Under the United States Constitution, citizens enjoy extraordinary rights that serve as beacons to the rest of the world. In return, our Constitution asks relatively little: pay your taxes and serve on a jury when called. As a practicing attorney and Chair of the Philadelphia Bar Association’s Board of Governors, I recently fulfilled that second duty for the first time, serving as a juror in a civil trial in the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas.
I had previously been excused from jury service while completing college and law school. More recently, however, I responded to a summons from President Judge Nina Wright Padilla and reported to City Hall for jury selection alongside Philadelphians from every walk of life. Like many prospective jurors, I spent the day notifying clients and colleagues of my temporary unavailability, assuming I would be back at my desk the next morning.
Instead, I spent five days serving as Juror Number 12 in a civil products liability trial.
Most juries do not include lawyers. Many attorneys prefer not to serve because jury duty interrupts already demanding schedules, and trial lawyers often worry that lawyer-jurors may rely on legal knowledge outside the evidence presented in court. Despite those concerns, my experience reinforced the importance of citizen participation in our justice system.
As expected, everyone on the jury was eager to return to work, family, and daily life. Yet not a single juror sought shortcuts or rushed the process. Deliberations were thoughtful, respectful, and thorough. We considered conflicting witness testimony, expert opinions, and technical evidence in scientific fields far outside most of our expertise. We challenged one another’s assumptions, tested competing theories, and many of us, me included, changed our minds after hours of discussion. We approached our task seriously because we understood the significance of our responsibility.
Our justice system depends on ordinary citizens who are willing and able to set aside a few days of their lives to participate in it. The system may be imperfect, but it cannot function without us.
My experience also strengthened my faith in our courts. In 2024, while serving on the Philadelphia Bar Association’s Commission on Judicial Selection and Retention, I witnessed firsthand the rigorous work that goes into evaluating judicial candidates and helping ensure that qualified judges serve the public. Serving as a juror gave me a different perspective, reinforcing my confidence not only in our judges and court staff, but also in the citizens who make our jury system possible.
Research suggests I am not alone. A 2023 Ipsos poll found that Americans who have served on juries are more likely to trust the courts and the people who make the justice system function. At a time when many aspects of our civil society are under attack, strengthening confidence in our institutions is critically important.
I am grateful to Judge Caroline Turner, her law clerk and law student interns, and the courtroom staff whose professionalism made jury service a smooth experience. I am equally grateful to my colleagues, clients, and fellow Bar leaders who understood that participating in the jury process is not merely an inconvenience but an essential civic obligation.
That does not mean the system cannot improve. The $9 daily juror stipend barely covered a cup of coffee and breakfast near City Hall and didn’t cover the cost of parking in a nearby parking garage for commuters. During jury selection, many prospective jurors were excused because they worked hourly jobs and would not be paid while serving. If juries are truly meant to represent our communities, we should ensure that working people can afford to participate. Greater investment in jury service would strengthen access to justice.
There are also opportunities for modernization. The jury reporting website could be easier to navigate. Forms that still must be completed in multiple hard-copy carbon-copy pages could be digitized. Basic logistical information, including Wi-Fi access, could be communicated more efficiently. And on hot summer days, courtroom climate control remained a significant challenge.
Yet these concerns should not overshadow the larger point. My experience was professional, respectful, and surprisingly rewarding. The process was not perfect, but it worked.
When a jury summons arrives in the mail, the first reaction for many people may be frustration. After that passes, I encourage fellow Philadelphians to embrace the opportunity. Our justice system depends on ordinary citizens who are willing and able to set aside a few days of their lives to participate in it. The system may be imperfect, but it cannot function without us.
Kevin Levy serves as Chair of the Board of Governors of the Philadelphia Bar Association and is an attorney at Saul Ewing LLP, where he practices commercial real estate law.
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