There’s No Incentive to Improve Jury System

I’m 82. My eyes and hearing aren’t as good as they used to be. Both knees need replacing. So today I reported for jury duty at 7:45 a.m., along with 61 other unlucky citizens. The elevators were out of order, so there were what seemed like a million stairs to climb. We all sat in a nondescript room till noon. We returned at 1:30 the next day for the remainder of this exciting procedure. If we do not return tomorrow I will be paid a total of 30 cents travel expense. (Jurors don’t get paid the first day; that is probably why they’ll draft a new group tomorrow.)

I feel that if jurors were paid $100 each day, some judge would quickly figure out a more efficient way for this process to work. When the laws work for the convenience of those who make them there is probably a better way available, but there is no incentive to try to improve them.

Herbert L. Wallerstein

Beverly Hills