To reiterate: if given a summons by the court, in person attendance is mandatory (applies to all 50 states). After voir dire, if either the lawyer or judge has selected you as the juror and being presented with evidence relevant to the case: what types of cases were you assigned whilst being a part of the jury?
Also, what happens if the individual fails to willingly show up (non-excusals) in court on the appointed date when they’ve been handed a summons in the US? For reference, in my country where Jury Duty also exists: the offense for failing to show up in person incurs the equivalent of an ~800 USD fine.
I wouldn’t want to hire either of those lawyers. I have virtually no legal experience, but even someone as inexperienced as me knows that judges absolutely hate having their time wasted. The judge was rightfully annoyed. If the lawyers were too pompous/stubborn/stupid to settle, I’d be annoyed, too.