So at the beginning of the year I got a paper from the state pointing out I was chosen to possibly be drafted for jury duty for the next two years.

Today I got the summons that at the beginning of November, I must report (or as they state ...be "On Call") for jury duty in our state's federal court for jury duty.

I may be able to postpone it given I'm a full-time student in college and that is one of the excuses it states you can use to at least postpone it.

Gotta say, the timing REALLY helps things (sarcasm) given I'm a full-time student, work overnights on weekends, and being around for my Dad going through chemotherapy a second time right now.

Anyway...anyone here ever do jury duty? I know of people that were drafted, but never went for various reasons, but how about some people that have.

 

I wouldn't worry about it too much as you have two very good reasons to be made exempt: you're a full time student and you have an immediate family member going through medical issues that requires you be there as a caregiver. I was able to get out of jury duty simply because I watch my daughters after they get off school and we don't make enough to put them in daycare temporary or otherwise. Of course I live in Florida and the legalities can very from state to state from what I've heard.

 

Not me personally, but my sister has.

 

It depends on the type of jury duty you get selected for:

Grand jury: Not a jury in the sense of movies and TV shows. You listen to facts of a case to determine if there is enough evidence to charge someone with a crime, thus indicted By a grand jury. Where I live only met once a week for ~ 3 months.

Civil jury or criminal jury: Hear facts, arguments and see evidence to determine if someone is guilty or innocent in a criminal trial and in civil case see if one party is at fault for causing injury, physical or monetary and the like and thus owes the other party restitution. These can be simple one day trials or week to month long timeframes depend on nature of crime or civil claim.

 

I had to, many years ago. I was sent a letter telling I had to heed the jury call for a minor case, inconveniently in the main building of justice an hour and a half away from my house. I couldn't waive it because I wasn't eligible for bailing out, and honestly, I wasn't about to lie that I had bias against whomever was guilty (some people do that, claim to impartiality due to bias to bail). I went there, sat down and nothing happened for 6 hours. People from the court (I assume) told us we could go.

...<_<

It's a waste of time. You have to care for someone, so I'd appeal from that perspective. Working doesn't really stop you from heeding the call because you can tell your boss you have jury duty and they are duty-bound to pay you on your days absent.

 

It's a true pita. I got the summons and had all the Thursadays for a month. 25 bucks a day was not worth it.

 

I worked for the State at the time, and the whole big $11 a day I rec'd I had to forgo, or give up my state funded salary, yeah, I want to repeat that.  
Of course now, I don't work for the State, so I'd get to keep the big bucks.  


Mine was a criminal trial, I really don't want to go thru that again.

 

Sort of. I had to report to jury duty, but spent most of the day sitting in the potential jury pool, while others were being interviewed by the defense/prosecutor. It was a gang related crime, and after each potential juror stated their disdain for gangs, it was decided by the defense to move the case to a different county, and we were all dismissed.

So yeah, keep in mind that even though they want you to show up, they may not select you and you may end up doing absolutely nothing all day long.

 

Yeah, you probably can get out of it if you're the primary caregiver for someone. Being a student can only postpone it if you have exams or something.

I've gotten the jury summons 4 (!) times, three for regular trial jury (traverse jury) and once for grand jury.

Of the 3 trial jury instances, I only got to the actual selection process once and was not selected (my dad said that was because I was a college student at the time. They try not to select students). The other times I just sat in a jury pool room all day and nothing happened.

I have to admit, grand jury was actually very interesting. Investigators or arresting officers would come in and explain why a person was indicted, and we'd have to determine if there was enough evidence to proceed to trial. We also got to tour the local prison and make recommendations of pay for jurors and baliffs.

 

Every time that i was called for it, I was on active duty in the Army and thus, automatic authorized excuse not to go. Next time I do get called, I'm gonna go nuts on the return slip and write that I can't wait to go into the Hall of justice and perform my american civic duty of imposing the freedoms and punishments that come with such a title of Juror. I'll ask them what color cape would be best for that day......

 

I've gotten the summons several times, but was excused for all of them. I was excused for the previous couple of times because I had moved out of the county. I was excused for the last, which was a couple of years ago because I was starting a new job and couldn't take a month off before I reported for work. This was a rape trial that had plans of going for at least a month.

If you can prove "extreme financial hardship," you can get excused unless the judge is really tough. Additionally, if you have prior plans that involve booked stay or travel (Airfare, hotel, etc.), those are also grounds for dismissal.

 

Yes twice.

Was never called to serve on a jury.

Just spent a few hours waiting to be called on.

Have since been permanently excused.

Due to physiological issues.

Backed by two notes.

One from my medical doctor.

The other from my therapist.