Jury Duty..

[Mandi]

So who here has had it? :) Did you end up serving on a jury or get dismissed?

Michael has it today. It was postponed from about 2 weeks ago. He had hoped it'd be postponed again but no such luck. It seems like he's summoned for jury duty at least once every 2 years. I think he's only ever served on one jury and has gotten dismissed from all the others.

I've never been summoned for jury duty (knock on wood!!), either in AZ or IN. :dunno: I'm not sure why that is, but I'm not complaining! It makes me wonder though how they decide who gets the summons. I've heard that it depends on whether you're registered to vote but I am not sure if that's just a rumor or not. :dunno:

[gulp!]

I've been called twice. Both times I sat around the holding room for several hours, and then got sent home. The first time, I actually made it upstairs into a court room, but they filled the jury well before they got to me.

In MA, once you serve for one day/one trial, you can't be called again for 3 years. I heard that they get the lists from the deeds that get filed for home ownership, but I have no idea if that is true.

[sheila]

I've never been called. In theory, it sounds kind of cool-- the possibility to be on a jury and if not, all that time to read in peace. Of course, the idea of finding childcare for an indefinite amount of time doesn't sound appealing...

[Dennis]

I've only been summoned once and I was dismissed. I think they pull the names from the driver's license/state ID records.

[kim]

i did it a few months ago. served two days...most of the first day was waiting around, then selection....lunch...etc.

i've been called twice in my life but only served once.

[Nocona]

Here you have to be a registered voter to be on the list. I've never been summoned and neither has Paul (we're both registered) :dunno: My mom made it onto a jury once but it was just a small theft. Not a cool trial like OJ :lol:

We had 2 people in my department summoned on the same day in 2 different counties. Bizarre.

[TtownAnne]

Each state has different ways that they assemble potential jury rolls. Ours is through voting records, although they keep talking about making it through driver's license registration because so many people were not registering to vote to avoid jury duty.

I've been called twice, and been dismissed both times; one time because I knew one of the lawyers prosecuting, and one time because I WORKED FOR one of the lawyers defending! :lol:

[Jayne]

I have never been called upon. Here you have to be registered to Vote and I am. Dan was called upon two years ago. He was able to get his employer to write a letter to get him out of it. Then just postponed his calling. Then that summer they called him again. He had to call every night after 6pm and finally found out he wasn't needed. What I found funny was that his father was called upon one month after Dan. (also had never been called upon)

I don't want to have to deal with it. I am a Nanny. Not sure how to re-arrange that if I had to.

[Cami]

I've been called once, either in Chicago or Houston. :scratch: I just sat there for the day and didn't have to serve.

When I was in grad school, I worked on a research project involving juries so I had to go to a courthouse every day for a couple of years. Looking back, it was pretty unfair to the jurors. The court clerks knew those jurors wouldn't have to serve but they made them stick around long enough for us to get them involved in our project.

[gulp!]

I don't want to have to deal with it. I am a Nanny. Not sure how to re-arrange that if I had to.

The second time I was called, I had to reschedule because I was still bfing Krishan. They let me pick a date for up to six months or so in the future, so that I could plan accordingly. They also let me change my location (they originally had me driving an hour to a courthouse, when there is one in my town!) due to childcare issues. If it ever came up for you, you could arrange the date ahead of time and choose a more convenient location, too.

[Shanna]

Here, they use voter registration as their list. I've never been called, though. I've always thought it would be cool, but I don't know that I would be chosen.

[Karri]

I don't want to have to deal with it. I am a Nanny. Not sure how to re-arrange that if I had to.

Here they don't give a crap what you do. On the summons, it clearly states that it doesnt matter if you are a SAHM or whatever. You need to find arrangements.

The first time I was summoned, I was nursing the twins, so I was allowed to postpone up to 6 months out. I was summoned again for 2 days. Chris had travel scheduled and had to cancel it to be home with the kids. The first day I sat there all day, reading a book. Around 2:00 I got called for a trial and low & behold, the plaintiff was someone I went to high school with. I was dismissed as a juror, but I still had to sit through everyone else's questioning. Grrr. I did not have to come back the following day. Yay!

Oh - here, you get summoned if you have a drivers license.

