Jury Duty question

[zoemurr]

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.

stated, "where I live". Others here said they got it postponed due to a vacation. I had a dr. appt scheduled that I had waited months for, and they postponed without a problem. I did call right when I got the summonds though, not close to the time of service. I don't think I even had to talk to someone. It was automated.

Also here there are very few exceptions. Young children, owning a business, etc. won't get you out of it.

 

[tazdev3225]

I've been called many times and actually love going down for jury duty. I was even called for federal jury duty. My DH is a former CO and is now a deputy sheriff. My son is a CO and I have many friends in the law enforcement profession. I even have an associates in criminal justice. None of that has ever gotten me excused from jury duty. I never make it past voir dire though. The last case I was called for I would have loved to serve on however after a break the judge asked me a couple of questions and said "you're excused, Next time tell your husband to pull your card." The judge knew my DH and the sheriff assigned to his room was a good friend of my DH's. I haven't been called since then and it was several years ago. I'm thinking they pulled my card permanently. I used to be called every year for some reason.

 

[DeaverTex]

Based on my experiences, you'll need to report for jury duty. You could try calling the clerk (or whoever is listed on your summons as the point of contact) and ask about a postponement, but it's sort of late for that.

I've been called three times, and got excused the first time because we had a young child at home and no way to arrange care for about two hours each afternoon. That was then, this is now, and that won't cut it any more. (I guess you're supposed to leave your infant at home with the dog?) The second time I was never called for empaneling, and the last time I was empaneled and went as far as Voir Dire but was dismissed when I told the judge that I just couldn't see paying the plaintiff for "loss of congress" caused by an auto accident. No physical injuries, just loss of congress. Look it up.

 

[storzo]

I come from a law enforcement family....father, brother, husband, brother-in-law.....all cops. I used to work for the local municipal court. I have many friends who are firemen.

That said I was put on a jury for a murder trial in which the victim was a fireman. The prosecutor I can understand not bouncing me, I never could understand why the defense attorney kept me. We walked into the jury room after being sworn and all the other jurors looked at me and said I can't believe you're still here.

You never know.

 

[DVC-Don]

I'm a retired police officer and did not get excused due to that. In fact, the judge appointed me assistant foreman of a grand jury that sat for three months. I did get it delayed as I had a WDW vacation booked though.

 

[dbarker]

It depends on the judge. Basically, I have seen the "it's his courtroom, his rules" attitude in some of the smaller courthouses around here.

BTW, I have been selected for Federal jury duty. I get to call every weekend for the next 3 months to see if I have to show up or not. Nothing like having your life on *hold* for 3 months.

 

[bdcp]

Based on my experiences, you'll need to report for jury duty. You could try calling the clerk (or whoever is listed on your summons as the point of contact) and ask about a postponement, but it's sort of late for that.

I've been called three times, and got excused the first time because we had a young child at home and no way to arrange care for about two hours each afternoon. That was then, this is now, and that won't cut it any more. (I guess you're supposed to leave your infant at home with the dog?) The second time I was never called for empaneling, and the last time I was empaneled and went as far as Voir Dire but was dismissed when I told the judge that I just couldn't see paying the plaintiff for "loss of congress" caused by an auto accident. No physical injuries, just loss of congress. Look it up.

The lack of childcare doesn't always cut it anymore because people abuse the excuse and use it even if it's not true.

LOL. "loss of congress". I haven't seen than term in a long time, but I know what it means. Yeah, I couldn't see paying for that either.

 

[tvguy]

Judges have a funny way of getting their way. My last employer gave you 2 weeks off with pay for jury duty, but only if you were full time, Part timers got the time off only. One of my co-workers understandibly said being on a jury for 2 weeks would be a financial hardship. Judge asked who the top person was at our company, and asked for his phone number. Judge took a recess, called the General Manager, verified the policy and told him a Deputy Sheriff would be by within the hour with a summons because he wanted to discuss the matter further face to face. GM said, "You know, I think we can pay him for the 30 hours he is scheduled to work the next 2 weeks". Problem solved.

Then one of our on air people tried every trick in the book to get booted off a jury (if the guy is here, he must be guilty).....Judge looked at him and told him "Mr. Smith, you will be serving on this jury, and if you have any further objections, I will find you on contempt and you will be spending the next 2 weekends in the county jail". He served, but the situation made it into the local paper, and he got 2 days off without pay when he returned for giving the station a bad repuation.

 

[Handbag Lady]

Okay, I give up. What is "loss of congress?"

I've been in Google for 10 minutes and all I get is when congress turns over from Democrat to Republican or vice versa. Or, should I be looking for the legal definition?

 

[bdcp]

Okay, I give up. What is "loss of congress?"

I've been in Google for 10 minutes and all I get is when congress turns over from Democrat to Republican or vice versa. Or, should I be looking for the legal definition?

Um, to put it "delicately". Lack of "relations".

 

[tvguy]

Okay, I give up. What is "loss of congress?"

I've been in Google for 10 minutes and all I get is when congress turns over from Democrat to Republican or vice versa. Or, should I be looking for the legal definition?

It is a very common thing mentioned in personal injury lawsuits like auto accidents. I have to check the local court website daily at work, I see it all the time, but it is TMI.

Look it up here.
http://dictionary.law.com/

 

[DorkyDisneyMom]

My husband is a police officer and my FIL was the Assistant Attorney General and I was actually seated for a jury. I was called first and apparently my answers to the questions by the defense attorney about bias were good enough for him to let me in.

My husband works for the city and the case was with the county so I didn't know the officer involved. So no real bias on my part. Had it been for the city there is no way I would have been seated but that's because I would have probably known the officer.

 

[arminnie]

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.

When I lived in San Mateo county (CA) I got picked to be on a criminal jury even though I had many, many relatives in LE.

 

[PeterPanic]

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.

And it was a defense lawyer that asked that you be removed because it is their accepted opinion that you will believe another law enforcement person over the defendant. If the law enforcement person is the defendant then the prosecution will remove you. If it gets past that they will always ask if you think that you can render an unbiased opinion, but it never usually gets to that.

The last jury I was on I was removed because the case was a personal injury trial and the defendants felt that since I had an injury recently that I would be leaning towards the complainant with my sympathies.

Previous to that I was on a criminal case jury and the judge there was asking if sitting for the jury would cause unreasonable hardships. Just the job thing didn't work, but I remember a couple of people that were released because they had a prepaid vacation (one to WDW) and they would lose all there payment if they couldn't go.

 

[tvguy]

When I lived in San Mateo county (CA) I got picked to be on a criminal jury even though I had many, many relatives in LE.

I think California Judges (and attorneys) in general are a whole lot less concerned about a law enforcement link than other states.

The jury I was on even had 2 attorneys.....both worked for state agencies....not as prosecutors or trial lawyers. When it came to deliberations, they were the 2 we had problems with, because they both wanted to ignore the Judge's instructions on the law!

 

[njmom47]

A co-worker was summoned recently and got out of it. I don't think it was County though (Superior? Grand Jury?) because she would've had to go 3 days a week for a couple of months. Our company pays you for 15 days, so that was her hardship. She did get out of it.
I went all the way to being questioned to be a juror. The case was a car accident in which someone was injured in their leg. I was asked if I had ever injured my leg or foot, and I replied that I have a plate and screws in my ankle. I was dismissed.