Jury Duty

[3rd_time_the_charm]

I just got my notice. I have to call weekly for two months. It has come at the worst time. I'm going to beg the Clerk to defer me to the next period with documentation of why. I know I only have a 50/50 chance she will agree.

My little black cloud won't go away. What have your experiences been?

 

[Moliphino]

That sounds crazy to me. In my state you're given a day to come in. You can reschedule if it doesn't work for you. As long as you go in, that counts as your service for 3 years (if you're chosen for a jury you need to serve as long as it lasts).
I was called this year and rescheduled to the last day before Thanksgiving break. They didn't need anyone that day and canceled the night before, so I didn't have to go in. But that doesn't count as serving, so I can be called again within three years.

 

[tvguy]

Most folks here get call in Jury Duty. You could be asked to call in twice a day for a week, then you are done. They call our system one day/one trial. If you do get called in, and don't get picked for a trial after that day, your are done. You can have jury duty once a year. I've been had jury duty 4 times in my life and I am almost 67. Last time I did not have to report. 2 times I had to report to a courtroom. First time I was called was in 1994 and I made a jury, trial lasted 6 1/2 weeks. I enjoyed it

 

[3rd_time_the_charm]

It is crazy. I am supposed to get a new job offer this week and will start during that time. I'm going to send in the offer documents and beg and plead. I guess the pool is just too small here.

 

[dioxide45]

This sounds like it might be for Federal Grand Jury?

 

[fla4fun]

I just got my notice. I have to call weekly for two months. It has come at the worst time. I'm going to beg the Clerk to defer me to the next period with documentation of why. I know I only have a 50/50 chance she will agree.

My little black cloud won't go away. What have your experiences been?

Is it federal or local? The only time I was on call that long was federal. Or is it perhaps for grand juries? Sorry it is playing havoc with your schedule. I wish we could volunteer. I have been unemployed for a long time and no call. I know as soon as I find a new job I will receive a summons.

I have never tried to defer, as I just want to get it over with.

 

[dioxide45]

That sounds crazy to me. In my state you're given a day to come in. You can reschedule if it doesn't work for you. As long as you go in, that counts as your service for 3 years (if you're chosen for a jury you need to serve as long as it lasts).
I was called this year and rescheduled to the last day before Thanksgiving break. They didn't need anyone that day and canceled the night before, so I didn't have to go in. But that doesn't count as serving, so I can be called again within three years.

This was similar to my experience for county court Jury duty twice in the past couple years. Both times I was able to defer to a specific week within the next six months. The first time I went in, court was cancelled for that day and we were sent home. That counted as service for the next year. Then the second one it was cancelled before the Sunday I had to call in to confirm. I understand I can still be called in within the next year as I didn't actually have to go in and report.

 

[Dznypal]

I was called a few years ago. I called called to gonto the jury room. I knew at that time I wasn’t going to make it through so when the judge asked about anxiety I got the nerve up to say I wasn’t going to get through this so he called me up said I didn’t look to good and dismissed me. I know I went pure white.
I was called about 2 years ago this time I got a hold of my dr told her what happened last time. She write a note saying I be excused due to anxiety. The courts said if I get called again I would need to get another letter.
I was so relieved.

 

[Kathryn Merteuil]

I recently got a letter that I need to fill out some questions for federal jury duty... to be honest, I am kind of excited about it, I hope I am picked. I want to serve.

In the past a few times (for just regular local court) I have been "in the pool" so to speak, where you have to call a phone number on a certain date. Every time I called, my part of the pool was not required to even report for screening or anything. I was kind of disappointed.

I am hoping I get to do this federal thing.

 

[fla4fun]

I recently got a letter that I need to fill out some questions for federal jury duty... to be honest, I am kind of excited about it, I hope I am picked. I want to serve.

In the past a few times (for just regular local court) I have been "in the pool" so to speak, where you have to call a phone number on a certain date. Every time I called, my part of the pool was not required to even report for screening or anything. I was kind of disappointed.

I am hoping I get to do this federal thing.

