Jury Duty

[MamaBelle4]

I was called for the first time this January. I have a newborn so I replied and was excused.

I asked them to reschedule me in a year. I SUPER want to serve and I'm not kidding. I really want to!

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

I was called for the first time this January. I have a newborn so I replied and was excused.

I asked them to reschedule me in a year. I SUPER want to serve and I'm not kidding. I really want to!

It's interesting you were excused for that reason. Or maybe I misunderstood and you weren't actually excused but rather was able to reschedule?

Interestingly on our County's website they have a specific question and answer on that:
"Are mothers with children at home excused from jury service?
No, there is no automatic exclusion. If we were to exclude all mothers with small children, a significant portion of the population base would be excluded from jury service. This would result in juries that are not truly representative of our community. You are responsible for arranging for your own child care if you are called for jury duty. If the scheduling of your jury service is the problem, you may reschedule your jury service one time only by contacting the jury coordinator"

So I guess in my County's case you can't reschedule because you have a child but you can reschedule one time if you are unable to make it work as far as child care.

 

[MamaBelle4]

It's interesting you were excused for that reason. Or maybe I misunderstood and you weren't actually excused but rather was able to reschedule?

Interestingly on our County's website they have a specific question and answer on that:
"Are mothers with children at home excused from jury service?
No, there is no automatic exclusion. If we were to exclude all mothers with small children, a significant portion of the population base would be excluded from jury service. This would result in juries that are not truly representative of our community. You are responsible for arranging for your own child care if you are called for jury duty. If the scheduling of your jury service is the problem, you may reschedule your jury service one time only by contacting the jury coordinator"

So I guess in my County's case you can't reschedule because you have a child but you can reschedule one time if you are unable to make it work as far as child care.

On my paperwork, there were a list of acceptable reasons to be excused. One of them was "primary caregiver of a child under the age of 12". All 5 of my children are under 12. I could have arranged a sitter for the older ones, but I am exclusively nursing my youngest so I can't be away from him for extended periods. I explained that in my return paperwork and asked to be selected again in the future. They responded that I was excused and rescheduled for the March 1, 2019 term.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

On my paperwork, there were a list of acceptable reasons to be excused. One of them was "primary caregiver of a child under the age of 12". All 5 of my children are under 12. I could have arranged a sitter for the older ones, but I am exclusively nursing my youngest so I can't be away from him for extended periods. I explained that in my return paperwork and asked to be selected again in the future. They responded that I was excused and rescheduled for the March 1, 2019 term.

Well then that makes sense. As you can see my County would not consider that excusable. It's interesting just how different all the areas are

 

[Disney_Alli]

I've never been called but my twin sister and I both took a year between high school and college to pick up some volunteer and work experience and my sister was called. At the time she didn't drive and it was about an hour each way from our place to the courthouse so I drove her in and dropped her off and headed home. She was released in the morning and told to come back after lunch, not having a car or anywhere to go she walked over to the nearby mall and shopped, in the afternoon they called her up for the questions and she clipped up to the stand in her brand new high heels with her shopping bags at 18 and was dismissed after a couple questions... then she had to call me and hang around for an hour until I could come pick her up lol.

 

[wgeo]

It's interesting you were excused for that reason. Or maybe I misunderstood and you weren't actually excused but rather was able to reschedule?

Interestingly on our County's website they have a specific question and answer on that:
"Are mothers with children at home excused from jury service?
No, there is no automatic exclusion. If we were to exclude all mothers with small children, a significant portion of the population base would be excluded from jury service. This would result in juries that are not truly representative of our community. You are responsible for arranging for your own child care if you are called for jury duty. If the scheduling of your jury service is the problem, you may reschedule your jury service one time only by contacting the jury coordinator"

So I guess in my County's case you can't reschedule because you have a child but you can reschedule one time if you are unable to make it work as far as child care.

On my paperwork, one of the automatic excuses that you can send back is Mother (not father) of a child under the age of 6 and you're only job is caring for the child. I guess each county is pretty different.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

On my paperwork, one of the automatic excuses that you can send back is Mother (not father) of a child under the age of 6 and you're only job is caring for the child. I guess each county is pretty different.

Yeah and maybe there is still a way that you can get excused if you're a parent of a young child it just didn't seem that way from the wording. I think I found it more interesting that it was a specific question on the FAQs for my county; also that it said mother rather than parent given that there are times where it is only the father who is there taking care of the children (as in the mother isn't in the picture) but maybe they mean it the same way in that having young children at home doesn't give you exemption regardless of mother or father. I've always found how different areas do things differently interesting.