[Jayne]

The second time I was called, I had to reschedule because I was still bfing Krishan. They let me pick a date for up to six months or so in the future, so that I could plan accordingly. They also let me change my location (they originally had me driving an hour to a courthouse, when there is one in my town!) due to childcare issues. If it ever came up for you, you could arrange the date ahead of time and choose a more convenient location, too.

yes..and this is how Dan postponed his the first time! I would have to do this as well. We don't have a lot going on in our small area as it is so who knows if and when I will ever get called :lol:

[AmyP]

I've never been called. DH was, but in the city (it was sent to his father's house). He sent notice to the city that he was no longer living there and owned a house in the county so he never had to go.

[Stacey]

Here, you can be exempt if you are the primary caregiver of a child or elderly person I think. I keep getting called, but I fill out the paper and don't get called back.

I got called for it when I was pregnant with Maia. I sat around reading a lot. I think that lasted two or three days. Then we finally got called into a courtroom, but the trial got thrown out. We were released after that.

Brad just went recently. I think he had to be there for two days. He did get interviewed, but they didn't choose him.

[Mandi]

I'm thinking that IN must have been by voter registration. I thought it was here but people have told me it wasn't. :dunno:

I personally have no desire to serve. Thinking of finding childcare for 4 kids makes me. :errr:

[Shel]

IN is by voter registration. Makes me not want to vote :) I got called up when I was newly pregnant with Owen, but it was for the county we no longer live in, so I sent in the change form. Then I got called by the new county when I was 8 months pregnant and got to cancel since I was on bedrest. They then called me back 9 weeks later :rolleyes: (did you not realize if I was pregnant I was probably going to have a baby!?) but since I was nursing I got out of that one too. I'm just waiting for the letter since I've gotten out of it 3 times already. David's NEVER been called :dunno:

[BonnieG]

Here they don't give a crap what you do. On the summons, it clearly states that it doesnt matter if you are a SAHM or whatever. You need to find arrangements.

The first time I was summoned, I was nursing the twins, so I was allowed to postpone up to 6 months out. I was summoned again for 2 days. Chris had travel scheduled and had to cancel it to be home with the kids. The first day I sat there all day, reading a book. Around 2:00 I got called for a trial and low & behold, the plaintiff was someone I went to high school with. I was dismissed as a juror, but I still had to sit through everyone else's questioning. Grrr. I did not have to come back the following day. Yay!

Oh - here, you get summoned if you have a drivers license.

Ooh, that sucks Karri! I just recently got called and how it works for the county that I am in, is that they "summon" you for the ENTIRE week!! You have to call in every night after 5pm to see if they need you for the next day. Well, I have two small kids and that would be impossible to schedule any kind of babysitting! "Hey, I MAY need you for the entire week...I won't know until after 5 the night before I may need you?"
So I called and said that I have two little kids and I have no one to watch them. They asked me their ages and then said that I was excused for the children. Thank God!!

[Mandi]

A whole week, Bonnie? :eek: Damn, that's bad! I mean what do you do if you have a job?

[Shanna]

It's like that here too. You're called on Jury Duty for a 2-week period and you have to call the courthouse every night to see if your number is up.

[BonnieG]

A whole week, Bonnie? :eek: Damn, that's bad! I mean what do you do if you have a job?

Unfornuately, if you have a job, then your place of employment is screwed! Legally, your job can't do anything to interfere with jury duty, I believe (unless there is some pre-planned business trip or something).

[Jayne]

Ooh, that sucks Karri! I just recently got called and how it works for the county that I am in, is that they "summon" you for the ENTIRE week!! You have to call in every night after 5pm to see if they need you for the next day. Well, I have two small kids and that would be impossible to schedule any kind of babysitting! "Hey, I MAY need you for the entire week...I won't know until after 5 the night before I may need you?"
So I called and said that I have two little kids and I have no one to watch them. They asked me their ages and then said that I was excused for the children. Thank God!!

YEP..that is how it is here only we have to call after 6pm :lol:

[Alyssa]

I got summoned once when I was in college. I defered since I lived away. That was the early 90s and I've never been called since, and I've lived in 3 states! (Well, 5...but I was only registered w/ a license in 3.)

[Alyson]

It's like that here too. You're called on Jury Duty for a 2-week period and you have to call the courthouse every night to see if your number is up.

Same thing here! Funny thing is.. I was supposed to start calling on Sunday night of this week and I couldn't find the papers!! Ahh!! So, I just now got off the phone with the 'jury info hotline' lol and I have to go to the courthouse today (hope they don't mind that I have a 2.5 yr old lol) and wait in the 'jury' line and get a new registration packet and it will give me a new date to start calling in.. lovely!! Uggh.. and it's way way hard to get out of Jury Duty in California!

