But there are New Jersey residents who would jump at the chance to serve on a jury, and one state lawmaker wants to let them have their way.
Assemblyman Craig Coughlin (D-Middlesex) recently introduced a bill (A2949) that would create a new pool of potential jurors from volunteers.
“If they are out of work, in college or retired and want to do their civic duty, this would require the county clerk to compile a separate list of people who want to volunteer,” Coughlin said last week.
Such people really do exist — and not just those with free time on their hands.
Chris Yen, a cost engineer from Bridgewater, said he had a good experience sitting on a jury that convicted Amy Locane Bovenizer, an actress who appeared in the television series “Melrose Place,” of assault by auto and vehicular homicide.
“I learned about the law,” Yen said. “I got to interact with other jurors from other parts of the county. And just the whole process I found interesting.”
There were frustrations, he said, like the hours and hours of sitting around. But asked if he would volunteer to do it again, Yen didn’t hesitate.
“Yes,” he said. “As a matter of fact, I was honored to serve.”
But defense attorneys, if you will, object.
They say the idea of allowing people to volunteer for jury duty would probably not pass constitutional muster, and would undermine the idea of a jury of one’s peers by creating a special class of people more likely to be selected.