I've been called to jury duty several times, but only once was I actually picked to sit on the jury. My employer does not pay me if I'm not at work.
In Los Angeles County, the only people who can be excused from jury duty without question are police officers. Everyone has to show up if their group is picked (we have to call in the night before for 5 days). No financial hardship or anything else will be pre-excused. That time I was selected, in my group was the past head judge of the Superior Court! He actually had been the boss of the judge of this trial. lol As soon as his # was called to go sit in the jury box, the first attourney that spoke excused him - the judge laughed & said that, darn, he was looking forward to talking about his jury experience at his hext Kiwanis (or Elks or some service club) meeting!
Anyway, as I sat in the jury box, I got more & more stuffed up, but didn't notice at first. Then they sent us out to the hallway for 10 minutes & I DID notice that I could breathe again. As soon as I was back in the courtroom, sinuses snapped shut again! So I raised my hand & told the judge that I was having trouble breathing in there. The judge asked if I could take 'something' for it & I told him that I had already taken my allergy pill that day. Then he told the bailiff to find me a breathing apparatus!! Luckily, one of the lawyers excused me on the next round, so I didn't have to sit there with a big breathing mask on my face. Sheesh!