Serve on an Online Jury – and Get Paid!
If you’re like me, you’ve had to serve on a jury before: that colored envelope showed up in your mail box and told you that your services as a juror were needed.
Sigh. Didn’t I just get one of these last year?
It told you when you needed to report. You probably needed to be there before 8 a.m. Better bring a book. If you’re lucky they might play movies in the waiting room.
I know, reporting for jury duty is never fun. You have to take time off from work, and spend it in some stuffy room. And in the end, they’ll probably just tell you to head on out, that your number wasn’t selected for a jury after all. All that time and effort was a big waste.
If you do get called… uh-oh, the courtroom will be your new home for the next couple of days.
It’s your civil duty… but come on.
But what if I told you that you could make real money from serving on a jury? And that you wouldn’t even have to leave the comfort of your home? All that is possible, thanks to online juries.
Becoming an Online Juror
One of the biggest parts a lawyer has to handle during a trial – criminal, civil, whatever – is choosing a jury. We’ve all seen a hundred TV shows and movies that have courtroom scenes, and there’s usually a jury sitting silently on the sidelines. I always thought they just drew 12 random names from the hat and those people would be on the jury. I thought it essentially worked like a lottery.
That is, until I was called up for jury duty one time and actually made the final cut. There were about 20 of us in that final group. The judge asked each of us a series of questions, then the defense attorney asked us questions, and then the prosecutor asked us questions.
Then all three of them talked amongst themselves – out of earshot of us – and then they asked some of us more questions. And more. It lasted close to three hours.
After another conference, the judge read out 12 names: the other eight of us (and I was among the eight) were dismissed. This jury selection process is known as void dire.
And believe it or not, there are some lawyers who specialize in jury selection; that’s literally all they do or study for their entire careers. For these lawyers – and others too – to get practice, they turn to the Internet. There are sites – such as eJury.com and TrialJuries.com – where you can go, register, and be a part of a practice jury and help a lawyer prepare for a real jury selection.
It isn’t for a real case, you won’t have to pay attention to day after day of testimony… all you have to do is answer a few questions honestly from the lawyers. That’s all.
Oh, and the best part? You get paid.
Making $$$ From Serving on Online Juries
You’re probably asking yourself, “Okay, sounds easy enough, but that sounds like it could take some time. And who wants to deal with a bunch of lawyers all day?”
Good point. But here are some solid numbers:
- You can make anywhere from $5 to $50 per case… meaning if you serve on only one case per week, it’ll probably be enough to pay your phone and Internet bill
- Each case averages about 30 minutes… potentially earning you $100 an hour!
Four Easy Steps to Becoming a Paid Online Juror
Step 1: Surf the web and find reputable online jury selection websites. eJury.com is a good one to start with, but there are plenty out there. If you live in a major metro area, there are probably a couple dedicated to just your county.
Step 2: Make sure you meet the requirements. Most sites just ask you to be 18 or older, be a US citizen, and have no felony convictions on your record.
Step 3: Fill out the registration for membership. Remember, you’re the one getting paid here; no reputable mock jury website will ask you for information like your credit card number. At most, you’ll provide them with your PayPal account, so you can get paid.
Step 4: Read the instructions that are provided when you are selected for a mock trial. The better you are at following these guidelines, the more likely you’ll be asked back… and the more money you can make!
I wish you the best of luck!
Mark Edwards
PS I’ve just given you all the information you need to start getting paid to serve on online mock juries. But here are a few more resources to help you get started and get money flowing in.
Resources
Mock Jury Sites
www.onlineverdict.com
www.ejury.com
Tips for Serving on a Mock Jury
http://www.wahm.com/articles/online-jobs-from-home-online-juror.html
http://workathomemoms.about.com/od/workathomejobprofiles/tp/online-juror.htm
http://homepreneurs.net/2012/06/26/make-money-online-as-a-virtual-juror/
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