Doesn't that just figure?

[JadedLegend3]

In October, when I renewed my license, I registered to vote, which is something I should have done the day I turned 18, I know.

Anyway, on Friday I got my first notice for jury duty. Not only is it in the middle of my semester, but the second selection day is the day I have my wisdom teeth out.

I've gotten a letter from my advisor saying I shouldn't miss school, and one from my surgeon saying I'm having my wt taken out, and I wrote one myself to return with the qualification form. I am keeping copies of the letters to take with me that day, too.

I do believe that I should serve jury duty, I feel it is our civic duty, but it's just not feasible now for me. I'd very much like to see how the court system works and such, just not right now.

Does anyone know of anything else that could be done to delay my serving? Thanks guys!


Jacqui :love:

[stellar]

You could always say that you're predjudiced against all races.

[NebariNookiee]

Yep -- claim "misanthropic ideals" and they'll never summon you again.

[stellar]

Or you could say that, because of the voices in your head, you constitute more than one person and having you on a jury would skew the 12-member rule.

[generic_screenname]

I think you might be able to get out of it if you have a scheduled doctor's appoinment, but as for the school thing, I know that does not count as anexcuse, even if you are the teacher! I had a teacher in college that was selected for a malpractice trial and she was gone for three months. I've been sent jury duty notices three times, but I only had to go once, and I wasn't selected. In fact, no one in the room was selected because all of the people with cases that day decided not to go to trial.

[zap]

Ive been a registered voter for nearly 20 years, and Ive never been supponed to jury duty.

[DRD2001]

Originally posted by stellar
You could always say that you're predjudiced against all races. No, don't say that. It sounds too deliberate. Say something like "I have no problems with those Mexican people. I even pay one to mow my lawn. They're not at all expensive." And refer to African Americans as "Negros". "I have classmates who are Negros." Question: "Have you ever broken the law? Answer:"Yes, but my daddy says there is nothing wrong with what we did together."

But even with this advice, you will still have to show up to answer these questions. I was lucky. I was told to call the day before. They didn't need me, so I didn't even have to go to the court.

[stellar]

Originally posted by zapgun
Ive been a registered voter for nearly 20 years, and Ive never been supponed to jury duty.

My dear, you have just instigated the jynx. Expect your jury summons shortly.

[eta_carinae]

He he he. My boyfriend got called up for jury duty. He had to go down to the court house, come home call a number every evening for a few days, and wait anxiously to see if his name was called. Luckily, he didn't get selected.

You could make youself seem really biased, and then they won't pick you. A guy at my boyfriend's work told him how he got out of jury duty- they still needed one juror, and it was down to him and a woman. The case was a driver vs bicycle or something and he told them he didn't think bicycles should be allowed on the road. I think everyone knew he was full of crap, but they couldn't prove it, so he ended up disqualifying himself because of the "bias." I think he said one of the attorney's gave him a pat on the back and a wink when he left that day. So, you could bullsh*t your way out of it!

[kechara420]

In your letter, you should indicate that you're happy to reschedul and serve at another time, it's just that the day assigned to you is bad for specific reasons. I had to do this once, and it was fine.

As for being called, I've been summoned six times--five for county, and once for federal. Ironcially, I've never even had to go through the juror selection process.

Once, I called the night before and wasn't needed.
Three times, my number was never even called.
Twice, my number was called, but they settled out of court before selection even began.

I, too believe that jury duty is a small price to pay for the freedoms and rights we enjoy as Americans. I've only rescheduled once, and it was because of surgery.

[fermicat]

I remember being able to postpone jury duty (in Georgia) when I was scheduled to serve at a time when I had classes. You probably won't be able to get out of it entirely, but you should be able to defer it until such time as you are not in school (i.e. between semesters). You will have to check the rules for your location.

[JadedLegend3]

Originally posted by kechara420
In your letter, you should indicate that you're happy to reschedul and serve at another time, it's just that the day assigned to you is bad for specific reasons. I had to do this once, and it was fine.

As for being called, I've been summoned six times--five for county, and once for federal. Ironcially, I've never even had to go through the juror selection process.

Once, I called the night before and wasn't needed.
Three times, my number was never even called.
Twice, my number was called, but they settled out of court before selection even began.

I, too believe that jury duty is a small price to pay for the freedoms and rights we enjoy as Americans. I've only rescheduled once, and it was because of surgery.

I did what you said in my letter. It's very diplomatic, and I said that I think it's my civic duty and such but that's its just not possible at that time. Hopefully they'll agree.


Jacqui :love:

[fermicat]

Originally posted by JadedLegend3
I did what you said in my letter. It's very diplomatic, and I said that I think it's my civic duty and such but that's its just not possible at that time. Hopefully they'll agree.


