Listen up, courtroom enthusiasts. You can help the wheels of justice turn and earn some side money by becoming a mock juror. If you’ve always wondered what it’s like to serve on a jury or, for some odd reason, you want to relive the jury experience (we won’t “judge” you), this is the opportunity you’ve been waiting for.
What is a mock juror?
A mock juror is a person who volunteers to sit through a simulated legal trial and provides opinions to lawyers running the trial simulation. Attorneys utilize mock jury trials as a strategy to predict likely responses and obtain understanding of the viewpoints of an unbiased jury. The reliability of the witnesses, the force of the arguments, the possible settlement value, and the overall persuasiveness of the case are a few of the topics that mock jurors express their thoughts on. Most importantly, mock jurors get compensated for their time.
Opportunities to become a mock juror
There are a number of websites where you can apply to become a mock juror:
- OnlineVerdict.com – since 2004, this service has conducted online and live focus groups or mock-trials to assist attorneys with their cases. Juror feedback is primarily through an online questionnaire. Minimal prerequisites to qualify (e.g., U.S. citizen over the age of 18). You can choose which cases you want to review.
- Legal Focus Group – earn $30 to $15 per hour by listening to real-life legal cases from the comfort of your home. By signing up and completing three focus groups, you’ll receive an extra $10 on top of your usual hourly rate. A device with a working video camera and microphone is required.
- JuryTest – listen to or read legal cases and then provide feedback, usually in the form of a live video chat, a voice recording or an online survey. Compensation depends on the length of the case.
- Sign Up Direct – earn money as an arbiter in a form of alternative dispute resolution in complex criminal and/or civil cases by listening to lawyers present their arguments. Earn $100 or more for up to a day’s work, online or in person, as you help resolve legal cases and solve social problems.
- eJury – eJurors review case facts and determine a verdict. Once the minimum number of verdicts has been rendered (usually 50), the case concludes. A case summary is subsequently posted online for those interested in seeing the results. For each verdict rendered, eJurors are paid $5 – $10 depending on the length of the case.