I've only had to go one other time, I sat there reading for about an hour and a half and got dismissed! Thank god!!

[Mandi]

Michael just called and said he was selected to go into the coutroom to be interviewed. Of course he has to wait for almost another 2 hours until that happens. :rolleyes:

A little off topic... but does anyone know what happens if you don't bother showing up for jury duty? Michael said in the past he'd heard that you could get a warrant. But he said earlier today he thought he heard a clerk say that all you'd get would be a "nasty letter" in the mail.

[Shanna]

You can get a bench warrant issued and be found in contempt, I believe. I"ll have to double check. I think it's like a $25 fine here :dunno: May be more.

[BonnieG]

You can get a bench warrant issued and be found in contempt, I believe. I"ll have to double check. I think it's like a $25 fine here :dunno: May be more.

I believe your right, on the summons it did say that no shows can be held in contempt of court.

[Mandi]

I figured there must be something.. otherwise no one would bother showing up.

[Shanna]

Yeah, but it's not like they take away your birthday :lol: The fine is the same as the fine here for not wearing your seat belt :dunno:

[Alyson]

Ours says the thing about contempt also. I was a 'no show' yesterday and today!.. but when I called this morning the lady told me she'd make note that I'd called so that I don't have to worry about getting into any trouble!

[mrs.knip]

I have never been called but DH was called for Federal court. He had to drive 1 1/2 hr to the federal courthouse twice but was dismissed both times first time because he knew the federal marshall and second time cause it was a murder trial and the victims father is our churches' deacon.

My grandmother actually served on the murder trial of a 4 yo by her mother. :scary: The grandma of the little girl was my 4th grade teacher at the time. It was a very big trial in my small town.

[Bev]

Never, but I wouldn't be allowed for a criminal trial due to my (former) job and Patrick's job. I'd much prefer a criminal trial than civil. :boring: I went to a Judicial Review which is a trial where the jury determines whether or not to reduce the length of time before a convict has to serve before applying for parole and it was a real snoozefest.

My Dad was called once and was running late because he was on his own in the morning because my Mom was at work and she wasn't there to organize him, so he ran out of the house with one shoe type slipper and one shoe. A guy he was sitting next to pointed it out and when my Dad was passed over the guy said he was going to try that to get excused the next time. :lol:

[Jayne]

A little off topic... but does anyone know what happens if you don't bother showing up for jury duty? Michael said in the past he'd heard that you could get a warrant. But he said earlier today he thought he heard a clerk say that all you'd get would be a "nasty letter" in the mail.

The people who used to live in our house were served Jury papers for here. I gave the papers back to the post man and said that they had moved to Wisconson and yet sure enough 4 weeks later a police officer came to my house and tried to serve me papers and take me to jail. I showed him my ID and said that the people had moved out of state and what I had done with their mail and he left. I was scared shitless :lol:

[LISA]

I got a JD notice,showed up and before the judge/lawers picked jury members they asked if there was any hardship/reason that we couldn't attend jury duty to come forward and explain, I was soooooo nervous but Paige was less than a year old and dh was working shifts, I explained that I would be basically the sole caretaker for Paige and he let me go :woo: I felt so releived.

I heard there is a notice and a fine if you don't show up for jury selection,it had it on the paper they sent me but I can't remember :scratch:

[Melissa]

I've been called to Jury Duty twice. The first time, I brought a book and read all day, I was then dismissed at 4:30. I never stepped into a courtroom. The second time was just a couple of months ago. I had to state that I was no longer living in Connecticut (I'm in VA now).

My dad for some reason always gets called. He's been given an out for hardship (he's a salesman and works mostly on commission). However, one time he checked the wrong box as being over age 65. When you check that box you also have to enter in your birthdate. Well, whomever was checkign his form didn't do the math. At the time my dad was 55. He then received a letter saying he was excused because he was too old. He actually called about it and told them the mistake, they said, "be thankful, that is our fault, don't worry about it."

[Kristen]

The only time I've been summoned was when I was pregnant. The actual summons was for 2 days past my due date. A little fax from my OBGYN solved that problem. I did save the summons for Camille's babybook/scrapbook!

