between what a person makes in a day at work versus on a jury is significant, and it’s understandable that people worry about finances when they receive jury summons. To truly encourage participation in the legal system, the state should increase compensation to afford people the opportunity to take time off of work without worrying about being able to pay their bills. As it stands, finances are a significant barrier, and the state should do whatever it can to fix the problem.
My jury summons feel more like a sign of maturity (and let’s face it, old age) than starting college, signing a lease or getting my wisdom teeth out. I fully expect to find gray hairs any day now, and I can feel my back starting to give out. I’m still nervous about how much I don’t know, but I’m excited to learn. At the very least, it’ll be a good opportunity for people-watching. Wish me luck!