I didn’t like the federal. First, when I called in the night I was supposed to, I got a recording to call the next morning. When I called the next morning, I was told to report within an hour! Federal was in another city, so getting there and finding a parking space (no special parking for jurors) was anxiety inducing. Then we get called into a courtroom and we each had to stand and give our full name and address . . . with defendants in the courtroom who were on trial for kidnapping across state lines and battery on the victim. I didn’t sleep for a long time after that. I have moved since then and would have a nearly two hour drive to the federal courthouse now.

 

[Kathryn Merteuil]

I didn’t like the federal. First, when I called in the night I was supposed to, I got a recording to call the next morning. When I called the next morning, I was told to report within an hour! Federal was in another city, so getting there and finding a parking space (no special parking for jurors) was anxiety inducing. Then we get called into a courtroom and we each had to stand and give our full name and address . . . with defendants in the courtroom who were on trial for kidnapping across state lines and battery on the victim. I didn’t sleep for a long time after that. I have moved since then and would have a nearly two hour drive to the federal courthouse now.

Yikes that sounds terrible!

My dad was on federal jury duty "back in the day". He sat on a jury for a tax evasion case, nothing scary like that.

 

[3rd_time_the_charm]

My mother was on a murder trial. They found him innocent.

 

[prairie_girl]

I was super excited to get my jury duty letter lol

I had to report for court one day with all the other potential people and then numbers were just pulled out of a bag and that’s who was on the jury for each case. There were four trials picking jurors and I wasn’t chosen. One case was a very high profile murder case in our city and I was glad I wasn’t chosen for it. They were eventually found not guilty.

 

[fla4fun]

Yikes that sounds terrible!

My dad was on federal jury duty "back in the day". He sat on a jury for a tax evasion case, nothing scary like that.

It definitely wasn’t enjoyable.

I would have liked serving on the jury the last time I was called locally. I was questioned about a case involving the passing of counterfeit money. Since I used to count the daily cash deposits at work, I had seen more than my fair share of counterfeit bills. When they asked if anyone had seen a counterfeit bill, I was the only one to raise my hand, and so I wasn’t picked. They did ask how I knew it was counterfeit and I told them, which I thought was kind of odd if the other jurors didn’t know anything about counterfeits. I would have thought they would have wanted to keep them ignorant until the trial was in session.

 

[Nora03]

I received a notice for jury duty a couple of years ago. It was just as things were starting up again after lockdowns. I’m in my seventies, was barely leaving the house and trying not to get Covid. I’m on lots of medications, including BP meds and a diuretic and would have found it difficult to not be near a bathroom. (I know, TMI). I got a printout of my medications and I wrote a letter, included the printout and asked to be excused on medical grounds, and it was granted. My daughter served on a jury years ago, for a serious trial, and it was weeks. She brought her young children over every day for us to look after. (Same city as Prairie Girl).

 

[disneychrista]

We get a specific day to come in. We call in after 5pm the night before and get told if we have to show up or not.

 

[HopperFan]

Wow we call once and either we go or we don't to the next part. I would go crazy if I had to keep calling in. Summons usually show up once every few years. I've never been, I am exempt.

For us it would be an hour drive with rush hour, park in awful place for free & ride shuttle or pay yourself to park closer. DH has been many times, last one in fall they sent him home on last cut - plaintiffs didn't like his answers.

I didn’t like the federal. First, when I called in the night I was supposed to, I got a recording to call the next morning. When I called the next morning, I was told to report within an hour! Federal was in another city, so getting there and finding a parking space (no special parking for jurors) was anxiety inducing. Then we get called into a courtroom and we each had to stand and give our full name and address . . . with defendants in the courtroom who were on trial for kidnapping across state lines and battery on the victim. I didn’t sleep for a long time after that. I have moved since then and would have a nearly two hour drive to the federal courthouse now.

My HUGE issue with the jury system. There is no reason for any private information to be shared.

 

[EACarlson]

I received a questionnaire from my county last week. I had to fill out a form on the state courts website and I'm eligible to be called any time this year. I'd be shocked if I were to actually get chosen for a jury.

 

[tvguy]

My HUGE issue with the jury system. There is no reason for any private information to be shared.

You realize that is all public information?

 

[3rd_time_the_charm]

You realize that is all public information?

But someone would have to look for it rather than specifically saying it in front of those in the courtroom.