[Girlo]

Paul has been called a few times over the years and he always gets out of it because he's a sole proprietor and would experience hardship from shutting down his business for x number of days. :)

I have never been called. :( I'm insanely curious and keep hoping I'll get a little card in the mail. :heee: I've heard that if your juror number is below a certain one (13...18?) that you'll never see the inside of the courtroom. :dunno: They just pull in the highest numbers and pick from those and they almost always fill up the spots then.

[Clare]

I've been called 3 times but never served. Twice I didn't go b/c I was travelling. I had to get a statuary declaration to say that I wasn't in the state at the time. The time that I did go I wasn't picked b/c it was a rape trial and the defence didn't want any young women on the jury. I was dismissed in the morning but decided not to tell my office that and went shopping for the day :blush:

I believe that once you've been called 3 times here, you're names taken off the list for awhile. I was young and childless all the times I was called which was fine, I would hate to have to serve now :errr:

[Karri]

Ooh, that sucks Karri! I just recently got called and how it works for the county that I am in, is that they "summon" you for the ENTIRE week!! You have to call in every night after 5pm to see if they need you for the next day. Well, I have two small kids and that would be impossible to schedule any kind of babysitting! "Hey, I MAY need you for the entire week...I won't know until after 5 the night before I may need you?"
So I called and said that I have two little kids and I have no one to watch them. They asked me their ages and then said that I was excused for the children. Thank God!!

They have a version of that here, as well. That is called Reserve Jury Duty. Except you have to call in every morning and afternoon. Its incase they dismiss too many and/or not enough show. CHris had to do it once and it sucked. He said he had to leave meetings to make the stupid calls.

[stass]

I was on a jury once. Once I had to go and didn't get on a jury. I just got a questionaire in the mal a few weeks back so I expect to be called again soon. :rolleyes:

[mama2jackson]

I have been called once, but it was cancelled before I got there.

They won't take me anyways. I work in a law firm and they usually like to steer away from any lawyers or paralegals on a jury.

Also, medical malpractice trials can be LONG! Our firm was in a trial last September for 10 weeks. Just hope it's a short personal injury/car accident matter!

[~LORI~]

We had just moved to TX and I had gotten called for jury duty. In our county here I believe they said they picked people based on the water bills and the names on the accounts. I am registered to vote, but in the state of OH and I didn't have a TX lisence yet, so I was curious how I got on it. I was able to get out of it though because I'm a SAHM and the sole caregiver to the kids.

[MrsPeacefrog]

I have never been called (and I am touching wood as I say it, now I have said that out loud I am guarenteed to be called :rolleyes: )

As much as I would love to do it out of interest I am in fear of ending up on a trial that lasts 3 weeks or something! :errr:

Tony has been called twice but his work refused to let him go, so they wrote a letter saying he could not be replaced so he got out of it. :dunno:

My mother has also served and she ended up on a case where a taxi driver hit a motorcyclist and killed the woman, she said it was very graphic seeing the photo's and it lasted 5 days.

[Mandi]

Tony has been called twice but his work refused to let him go, so they wrote a letter saying he could not be replaced so he got out of it. :dunno:

In the US, it's illegal for an employer to penalize or not allow a worker to serve jury duty.

So Michael made it to the courtroom to be interviewed but thankfully wasn't among the top people chosen. He was home by noon. :) Probably a good thing.. turns out the trial was for 14 counts of sexual misconduct (I think?) with a minor... The minor was the man's daughter. :puke:

[Shanna]

In the US, it's illegal for an employer to penalize or not allow a worker to serve jury duty.

So Michael made it to the courtroom to be interviewed but thankfully wasn't among the top people chosen. He was home by noon. :) Probably a good thing.. turns out the trial was for 14 counts of sexual misconduct (I think?) with a minor... The minor was the man's daughter. :puke:


That is the kind of case I could NEVER sit on. I would have such a hard time being impartial, not to mention the nightmares from the testimony :errr:

[Mandi]

That is the kind of case I could NEVER sit on. I would have such a hard time being impartial, not to mention the nightmares from the testimony :errr:

Me either. :( I'd want to have him shot.. if not at least castrated. Michael said that when the lawyers were talking to them about what legal verbage they might hear, they mentioned oral, anal and vaginal sex. :errr: What sick fuck would do that to a kid, let alone his own daughter? :puke:

Give me a basic B&E or something and I'd do it. Don't think I could handle the child abuse ones. :nono:

[Shanna]

:nod: In my past work experience, I have had to deal with a child-abuse/molestation case or two. . .not fun :mope: