Jury duty might sound annoying. It can be far worse than that

Jury duty can trigger intense, long-lasting stress, especially when jurors are exposed for days or weeks to graphic criminal allegations. The article recounts the experience of Erin Reilly Lee, who, nearly 30 years after deliberations in a Delaware murder case, still remembers being asked to fit into a makeshift cooler holding the body of Anne Marie Fahey. Lee described the moment as emotionally overwhelming. The piece links such experiences to broader concerns, including “summons anxiety,” in which potential jurors worry before voir dire about time away from work and family responsibilities while being paid little. It also notes that experts say the issue isn’t limited to capital cases and highlights the need for stronger juror support systems, citing research and officials from the Center for Jury Studies.