Separating Fact from Fiction: Analyzing Jury Duty on Amazon Prime

Adam Revoir*

The white envelope with the two-words “jury duty” often sends shivers down the spine of many individuals. Jury duty is a civic responsibility that often feels like a burden, but it is an essential component of the justice system. In April 2023, Amazon Prime came out with a mockumentary titled Jury Duty that follows Ronald Gladden and his experience as a juror in a comical civil trial.¹ To Ronald’s surprise, the trial he is observing is fictitious and all the other jurors and court personnel are actors.² Jury Duty received four Emmy nominations³ and has been dubbed as “The Office’s true heir.”⁴ This blog post will address the top three things Jury Duty got wrong and three things Jury Duty got right about serving on a jury.

What Jury Duty Got Wrong:

1. Exaggerated Juror Behavior

The mockumentary takes many of the jurors’ characteristics to the extreme, thereby misrepresenting most people who take such civil duty seriously. Jurors in Jury Duty are clueless, eccentric, or overly dramatic individuals. The chances of having a juror like Todd with his “chair pants” are slim to none.⁵ Generally, jurors are ordinary citizens who are quiet and approach their responsibilities with a sense of purpose and seriousness.

2. Inaccurate Courtroom Atmosphere

The courtroom environment in Jury Duty is that of constant chaos, unrealistic interactions, and frequent outbursts. While trials can be intense, the reality is they are conducted with decorum set forth by the state and federal judiciary.⁶ Rarely will trials have surprise witnesses or field trips to the scene of the accident.⁷ Throughout the mockumentary, Officer Nikki Wilder, acting as bailiff, oversees the jurors. However, in Minnesota (both state and federal courts), the judge or law clerks generally oversee jurors.⁸ Jurors may interact with a bailiff (or deputy) if the defendant is in custody (i.e., an inmate) or during deliberation when an officer stands outside the jury room to prevent jury tampering.⁹

3. Jury Sequestration is Rare

Jury Duty portrays the sequestration of jurors (i.e., isolation of the jury from outside influence) as a normal procedure in the scheme of a trial. However, jury sequestration is rare and tends to be invoked only for high-profile cases.¹⁰ Before jumping to jury sequestration, it’s important for the court and the attorneys to assess the cost placed upon the court (i.e., lodging and food) and whether doing so may lead the jury to have resentment, translating to deliberation being contentious.¹¹ There are some circumstances that a court permits partial sequestration, like in Minnesota v. Chauvin.¹² In total, jury sequestration is infrequent and if it’s necessary – for example, if there is a lot of publicity surrounding a trial from which to shield the jury – the judge can order it and either party may motion for it prior to trial or during trial.¹³

What Jury Duty Got Right:

1. Random Selection Process

An aspect the mockumentary accurately conveys is the randomization of jury duty. The first episode of the series highlights the excitement by some when receiving the jury summons and the annoyance of others.¹⁴ In Minnesota potential jurors must be: (a) at least eighteen years old, (b) a United States citizen, (c) a resident of the county, (d) able to communicate in English, and (e) physically and mentally capable of serving.¹⁵ Ineligible jurors include felons, anyone who has served on a state or federal jury in the past four years, and sitting judges.¹⁶ In sum, jury selection is completely random, but when you receive the summons, you must appear or risk a hefty fine in federal court or misdemeanor charges in state court.¹⁷

2. Jury Dynamics (Diversity, Impact on Jurors’ Lives, and Deliberation)

Jury Duty highlights the array of diversity among jurors, ranging from varied backgrounds, occupations, and perspectives of the individuals who comprise juries. Such jury composition can lead to a deliberation that entertains a wide range of viewpoints, thereby strengthening the jury system. Moreover, the mockumentary shows the reality of how jury duty can disrupt jurors’ personal and professional lives and requires rearranging schedules to accommodate their civil duty. While Jury Duty exaggerates jury deliberation, it correctly captures the desired spirit of diverse opinions, debates, and exchange of ideas. Typically, in the jury instruction, the judge orders the jury to select a foreperson during deliberation, unlike in the mockumentary.¹⁸

3. Challenges Pro Se Defendants Face

The mockumentary perfectly represents the obstacles pro se defendants face in trial. Pro se defendants are anyone who goes before the trial court (e.g., Hennepin County District Court or the U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota) unrepresented by an attorney, and they represent themselves.¹⁹ Generally, pro se defendants lack the traditional educational training of a practicing attorney, and the courts cannot provide legal advice to pro se defendants.²⁰ A key challenge for the pro se defendant in Jury Duty was their lack of understanding of the evidentiary rules when attempting to enter evidence during testimony.²¹ Therefore, a defendant should think twice before proceeding without counsel.