 

[htmom]

I would like to do it eventually. I am happy I haven't been called though because I stay home with my youngest and in order for me to go my husband or someone would need to take off work. He went last year though. It sucks where our courthouse is. You have to pay for parking and refill every two hours (not quite sure how that works when you are inside) or you can park in the $15 a day garage which is usually full by 830 am. My husband laughed the last time he was called because he lost his work pay, then received 10 dollars a day so he could park in a 15$ lot.

 

[longboard55]

we have to report one day, I try to arrange it on a friday or thursday. They seldom pick juries on those days

 

[wgeo]

we have to report one day, I try to arrange it on a friday or thursday. They seldom pick juries on those days

how do you arrange for it to be a Thursday or a Friday?

 

[Dznypal]

I was twice . the first time I sat there for 2 days and did nothing . which .was fine with me as I didn't want to be there. My boss was nice he switched my day off so I didn't use my day off sitting there. This last iwasnt so lucky and was in the 2nd group. I was sitting thinking I can do this I just wanted to see how far I could. make it. All the while my heart was pounding so hard I thought I thought I would burst . Durning the questions the judge asked . about anxieties by this time I was starting to feel sick. So I raised my hand and said how hard my chest was pounding so he had me come up. Him .he said I didn't look very look and he was going to dismiss me . I was so grateful .

 

[kimblebee]

I was called for a jury pool in January. There were three trials needing jurors but my number wasn’t called. I definitey want to serve at some point.

Here, if you don’t show up a warrant is put out for you.

 

[Skippy918]

I haven’t gotten called since I moved here 14 years ago. I did serve in my old state. I remember spending a lot of time waiting around.
I don’t think I would mind getting called as long as there’s enough time between when the paperwork comes to when I would have to go so I could re-arrange my meetings at work.
I heard the pay where I live doesn’t even pay for parking and I just hate the thought of driving downtown.

 

[longboard55]

how do you arrange for it to be a Thursday or a Friday?

They give you a day, then you respond that you can do that day, then they let you pick one. Sounds fun, but I am self employed and it would cost me a ton of money.

 

[bdcp]

I was never called for Jury duty until we moved into the county we live in now. The first time I was called, I was about 40. I've only had to actually go in twice but I've been called at least 5 times. The first time I went in, the guy tried to represent himself so the prosecutor didn't really care who was on the jury because we all knew where it was going so they drew names to be sent home. Mine was like the second name drawn. The second time, after questioning, I was excused. I actually received a jury summons for one day this week (one day/one trial in our county). I expect, if I have to go in, that I will be excused again. I don't want to discuss details but it has to do with my employer. Defense attorney's never want me on the jury. My employer provides admin time off which means I get paid.

My DH has been on a jury twice. One time he was the foreman. Once you report, which is considered serving, you are excused for three years.

 

[Colleen27]

I've never been called. I used to think that was odd but recently read a stat that less than 3% of cases here go to trial so it is no wonder they don't need many jurors.

 

[wgeo]

They give you a day, then you respond that you can do that day, then they let you pick one. Sounds fun, but I am self employed and it would cost me a ton of money.

Wow - that's great that they give you so much flexibility in picking a day. We are able to postpone but not pick a day.

And yeah, I'm self employed too and it is definitely costing me income.

 

[Shanti]

I really think they need to address the wage issue. THey are not really getting random samples of jurors if the only people that are able to serve are the ones that can afford it.

During one of the times I was impaneled, the judge stated to everyone that they didn't take economic hardship as an excuse, because it wouldn't be representative to have only affluent people sitting on juries. So just because it's a hardship, doesn't mean they'll actually excuse people.

I agree that the daily pay rate is a disgrace.

 

[bdcp]

During one of the times I was impaneled, the judge stated to everyone that they didn't take economic hardship as an excuse, because it wouldn't be representative to have only affluent people sitting on juries. So just because it's a hardship, doesn't mean they'll actually excuse people.

I agree that the daily pay rate is a disgrace.

The "pay" you receive for jury duty is not meant as pay, it's supposed to compensate you for travel, meals, things like that. What our county pays ($30 last time I served) is less than I make per hour on my job and I'm hardly alone. It's less than most people make in a couple of hours in our county.

 

[Shanti]

The "pay" you receive for jury duty is not meant as pay, it's supposed to compensate you for travel, meals, things like that. What our county pays ($30 last time I served) is less than I make per hour on my job and I'm hardly alone. It's less than most people make in a couple of hours in our county.

Whatever you call it, it's a disgrace. The rate in my expensive city doesn't even cover the cost of courthouse parking, let alone meals or travel.