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Professional Juror

Issue
 
   The problem with the common law jury system (jury duty) is that citizens are required to serve, regardless if they are interested in doing so, as part of their civic duties to the community. However, not everyone may be thrilled at the prospect of deciding another person's fate under such forced circumstances, or to place their own lives on hold until a lengthy trial is completed.

   The reluctance to serve jury duty is understandable: (1) people are forced to leave their families and chosen professions for extended periods, (2) employers are forced to pay for services not rendered at their businesses, (3) career advancement may be limited or postponed due to prolonged trials, and (4) lack of education or experience in deciding another's fate may result in a double standard among cases.
 
   Serving the summons of mandatory jury duty places an undue burden upon both businesses and citizens alike. If jurors are forced to participate then it places the judicial system at risk of having an unfair and biased proceeding of where jurors wish to be elsewhere than the courtroom.

   The summons for jury duty must be 100% voluntary. Anything else, as being under duress or forced participation, causes a mistrial.
Solution
 
   Rather than requiring such service upon the citizens of the country, a better alternative would be to introduce the concept of a professional juror.

   Professional jurors are willing participants that are paid by the courts and trained at assessing the facts of a case, which will improve the evaluation of court proceedings. Also, professional jurors are less likely to be swayed by the degree of articulation or psychological stratagem used by some attorneys, thereby, reducing the overall duration and expense of the litigation process.

   More importantly, a trained professional will maintain the consistency of impartiality throughout the proceeding so that a defendant's fate is not determined by the fluctuation or particular randomness of jury composition upon a given trial.

   By standardizing the skill set and discipline of a professional juror, the civil rights of citizens would be better respected, businesses would be more productive, and the quality, consistency, and efficiency of the litigation process would be greatly improved.
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