Jacqui :love:

Just remember that they have to deal every day with ordinary people trying their best to get out of jury duty. You know you have good reasons, but they might not see it as clearly (or be very trusting). Good luck.

[NebariNookiee]

Question: "Have you ever broken the law? Answer:"Yes, but my daddy says there is nothing wrong with what we did together."
:spew: :aok:

[kechara420]

Originally posted by JadedLegend3
I did what you said in my letter. It's very diplomatic, and I said that I think it's my civic duty and such but that's its just not possible at that time. Hopefully they'll agree. Well, unless they're really hard-up for jurors on that particular day, you probably won't have a problem. They purposely call more people than they need, because they know they'll have people who can't make it.

[Kurt_eh]

And don't forget to tell the that you practiced by watching that Hackman/Cusack movie: "Runaway Jury" and Paulie Shore's "Jury Duty!" :D ;)

[JadedLegend3]

Not to mention "The Juror." I don't want some crazy mob folk coming after me!



Jacqui :love:

[Selena]

Originally posted by JadedLegend3
... Does anyone know of anything else that could be done to delay my serving? ...
Jacqui :love:

I know of a planet where there are some really good lawyers who could easily get you out of this bind ... but they wouldn't be able to lie at all.

[trubador]

I've served on two murder trials - one as an alternate juror, the other as a regular juror.

[StarsGoBlue]

Usually they'll let you ask for a deferment once---out here it's 90 days, and then supposedly they'll send you another summons.

Sometimes they do, sometimes they don't. Sometimes they summon our entire teaching staff, for the same week. :headbang:

I've been summoned twice, but only had to call in and ended up excused both times.

[PrairieScaper]

Originally posted by trubador
I've served on two murder trials - one as an alternate juror, the other as a regular juror. Ewww, that's my nightmare: To have to sit through all the gorey details of some truly dreadful murder. How disturbing. I know, I know, someone has to do it, but I'd really rather not know that much about the inside of an evil mind. I hope your experience wasn't too awful, trubador.

[NYPinTA]

When ever one of the lawyers asks my mother about her ability to find someone guily she asks: "Guilty guilty or legally guilty?" Then she mentions she used to work for lawyers and they never want her on the jury.
I had to go once, but they settled and I wasn't called back the next day.

[trubador]

Originally posted by PrairieScaper
Ewww, that's my nightmare: To have to sit through all the gorey details of some truly dreadful murder. How disturbing. I know, I know, someone has to do it, but I'd really rather not know that much about the inside of an evil mind. I hope your experience wasn't too awful, trubador.
Well, both cases had their disturbing moments. But, I take it in stride as my civic duty. Those two cases, BTW, are the only trials I've been on. (They must save me for the biggies.)

The first one was back in Philly in the the summer of '85. Murder was just one of many charges against this guy (including terroristic threats against one of the DAs and kidnapping when trying to flea). I was an alternate juror for that one, so I wasn't part of the deliberations. But, they did find him guilty. He bragged about it (idiot). It was a 3-week case (including the dliberations).

The second one was 5 or 6 years ago, here in California. Gang-related murder. It was so stupid how it all came down. Several gang members were chasing a young kid who was "tagging" (graffiti) one of the gang members tags. They all ran down an alley, past another gang sitting on a stoop, drinking.

They kid took off. The two rival gangs get it on. One of the gang member ends up getting kicked to death (head and chest).

The trail was for one of the suspects. He had his dad help get rid of his cloths, then took off to Florida. When the police caught up with him there, he still had is precious Nikes on (with the victim's blood on one of the shoes). Idiot. Do to the circumstances involved, we gave him 2nd degree murder. The trial went a little longer than 2 weeks.

[Scaper989]

Been selected three times, had to serve twice.

People wouldn't try weasel out of them so much if the court
system wasn't so inconsiderate of the jurors. Both times I had
to be there for 8:00 AM, watch a really lame movie for 20 minutes,
then sit on my ass for an hour and a half. Now the first time I
was working the night shift at the time, and it was in a strange
city.

1) If they're not going to use you until 10:00 AM, they should
tell you to show up for 9:30.

2) If you work the night shift and there isn't a night court nearby,
they should let you off the hook. Serving jury duty on 4 hours
of sleep isn't condusive to concentration.

3) Let me pick the closest courthouse. It shouldn't matter if I've
read about the case in the local paper or not. Otherwise, we'd
never be able to try anyone remotely famous. I don't care if I
have to go every two years instead of every three, as long as
I can go close to home.

