That or how easy it's become to weasel out of jury duty. Once it becomes easy enough, those with real jobs and significant calls on their time will inevitably get out of jury duty while those with not much else to do, or those from amongst the growing mob who get their jollies from so-called "reality" TV will stick around just for kicks. Think of it as more akin to voting on Dancing with the Stars than as fulfilling a solemn civic duty.
I served a few years ago on a case with a wheelchair bound guy who goes about suing small fast food restaurants, over access issues. The Mom & Pop kind, without deep pockets for defense lawyers.
He has done it successfully for years. It is a numbers game. He has a mediocre lawyer, and they don't put on a very strong case. But the appeal is to jurors too stupid to see through it. He wins enough in court, and he wins be out of court settlements.
Our jury started off with several willing to give him a win. But some of us pointed out it was a racket, etc. They were easy to change. They just wanted it over, and to go home. Some of those jurors were Vietnamese American citizens. Easily influenced.
So in the end, the plaintiff got handed a loss, thanks to a jury in The OC. He probably has better pickings over the county line in Lost Angeles County, the lande of more takers.
