Jury Duty

Tommy Collins, an unemployed erotic dancer, lives with his mother in a trailer park. His mother and Jed plan to marry in Las Vegas and take the mobile home, prompting Tommy to worry about finding his own living arrangements for him and his chihuahua Peanut.

He rummages through trash and finds his jury duty letter he had discarded. He decides to enter jury duty, and jurors get free accommodation plus $5 a day for their service.

Tommy is chosen to serve as a juror in the murder case of Carl Wayne Bishop, a fast-food employee accused of killing several coworkers. As the trial progresses, witnesses testify that Bishop had threatened to kill them, strengthening the case against him.

The jurors are housed at the Holiday Suite in the section being remodeled, and Tommy begins to enjoy the perks of the stay. The hotel atmosphere creates a contrast with the gravity of the case they are deciding.

Tommy ends up sharing a room with his former high school principal, who blasts motivational tapes at night, disrupting sleep and adding to the odd dynamic of the jury lodging.

Tommy makes a deal with the hotel manager to advertise their business during news broadcasts in exchange for a different room, and he eventually moves into a luxurious suite.

In the jury room, Tommy is appointed foreman. The other jurors want to vote quickly, but he stalls and re-examines the evidence, enjoying the perks of his cushier setup while delaying the verdict.

Tommy reads up on the law and conducts further investigation, actions prohibited for jurors, and discovers a store-window photo of Carl Wayne Bishop that hints Bishop may be innocent. This shifts the dynamic of the deliberations.

Monica finds Peanut and follows Tommy to his luxury suite, with security guard Murphy in pursuit. She becomes upset about how the jury duty and Tommy's behavior have affected them and leaves in tears.

The judge declares a mistrial and schedules another hearing for a later date, leaving the case unresolved for the moment. Tommy's actions have real consequences for everyone involved.

Tommy and Jed go mining for polystyrene at the city dump and notice many fast-food logos on the containers. He begins to suspect that the murderer might be connected to environmental concerns and activism.

Later that night, a man named Frank who had volunteered for jury duty is killed with a stun gun, adding a violent twist to the mystery and complicating the investigation.

Tommy tracks down Frank, the man he believes holds key information, and relays new evidence, asking him to help locate Monica at the library to verify the case and persuade her of the new findings.

At the library, Frank reveals himself to Tommy and Monica as the killer and attempts to stab them after tying them up. Peanut intervenes, helping to subdue Frank and prevent them from being harmed.

Tommy receives a check for his contribution to the case and begins dating Monica. He uses his earnings to pursue law school, while Peanut achieves his lifelong dream of becoming a Jeopardy! contestant.