Jury Duty question

[richmond282]

Please no flames. This really is just a question. I was summoned for jury duty next week. My DH works for the Dept of Corrections (but in a different jurisdiction). Will I be excused entirely from jury duty by the judge for a conflict of interest (or whatever) or will I have to sit through the jury selections and wait for the attorneys to dismiss me if I'm seated? This is the type of court where you have to be "on call" for like a month. I'm just trying to determine whether to call ahead of time (which my summons says I can do) or go talk to the judge.

 

[bdcp]

You will have to sit through the questioning. They will ask general questions and then ask specific questions of some people. I work for a federal agency and when that and my job title came up, they questioned me further. I was dismissed after they finished questioning everyone. Relationships to police/corrections, etc is usually one of the top questions asked.

They don't "seat" people and then dismiss. They will question the pool and then select the jury and alternates from that pool.

Just appear. I would suggest not trying to contact the judge. Just go in.

 

[tvguy]

Please no flames. This really is just a question. I was summoned for jury duty next week. My DH works for the Dept of Corrections (but in a different jurisdiction). Will I be excused entirely from jury duty by the judge for a conflict of interest (or whatever) or will I have to sit through the jury selections and wait for the attorneys to dismiss me if I'm seated? This is the type of court where you have to be "on call" for like a month. I'm just trying to determine whether to call ahead of time (which my summons says I can do) or go talk to the judge.

It depends. It would have no impact on you sitting on a Civil Trial Jury. In California, you would have to wait to be called to the Courthouse, then you would have to wait to be assigned to a trial, and then you would disclose it on your Voir Dire questionaire. Then the attorneys and the Judge would decide if you should be dismissed. It would likely also depend on the case. A first time Drunk Driving case I can't see a reason why you would be dismissed........and assault on a Correctional Officer Case, yes I can see that.
At least in California, it is getting very very very hard to be dismiseed just because of your spouses job, or your job.

I was selected for a jury even though my MIL was the Office Manager for the law firm, the Plantiff's attorney worked for, and he was at my wedding. After the trial, the DEFENSE attorneys specificaly told me they wanted me on the panel no matter what, and they said hte Plantiffs attorney and the Judge had no concerns about it.

 

[richmond282]

You will have to sit through the questioning. They will ask general questions and then ask specific questions of some people. I work for a federal agency and when that and my job title came up, they questioned me further. I was dismissed after they finished questioning everyone. Relationships to police/corrections, etc is usually one of the top questions asked.

They don't "seat" people and then dismiss. They will question the pool and then select the jury and alternates from that pool.

Just appear. I would suggest not trying to contact the judge. Just go in.

Maybe I didn't explain it good enough. The entire jury pool has to go see the judge unless we call and get excused by the court ahead of time. I'm not making an appointment with him individually. This is not for a specific case yet. We are "on call" for like a month. We have to call in every night to see if we have to show up the next day. I have done this song and dance before (but DH wasn't a CO then.)

I know I absolutely can't miss a month of work or just be spontaneously gone here and there. I'm a teacher and that would be a nightmare. I know I can't dismissed for that, but I can get it my duty postponed. Just trying to figure out my options.

 

[PigletsPal2]

When I received a notice for jury duty, there was a section to complete if you felt you should be excused. Some of the reasons were disability, being sole caregiver to a minor or disabled person, and the extremely vague "extreme hardship." I can't remember if being related to someone in law enforcement was one of the reasons, but it is the reason I was excused when the two lawyers were questioning potential jurors. My BIL is a homicide detective. The case was a child molestation charge, and I'm SO glad I was dismissed - I'm pretty sure I couldn't be objective!

Queen Colleen

 

[Luv Bunnies]

My dad has a permanent jury dismissal because he is a retired deputy sheriff in our county. As a family member, I have to report when I'm called. Every time I get questioned as a potential juror, I am asked if anyone in my family is or has been involved in law enforcement. I list my dad, my uncle who was a former chief of police, my mom who worked a jail nurse for 25 years, and my sister and I who both worked as medical clerks in the county jail while we were in college. I get dismissed pretty quickly after I answer that question, but I still have to go through the process.

 

[snarlingcoyote]

The one and only time I've been called for jury duty, the local DA was called in my pool! He showed up and filled out the forms with the rest of us. Then the clerks went through the forms and culled out everyone who would be exempt, and he, of course, was released. But still, that impressed me - that even the DA (or is it PA? I never know. . .) showed up when his name came up in the hat.

So, depending upon what makes you ineligible for jury duty, you might be released quickly. Or not. Different jurisdictions do things different ways.

 

[bdcp]

Maybe I didn't explain it good enough. The entire jury pool has to go see the judge unless we call and get excused by the court ahead of time. I'm not making an appointment with him individually. This is not for a specific case yet. We are "on call" for like a month. We have to call in every night to see if we have to show up the next day. I have done this song and dance before (but DH wasn't a CO then.)

I know I absolutely can't miss a month of work or just be spontaneously gone here and there. I'm a teacher and that would be a nightmare. I know I can't dismissed for that, but I can get it my duty postponed. Just trying to figure out my options.

I understand that. That's how most work, as our does. Not sure what you read into what I said. You go in if your group is called in, then they work with that group. You may not think it's for a specific case, but you are told whether to report or not for a specific case. The court knows what cases they are calling pools in for. I was "on call" for jury duty too. If my group was called in, I went in, and then the pool was narrowed down. You are a teacher. I'm sure the school district has a policy for jury duty. You "can" miss as much time as the court says you have to. I guarantee the school system can and will and has dealt with jury duty before.

We had police officers and police family members in our pool. Everyone has to report unless they have an exemption ahead of time.

