Jurors Need Raise,
Not Side Judges

I would like to thank Cornelia Cesari for such an informative article about the side judges’ salaries and benefits, and I would like to thank Sherri Richardson for standing up for what is right for this community.

To Prudence Pease, I would like to say that just because the rest of the state I ripping off the tax payers, that does not justify your judgment on this matter. It is this "let’s-belly-up-to-the-trough-when-we-can" mentality that will be the downfall of the county, state and country.

How can it possibly be justified that a juror only gets paid a pittance, is basically held hostage, and a side judge, who probably is retired and already receiving either a pension or Social Security, gets so heavily compensated?

As a person who served once on a jury, I found the whole process a great system for serving justice, and could see that, if I was accused, I would want 12 peers judging me. But as a small businessman, if I had had a pressing job, or if it had been a long trial, it could cause great hardship. If somebody should get paid more, it should be the jurors.

Daniel Brown

Chelsea

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