jury duty

[KellyHabersham]

*got a summons in this mail early this afternoon, and just had to rant*

A few of the reasons why I hate getting summoned for jury duty...

- it's supposed to be random, but I've been summoned roughly every 2 1/2 years, and always during the same time period.

- transportation is a pain in the ass because cutbacks in the bus schedules and adding in a light rail system make it more difficult to get to the area where the courthouses are. I also don't have anyone who's readily willing to provide transportation....my mom hates driving in that part of the city, and will only help out under extreme circumstances.

- my employer doesn't give part-timers paid time off for any reason, and the jury pay wouldn't even begin to cover what I would lose. And I really can't afford to take a hit out of my paycheck right now.

-

[kiwi]

I believe you can asked to be excused for financial hardship reasons.

I was called once during my final year of university right on exam time, I explained that these classes wouldn't be offered again it would cause extreme distress and financial loss if I was made to have jury duty.

[guywithashovel]

I got called for jury duty for the first time when I was 21. I didn't get the summons in the mail, either. A sheriff's deputy brought it to my house. I was taking some trash out to the dumpster when he pulled up. As soon as he stopped, he rolled down his window and said, "Is this where guywithashovel lives?"

I stood there like, "Uh, yeah."

And when I told him I was guywithashovel, he said, "Well, you don't look like you're old enough." Then he gave me the summons and said, "It's always good to see a young man get into it."

Yeah, like I had a choice.

I actually ended up enjoying the jury duty. I ended up having to serve twice because of that summons, and it was grand jury both times. It was pretty laid back. For each case, we would listen to a testimony from a witness, who was usually the arresting officer, and then we'd decide whether or not to indict the person. In most cases, we did indict the person.

A few years later, I got summoned again, and that time, I had to serve on a trial. It only lasted one day, though. The defendant was on trial for a DUI, and we convicted him. I didn't mind it that much that time, either. That was the first time I had ever seen a trial firsthand.

However, I wasn't in a situation where transportation or finances were an issue. Like kiwi said, maybe you can get excused for financial reasons for because of the transportation issue. One time, my mom got called for jury duty during a week when she had already arranged to go on a school trip with my sister, and she was able to get excused for that. Then again, this was in a small town.

[KellyHabersham]

What's also frustrating is that this for a federal court, so because I'm "on call" for a certain week, I'm really not sure what to tell my supervisor when it comes time to make up the schedule. (although I did send her an email and made a note of it in our vacation calendar)

Anyhow, I filled out the questionnaire online and mentioned financial and transportation concerns........also that my hearing is that great, I can't afford to get hearing aids right now, and I'm not familiar with sign language. (all of which, unfortunately, IS true, and is another reason why I don't feel I would do well being on a jury)

[Greenday]

I got called for jury duty four years ago during my sophomore year of college. This was right after they said school wasn't a good enough excuse to get out of it. I just sent them a note saying, "Sorry, I go to college out of state and can't do it." They never said anything since then so I guess they accepted it. Sure "out of state" meant "two hour drive from PA and I DO have a car..." but they didn't need to know that.

Now that I'm in Afghanistan, I think I have an even better reason for not showing up if I was to get called.

[kiwi]

Now that I'm in Afghanistan, I think I have an even better reason for not showing up if I was to get called.

when did you go to afghanistan?

[Ginger Tea]

when did you go to afghanistan?

He's been there a fair few months now, maybe 6? iir forensic testing on IED's aka home made bombs.

On topic
I've never been asked for jury duty in the UK and I thought it was a one time thing, maybe it is over here (not looked) so it seems odd that people would be called up almost like clockwork when there are far more people to choose from.

Unless you live in a very small area and they don't bring in anyone from outside, although depending on the size of the area, you run the risk of loosing impartiality if you know, are related to the victim/defendant/witnesses.

If the financial hardship claim is refused, just bring up the confederate flag (even if you have to bring your own to hoist up the ngiht befor).

[Greenday]

when did you go to afghanistan?

Since mid-January. Doing about a year and a half. God knows where I'll end up afterwards.

[Andara Bledin]

I've gotten on call notices about half a dozen times. I've totally forgotten to call for two of them, and called and been told not to bother calling back on the others.

It's just as well - there's barely above zero chance I'd ever actually make it on a jury.

^-.-^

[telecom_goddess]

I've been summoned for jury duty about 3 or 4 times and got out of all of them except the last one, which was about 2 years ago now I think....SO I reported in but never made it to a trail, got sent home at 1pm. Nothing exciting thus far.

[RecoveringKinkoid]

I think they can only really make you serve so many times in a given period of time, so if you keep getting called, you might look that up and see.

Also, yeah, you can explain financial hardship, too. First time I served, it was a weeklong thing and I lost so much money it took me the better part of the year to catch up. I should have claimed hardship, but I was very young and didn't know my rights.

[blas87]

When I was summoned, there were only 4 valid excuses to get out of it.

1) Age. Over 70, don't have to serve if you don't want to.
2) School.
3) Vacation....but you had to mail the courthouse proof you would be on vacation.
4) Medical reasons. They had to be severe, one lady tried to play the "hard of hearing" card when she got to the court house, and they provided her with earbuds and boy, did she look pissed that that excuse didn't work.

Thankfully, I'm not jurer material, so even if I have to miss work for a few hours at court, I won't be picked. There's no way. I'm too conservative and overly judgemental.

The one case I was a potential juror for, I was the 3rd one to be dismissed out of 36 potential jurors.

Just so we're clear, in this part of Wisconsin, you have to serve for 2 freaking weeks when you get summoned. You have to check the docket online and see which days and which juror numbers have to show up those days. I got really lucky and only had to go to one.

[Greenday]

I'm curious as to how attorneys would take me. I don't let my emotions get a hold of me. I prefer the truth than unjustly leaning towards one side. With my background, I feel like if either side had a weak case, they'd want me the hell away from making a decision since they know I'll pick up on it.

[KellyHabersham]

An update - my excuse was accepted, and I got out of jury duty! (confirmed this via the automated info line and the juror section on the court website)

And I have to admit that it could have worse......if I was still at my secretary job, I would have been the one responsible for finding coverage, and because of the "on call" bit, that would've been an additional stress.

[insertNameHere]

My dad is a cop, I am by no means impartial, kind of waiting for when I get a summons for jury duty.

My thoughts, I don't know how the hell you expect me to go to the city if I'm not allowed to bring a firearm into the court house, the section with the court house is in the ghetto. I never travel to the ghetto unarmed, I'll be damned if I need to leave my gun in the car for a crackhead.

Not to mention when it comes to criminals "I'm a racist" as the guy who was black and trying to pass counterfeit bills can attest to (but seriously, WTF, your breaking the law don't pull the race card I honesty think if you whip out the race card and are guilty you need time added for failure)


One thing my dad and other cops say about jury duty, your being tried by 12 people to stupid to get out of jury duty. I also laugh at the pay, it doesn't even cover the gas to get their, and even then you PAY for parking which they don't cover, and no food either