help!received summons for jury duty for the time of my vacation!!!!

[drumflower]

I just got a jury summons questionaire for the dates of 1/2/05 - 2/28/05 and my vacation is planned for Feb 4-12!! What do I do? Is a planned vacation a good enough reason for not doing jury duty? I have to reply in 10 days! Should I book my plane reservations and say that I can't cancel my vacation? Is says you can request to defer jury service --in cases where undue hardship, extreme inconvenience, or public necessity. Would vacation qualify? I am so nervous. I have always wanted to do jury duty, but not NOW!!!!

 

[safetymom]

I don't think you will have any problems if you ask them to reschedule you for jury duty. If you mention that you have paid for your tickets and hotel I am pretty sure they won't have you go during your vacation.

 

[southern-minnie]

My husband was summons for jury duty the week of our trip in 2002. He called them and was allowed to have it rescheduled.
I think he went the next month. I'm not sure if he had to go down and fill out some paper work.
Give them a call and find out what can be done.

 

[disneyag]

My husband got out of jury duty during one of our vacations, too.

 

[drumflower]

I have been holding off buying airline tickets until I get a great deal. Should I go ahead and get them this week? I only have 2 nights paid of the 9 nights. I am just going freaking out. I guess things were just going to perfect this time! AUUGGGHHHH!

 

[iceskatejen]

I know here in CA you can postpone jury duty for a vacation--on the summons there's a postponement section and a vacation is one of the reasons you can postpone and (in my county anyway) you can pick the week you want to serve later so long as it's within 90 days (full-time students who use school as a postponement excuse can reschedule for their next school break).

 

[NotUrsula]

I don't know of any jurisdiction anywhere in the US that won't let you postpone jury service, so long as you ask politely and agree to be called on a definite alternative date. You should ask in advance, so that they can summon enough jurors into the pool for that week.

 

[ErinInCT]

Let them know the dates you WILL be available during that time frame & maybe they will get you in around your trip. Oh wait, if you go before & get picked then you may be on a trial that lasts who knows how long! I'm sure they will work it out for you. I, too, have always wanted jury duty. Seems interesting.

 

[TammiMcMan]

Just looking quickly on the web, it appears as though you can request a one-time postponement of your jury duty in Indiana. There should be a box to check and in some cases, you can give a month, within the next year, that you'll be available. Look over your jury summons again and if you can't find the answer, call the help line. My husband took a chance with his jury duty service and ended up on a 5 week trial. He had to cancel his plans for a vacation with the guys because the judge would not excuse him at that point.

 

[goofy4tink]

You should be able to reschedule as long as you do it within a year. I believe that in some states you can do this twice in a year!! Don't worry. Have your vacation and then worry about it when you get home. Just be sure to call them (or send the notice back with the good dates on it). They don't like to be stiffed!!!

 

[drumflower]

Okay thanks fellow disers! I feel much better now. When you fill out the paperwork, when will you find out the judges answer? Or do they make you go to court and tell them in person also?

 

[Geoff_M]

Here the court clerk is the one that will reschedule you. I had a conflict with a business trip the last time I was called. The trick is to make sure you signal to them that you are not trying to avoid serving and will be willing to serve at another time. I even offered to come in sooner. The clerk said "no problem", said I could come in later, and actually switched me to a court that was closer to my home so I wouldn't have to drive downtown.

 

[CarolA]

Generally they are nice if you only do it once.... its the repeated offenders they get mean with so you should be fine.