Jury Duty........

[Instrument 41]

Got called to jury duty in 2 weeks. I know its my civic duty but I have way too many things going on to stop for a week. What are some things to say that would keep me from being picked. What I was told is that I have to go Monday through Wednesday for sure, which is going to kill my forward momentum with work.

[Baz]

There's not much they will accept short of a doctor's note - to excuse you. They don't give a rat's azz about your work load....so here's my advice:

Just don't show up.

No one can prove you received the notice in the mail.

You can always re-schedule and fulfill your civic duty if they end up re-sending another notice - and by then you will be through your current log jam.

Don't ask me how I know these things....

[Baz]

Oh and if you do go and are trying not to get picked when the Q and A session starts just tell them up front you are biased against (this or that). I once declared myself to be a racist to get out of it. It was pretty epic - the look on people's faces was priceless! I have served PLENTY of jury duties in my lifetime and once in a while (like you) I just can't spare the time. If they would only let you re-schedule but they don't.

[widgeon13]

If you know the attorneys it can make a difference but you may still have to show for voir dire.

[UconnTim97]

If it is a bad time, reschedule. Very easy to do.

[rusnak]

"He wouldn't be here if he wasn't guilty"

[dan88911]

Try to re-schedule around Christmas.
They are less likely to need or call you.

[TimT]

After one of the principles in the companay I work for was called for Jury duty, then after voir dire was selected to sit on a jury... on a trial that took three weeks

Our company policy was changed.... We get paid our full salary for our jury service.... though we do have to submit the payment the court pays us for services, and it is deducted from our pay

[VaSteve]

Originally Posted by UconnTim97

If it is a bad time, reschedule. Very easy to do.

^^^this.

We always hope the system is fair. What if your jury was made up of a dozen people who had nothing better to do?

[Baz]

Originally Posted by UconnTim97

If it is a bad time, reschedule. Very easy to do.

OK I'll play along....here are the guidelines in my county....which should I select for my request for re-scheduling....

The following persons, upon written request, may be excused from jury service:

Expectant mothers.
A parent, who is not employed full time, and has custody of a child under 6 years of age.
A person who was summoned and who reported as a prospective juror in this county within one year.
A person 70 years of age or older.
A person responsible for the care of another who because of mental or physical incapacity is incapable of caring for himself.
A full-time federal, state or local law enforcement officer
A presiding judge may, in his discretion, excuse a person showing evidence of hardship, extreme inconvenience or public necessity.
A presiding judge may, in his discretion, excuse a practicing attorney, a practicing physician or a person who is physically infirm from jury service. A deaf or hearing-impaired individual may not be excluded from service on a civil trial jury solely on the basis of hearing impairment if that person wishes to serve. However, the presiding judge may find that consideration of the evidence to be presented requires auditory discrimination or that the timely progression of the trial will be considerably affected.


NO mention of re-scheduling. Further - I have never heard of this being possible unless one of the above conditions exist. BTW..."Extreme inconvenience" in their eyes is not just being too busy with work.

[ForBell]

I hate jury duty. Sat on a $12M liability case which lasted 4 weeks. I was pissed off for months thereafter.

[Don Ro]

Whatever happened to the idea of paying full time jurors?...like retired folks?
Jury duty is a slow train!!!

[UconnTim97]

Baz,
Your jurisdiction may be different than mine. Our summons has a section for asking for a different date. A reason is required.
I know quite a few people that have just called the court and got a date that was more convenient. They seem to be happy that you are making arrangements to serve your civic duty. Is there a phone number for your county's court attendance office?
I have been called for jury duty three times in the last ten years and sat on one jury. I actually don't mind doing it. It is very interesting to see the judicial system at work. I am fortunate that my employer pays me if I am on a jury.

[doug_porsche]

Freedom aint free.
The military is not the only way to serve your country.

Just go, get it done.

[Rick Lee]

I got called for a federal death penalty case in Alexandria and there NO getting out of it. The judge boasted about sending US marshals to arrest the no-shows and how he helped write the law that no one but no one was exempt from jury duty other than the governor, who might later be petitioned for clemency. This guy had a hard on for excuses and no-shows. It was a cluster-eff, no cell phone allowed in the bldg, nowhere to store them and no advance notice of that rule, so the folks who took the Metro didn't have a car to store them in. Hated every minute of that experience. I even told the judge I worked in the news media, knew all about the case, etc. Too bad.

[Zeke]

I can't hear in rooms full of people. Last time I went I told the guy speaking Ebonics that I couldn't understand a word over the PA. I don't understand the Latino or Pacific Rim accents either.

I feel like I'm in the Post Office.

[biosurfer1]

I would take a different approach. Make it seem like you are looking forward to being on the jury...maybe you want to be on the jury a little TOO much and one side of lawyers might not like that. I feel like judges hear every excuse in the book and basically ignore most of them now.

[craigster59]

Now would be a good time to come down with short term symptoms of Tourettes Syndrome.

[Paul_Heery]

I sat on Jury Duty for a federal case a few years ago. I will never do that again.

The idea of a doctor's note is a good one. I now have one from my doc resulting from a DVT a few years back. It says that I must either sit with my feet elevated or be allowed to get up and walk around every 40 minutes. If I ever get called for Jury Duty again, that will be the card I play.

[Hugh R]

Just say "I vote my conscience".