 

[disneymarie]

Please no flames. This really is just a question. I was summoned for jury duty next week. My DH works for the Dept of Corrections (but in a different jurisdiction). Will I be excused entirely from jury duty by the judge for a conflict of interest (or whatever) or will I have to sit through the jury selections and wait for the attorneys to dismiss me if I'm seated? This is the type of court where you have to be "on call" for like a month. I'm just trying to determine whether to call ahead of time (which my summons says I can do) or go talk to the judge.

There should have been a way to respond at the time of the summons for hardship, a little late but you would talk to judge just the jury duty personnel. I was excused three times. Went last time but second day of waiting never called and excused for the third day.

I was in law enforcement for the jurisdiction and should have known I would sit in a hard seat, no radio or tv for time. Try it once, or hurry and call.

 

[zoemurr]

you can postpone once without giving a reason and then pick another time period. Can you ask to serve in summer? While I'm sure it would be highly inconvenient it is for everyone, and I imagine your school (and thousands of others) have dealt with this before.

It is possible when you are "on call" that you will never be asked to come in. I have gone twice. Once I sat there for 4 hours, and once all day. Neither time did I make it past the waiting room and then I was done for 7 years.

 

[afnaechiquita]

I was summoned for a week that I had a planned vacation. I called and they rescheduled it. I'm sure if you call and explain that you're a teacher, it could be rescheduled, depending on the protocol in your area. Or ask your fellow teachers what their experiences are.

You will be dismissed for your relationship to law enforcement, but given your concern with the scheduling it would be easier I think to call ahead and get your time rescheduled vs. arguing your relationship ahead of time.

 

[cabanafrau]

You will not necessarily be dismissed because of your DH's job. Judge's are called for jury duty. Not aware of any actually serving, but they do show up for voir dire.

In our court system more and more people called to serve are attempting to get out of it. As a consequence, being exempted is becoming more and more difficult. When breastfeeding mothers, sole proprietors of businesses and waitresses living paycheck to paycheck are denied hardship exemptions, most judges in our system would seriously get their hackles up with a teacher claiming hardship.'

Postpone to the summer if you are really concerned, but don't expect you're exempt by any means.

 

[FlightlessDuck]

My one jury duty experience was at the county level for a criminal case. The potential jurors heard about the case from the judge and both sides. I was not picked for the case, but one of the things I found interesting is that the lawyers asked the potential jurors many questions (there may have been one or two asking for a show of hands... I don't even remember now). I'm not sure in the end of they just eliminated people based on age, marital status, education level, etc., or if the plaintiff ended up pleading guilty and they didn't even need a jury.

 

[bdcp]

There should have been a way to respond at the time of the summons for hardship, a little late but you would talk to judge just the jury duty personnel. I was excused three times. Went last time but second day of waiting never called and excused for the third day.

I was in law enforcement for the jurisdiction and should have known I would sit in a hard seat, no radio or tv for time. Try it once, or hurry and call.

None of what the op posted would be considered "hardship" or inability to serve. Medical reasons are probably the #1 reason people are dismissed prior to having to report. Planned vacations can get your service delayed, but usually not cancelled. Sometimes lack of childcare can too, but be prepared to explain why you dont' have anyone to watch your child.

You are not automatically ineligible due to being in law enforcement or related to someone in it. Almost everyone I know has someone in their family involved in law enforcement.

Too many people think they're either too important or don't have time or their job won't allow them to serve. None of those are true. Your job has to give you time off to serve, either paid or unpaid, but they can't stop you from serving.

 

[dominiondad]

If being related to law enforcement was a way out of jury duty, we wouldn't be able to have a trial here in DC. I am law enforcement and I show up just like every othr person. So far, the defense has always asked that I be removed from the jury so I've never actually sat for a case, but I've always had to wait like all of the other jurors. personally, I consider it a priveledge when I think about how trials are handled in otehr parts of the world.

 

[Eeyore'sthebest]

I would ask them to postpone it until your summer vacation with the explanation of you being a teacher and a hardship on the school especially with the length of service and the last minute calling in.

 

[A_Princess'_Daddy]

I agree that it's far from automatic that you will be discharged from serving just because of your husband's job. Firstly, there are lots of civil trials where it would be irrelevant, but also each attorney has different strategies when it comes to seating a jury, and there may be some who don't see it as an issue.

I have been seated on a jury with a police officer (civil trial) and, in a most bizarre case, with three medical doctors on a civil medical malpractice case. I have never sat on a criminal trial, but I seem to be a magnet for civil trial service (I've been seated each of the three times I've been called) and personally I really enjoy it.

 

[Geoff_M]

you can postpone once without giving a reason and then pick another time period.

Please keep in mind that how things work in your locality may not be the case for the OP's. Things can even vary from court to court.

 

[goofy4tink]

I have been called for jury duty many times. I have been dismissed prior to noon due to lack of cases/need, I have been seated on a jury, and I have been dismissed after making it into the judges area. When asked if I have members of my family in law enforcement, I used to put down my sister-in-law. She worked directly for Janet Reno in the Dept of Defense. Was never seated when I listed her. But, it's been a long time since she worked there...now sister-in-law and brother-in-law are just normal lawyers and law professors.
My 19 y/o dd goes to jury duty next week. I am hoping she doesn't go far into the whole thing...she is a nervous wreck as it is!!!
I know a lot of teachers that have missed a bunch of days due to being on juries. Others have just asked to have a date during the summer. Although one woman I know, who is a teacher, said there was no way she was giving up her vacation days to sit in a courthouse..much better to give up work days!!!

 

[Trish.Glenn]

I think that you all may be dismissed for other reasons and NOT just because of a law connection. My father is a judge and he was just called to jury duty and got on a case! Lol! He was made Forman and missed a week of work. Last time I was called, 6 mo ago, they let us go before we even got to the questioner. Good luck