During one of the cases they made us watch a video of this guy
talking to a desk sargent WITH THE SOUND MUTED! What the hell
was the point of that? Just to waste an hour so we'd have to
come back the next day? Well, it succeeded. If someone said
something inadmissable, they shouldn't have used that evidence.

Those hard wood benches should be replaced with reasonably
comfortable chairs. Not leather, but something that has a little
give to it.

In short, many people do not want to be there. Yet jurors are
the lynchpin of our leagal system. The courts should try and
make it a more pleasureable experience.

[Kurt_eh]

Originally posted by Scaper989
The courts should try and
make it a more pleasureable experience.

No pun intended, of course! :D ;) :rolleyes:

Forgive me, I just can't resist a pun like that! :innocent:

[ranger1]

i would just say that if the person's guilty, fry 'em! that would probably get me off duty... i've only been notified once, but i didn't have to show up. i was kinda looking forward to it.

[Shipscat]

Well, not only that, but the amount of recompense is appropriate for 1890 wages or something..

They won't want you if you're a lawyer, or if you know one of the defendants or witnesses. Also, in my area they chose from about 100 people the only time I got the jury summons. Of course, I got picked and served..and I thought it was an interesting experience. But they let people off for pretty light reasons.

[Kurt_eh]

Ooooh, I know!

You could put a pair of mens underpants over your head, stuff a couple of pencils up your nose and claim you've "gone mad, you see -- stir-frying crazy!"

http://www.bbc.co.uk/comedy/blackadder/gallery/images/four2_gallery.jpg

[FieryHands]

Got a notice once too, didn't have much of an excuse other than school and a dorm contract, but I guess it didn't matter. I suppose the case couldn't have been particularly interesting anyway, probably a fight over who cut down whose tree. Not much happens in Park City.

[LiLOrion]

I served jury duty in Philly once and got picked for a case...very boring.

I've been picked three times up in Mont. County. The first time my wisdom teeth surgery was scheduled the same day and I did get out of it...well the jury duty was postponed. Cant remember what type of letter I wrote though.

The second time I was called it was cancelled due to snow.

The third time I was called they sent along a questionnaire. Now in Philly we didnt fill out that form until we were sitting in the auditorium where the pick the jurors from. Apparently they didnt like my answers cause when I called the day before to see if I needed to report the next morning, they said I was relieved from ever serving jury duty. :shrug: And believe it or not I wasnt trying to get out of jury duty, I was answering truthfully.

[TokyoScaper]

Jury Duty is hard to get out of. I had to prove to New York State that I live in Japan. Twice!

[mgraylorn]

Seems to be a lot of variation across the country. I got a summons for jury duty once several years ago here in Columbus, and I just told them that I had scheduled a trip out of town - had bought plane tickets and everything - which was true. No problem, I didn't have to go in.

A couple years ago a co-worker of mine got summoned, again in Columbus. Apprently the waiting area is very cushy - nice seats, TV, videos, board games, guiet space (I think she was knitting something, so she took her whole project with her to work on). She had to be on call for a couple of weeks I think - call in the morning to see if they wanted her to come in. She had to go in a few times, but I think all the cases she was up for were settled, so she didn't end up serving. She seemed very impressed with the potential jury member waiting area.

[recklesshumor]

Advice from a lawyer:

I think your letter will probably get you out of showing up, but I would call the jury coordinator a few days before, just in case.

In local cases (judicial district, county, etc ...), your odds of getting picked for a jury are very low. Standard practice is to call up lots and lots of potential jurors, have them all show up at a central location, and then send about fifty of them to each courtroom where a trial is scheduled. At that point, there is a fifty-fifty chance that the case scheduled for trial will either settle, reschedule, or call "not ready." Even if your case is going to trial, only twelve of you will get picked out of the (roughly) fifty. In some cases, it may even be ten or six (depending on your state's individual laws), since twelve jurors are only guaranteed by the constitution in criminal trials.

Even if you do get picked, it could be a really cool experience. Most criminal trials are VERY intense, and you won't get bored. Some civil trials are snoozers, but you might get lucky.

If you have the good fortune to get summoned for federal grand jury duty ... do EVERYTHING in you power to get on it. The per-diem for grand juries can be pretty good, your duty could last months (during which you may get to travel and stay in pretty nice hotels), but you still get to go home at the end of the day (usually). In fact, you may only meet once or twice a week. Your employer can't fire you or dock your pay (against the law), and you get to be more involved in the process (kind of like a combo between a juror and a lawyer and a judge). VERY cool.

[JadedLegend3]

Update!

I got a letter in the mail today saying "Your request to be excused from Jury Duty has been granted."

:woohoo:


Jacqui :love:

[fermicat]

Yippee! Glad you were able to get it settled without any trouble.