I forgot I had Jury Duty! Oops, I totally forgot, and didn't check last night if I had to show up... and Murphy's Law... I was supposed to be there today at 8am! Ugh. I called the number and luckily, I was able to reschedule my appearance! Woot! I was super lucky! Have you ever done this? I was surprised at how easy it was to defer my appearance! I was told I can only defer once, and that works for me - especially since I avoid the bench warrant or $500 fine! I now get to go in July... and fingers crossed it's fast and only one day!
I'm glad you got it sorted. The fine is higher here, and I know of someone who got fined for not showing up when she was in the middle of a heart attack. I got called up a few weeks ago for next month, but I can't attend as there's no-one else qualified to do the medical care stuff my kids need. I had to explain it to them in the form they sent, and the hospital were prepared to send a bill for children's ward private admission if necessary. Being a carer doesn't give exception rights, but if I worked for a care home or hospital doing what I do I'd be automatically exempt. I got my letter back today excepting me from jury service on this occasion.
I'm so glad that you were excused! That must have been stressful! When I looked up where to call, and what to do, I freaked a little at the bench warrant/possible fine!
I have never been called for jury duty and neither has my husband. I'm not sure why... we own a home where we live, have drivers licenses with that same address, we're registered to vote and do so... I actually think it would be really interesting. It seems most people hate it, though, and maybe I would afterwards, I don't know.
I seem to get called every 2 years. I have served on 2 trials, one of which was a Federal court case (bank robbery). The last times I was dismissed after being seated in the jury box.
I'm the same. I'm actually looking forward to it... but do not want something that will take days, since I don't get paid for the missed time. Last time I received the notice, I checked and wasn't needed. I think that was about 2 years ago, so I thought for sure I'll get called in... and then I forgot. I would rather it be done and overwith... but oh well. Too late now.
I've been called several times, but always managed to get out of it. The last time was a Federal case in Detroit at the Federal Court House. We lived in a Detroit suburb but I had to drive into the city and be there at 8 AM. Talk about stressful! My dad was ill at the time (in Indiana) and I was going down there to help with him. I had to plead with the judge to relieve me because of that. He didn't want to at first, but finally relented.
I'm 78 and have never been called. Owned a home for many years, drivers license, registered voter----go figure. But I'm glad!!!!!
Wow! I'm amazed by the variety in how often people have been called for jury duty. I was summoned in the mid-90's in CA and had to miss a week of my teaching job, but didn't get put on a case. I think I got a pre-summoning of sorts when my kids were babies. I had to fill out a form. I think I got out of it being a breastfeeding full-time mom. I don't think my husband ever got called here in Virginia until this spring. And then right after he did -- probably because I jinxed it by talking about how I got out of it before -- I got summoned again. Fortunately, they accepted my excuse of being a full-time homeschooling mom, and I got out of it again! My husband is currently in the stage in which he has to keep calling to check in and they tell him whether or not to come in. I actually DO want to do jury duty. I think it could be very interesting. I just want to wait until my kids are all older. I'm glad you got to defer Jenn! That's a heavy penalty!
I was summoned a couple of years ago and while I would really like to do it sometime, it just didn't work with my schedule at the time. I am the only transportation that my son has to school for one. But DH had it recently and totally overslept one of the days he was supposed to go. Ooops.
Oh yikes! I bet that was an awful bit of panic when you realized you were supposed to be there. Yikes! I'm so glad you were able to defer it and not get that fine!
Yikes, Jenn! Glad you remembered and could make other arrangements. Now the challenge is to remember the new date! I had little kids at home the last time I was called and got an excuse since my hsuband was traveling so much. Now that they are older ... murphy's law ... I never seem to be called.
I've gotten notices twice. We have to fill out a questionnaire and send it back before you even get into the pool. For the first one, I was able to get out of it because of my job. I was working 2nd shift and I would still have to report to work after jury duty. The hospital would not let me "off" since jury duty was not during my normal work hours. So had I done it, I would have been at jury duty/work from 8 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. With no breaks except to drive the 30 minutes to and from work. They didn't put me in the pool. The next time I was called, I also got out of it because I was the payroll backup and during the 12 week period, between my 1 week of vacation and the payroll clerks 4 weeks of vacations, there were 5 weeks I was not available. We were a weekly payroll so payroll had to be on premises each week. I was actually still put into the pool but I never did get called. My mother got called once and was excited to do it. During juror questioning she was asked if she knew either the plaintiff or defendant (civil case). She replied that yes she did along with one of the attorneys and the judge. She was a teacher and had all of them in school. She was dismissed.
I've had jury duty 3 times in 30 years. Two local trials but the 3rd was a Federal trial up in Baltimore for TWELVE weeks! I certainly got tired of sitting plus having to go to the toilet as a group kept my liquid intake low! But having lived in many places where jury trials did not exist, I am not terribly happy to hear people do anything to get out of jury duty. I cherish my freedoms and was fortunate to have a boss at the time of the federal trial who was glad to have me serve. Actually, all my employers were happy to have a staff member serve. I also now remember that I was called for a trial involving some violent act and I was excused because my father in law at the time had been beaten and robbed. The defendant didn't want me when he heard that.
I've received a summons several times. A couple times, I called the number and never had to go to the court house. A couple times I did have to go in but, since I'm a lawyer, nobody wants me on their jury. Since I know I'm never going to be on a jury, it really seems like a waste of time.
Jenn, I forgot last time too! My boss was like "You're going to prison". She was just messing with me & there hasn't been any issue. My coworker said that can't really do anything since it could have been lost in the mail. I don't know? Usually I'm dismissed the morning of. I only had to go into jury selection once & they didn't even get to me.
Oh no!! I would have had a panic attack, no doubt about it!! Thankfully they were able to get you rescheduled without issue!