Conclusion

While it’s acceptable to find laughter in the mockumentary Jury Duty, it’s critical for viewers to understand the stark contrast with the actual reality of serving on a jury. Next time you find yourself summoned to jury duty, remember that it won’t be as comical as seen on Jury Duty. Instead, you’ll play an important role in upholding the principles of a fair society.

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* Adam Revoir, J.D. Candidate, University of St. Thomas School of Law Class of 2025, Associate Editor of the University of St. Thomas Law Journal.

1. See Jury Duty (Amazon Prime television broadcast Apr. 7, 2023). ↩︎
2. Id. ↩︎
3. Jury Duty, Emmys, https://www.emmys.com/shows/jury-duty (last visited Oct. 15, 2023). ↩︎
4. Zach Vasquez, How Jury Duty Became the Surprise Comedy Breakout of the Year, The Guardian (Jul. 17, 2023, 9:35 AM), https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2023/jul/17/show-jury-duty-amazon-freevee-tiktok. ↩︎
5. See Jury Duty: Foreperson at 00:04:08 (Amazon Prime television broadcast Apr. 7, 2023) (showcasing Todd who brings his inventive chair pants to trial because of the limited chairs in the jury room). ↩︎
6. See Minn. Gen. R. Prac. §§ 2.01–2.03. ↩︎
7. Cf. James Pollard & Alanna Durkin Richer, Why Do Juries View Crime Scenes like the Murdaugh Estate?, AP (Mar. 3, 2023, 1:46 AM) https://apnews.com/article/alex-murdaugh-crime-scene-jury-murder-trial-be1992b44f8a1d9ea14d4c802f297505 (describing that the trial court judge granted defendant’s request for jurors in the Murdaugh’s murder trial to see the rural hunting estate for the purpose of seeing things in scale). ↩︎
8. See Minn. State Ct. Adm’rs Off., Minnesota State Jury Administration Plan 14 (2021), https://www.mncourts.gov/mncourtsgov/media/scao_library/Jury/Minnesota-State-Jury-Admin-Plan.pdf; U.S. Dist. Ct. of Minn., Jury Selection Plan 2 (2019), https://www.mnd.uscourts.gov/sites/mnd/files/Jury-Selection-Plan.pdf. ↩︎
9. Jury Instructions at 14, Minnesota v. Effiom, No. 27-CR-22-2215, (Minn. Dist. Ct. Oct. 13, 2023), https://publicaccess.courts.state.mn.us/DocumentSearch (last visited Oct. 30, 2023) (paste 27-CR-22-22157 in the “enter case number” dialogue box; then hit “Find Documents”; then under “Documents Available Online” find the document entitled “Jury Instructions Document”). ↩︎
10. See Benson Varghese, Jury Sequestration: What Is It and What’s the Purpose? [2023], Varghese Summersett, https://versustexas.com/jury-sequestration/ (last visited Oct. 15, 2023). ↩︎
11. Id. ↩︎
12. See Order for Juror Anonymity and Sequestration at 6, Minnesota v. Chauvin, No. 27-CR-20-12646, 2021 Minn. Dist. LEXIS 35, at *5–7 (Minn. Dist. Ct. Mar. 24, 2021), https://mncourts.gov/mncourtsgov/media/High-Profile-Cases/27-CR-20-12646/27-CR-20-12646_Order-Granting-Motion-1.pdf. ↩︎
13. See Minn. R. Crim. P. § 26.03, subd. 5(2). ↩︎
14. See Jury Duty: Voir Dire at 00:07:43 (Amazon Prime television broadcast Apr. 7, 2023) (highlighting an elderly potential juror expressing to the judge that jury duty is not their thing). ↩︎
15. Ben Johnson, State Jury Service, MN House Rsch, July 2019, at 1, 1, https://www.house.mn.gov/hrd/pubs/ss/ssjury.pdf. ↩︎
16. Id. ↩︎
17. See Id. at 2; Jury Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ), U.S. Dist. Ct: Dist. of Minn., https://www.mnd.uscourts.gov/jury-faq (last visited Oct. 15, 2023). ↩︎
18. Jury Instructions, supra note 9 at 11. ↩︎
19. See Minn. Dist. Ct., Rights and Duties of Self-Represented Parties[form], https://mncourts.gov/mncourtsgov/media/CourtForms/OTH101.pdf?ext=.pdf (last visited Oct. 15, 2023); Representing Yourself: Questions and Answers, U.S. Dist. Ct: Dist. of Minn., https://www.mnd.uscourts.gov/questions-and-answers (last visited Oct. 15, 2023). ↩︎
20. Id. ↩︎
21. See Jury Duty: Closing Arguments at 00:04:08 (Amazon Prime television broadcast Apr. 7, 2023) (showcasing the poor execution of the defendant attempting to conduct their own direct examination on themselves). ↩︎