My morning mail brought a summons for jury duty AGAIN!!

Yes, I know that it is my duty, and I really don't think I would mind serving. However, some of you may remember, that only a short couple of years ago, (seems like less) I was called. After showing up at 8:00 a.m. (it's about 30 to 40 min. drive from my house) for three days, hanging around there all morning, they dismissed me and sent me home.

What a pain........it is my duty........it is my duty.........it is my duty............
o.k. venting done!

We are allowed to schedule a day that is convenient for us or call in every day for a full week to see if our number will be called.

Kathy,
Now that sounds reasonable!

Betty, don't you have a trip schedule on the date you have jury duty? <img border="0" alt="[naughty]" title="" src="graemlins/naughty.gif" /> That way you could at least choose when you have to go. I did that a couple of years ago when I wanted to go diving in the Bahamas.

In MA you are excused for 3 years after you serve.

Andrea,
I hear that they are getting really tough about it here. I guess some people would just ignore the summons completely.

I think we do get a pass (don't know for how long) when you actually serve. In my case, I showed up, but after 3 days they did not use me, so my name just went back in the hat.

Aren't you the lucky one!! :rolleyes: They seem to know where you live!!

We have to call in on a Sunday night to see if our "group" has to show up. Haven't had to go for 12 years! St. Joe is sort of backward in some ways but I like that part of the system!

Betty, I understand your frustration & having to drive so far. Last time I served (40 miles away in downtown LA), we were told that we were "lucky" our names can only be called once a year. Judge told us that Riverside County (Calif.) citizens can be called as often as every 90 days! - :( Michele

"They" know where Alan lives, too. He received a summons yesterday to do his civic duty.

Why the system sometimes gets fixated on the same names year after year is a puzzlement to me.

Uh oh! That's not good news for us. Especially since we live right on the EDGE of Riverside Co...

I did get lucky, though, for once - I received a summons that had been mail-forwarded from the court in Fort Myers to our new address here in DHS, not a week after we'd moved here. Needless to say, I was excused! Good timing.

Some people will just move to get out of jury duty, Kristin! ;) You mean they excused you? I thought there were no good excuses left for any of us!

Don't worry too much, Kristin. I live on the edge too (of LA County though). They don't like paying for mileage. Even though, legally, I can be called every year, I usually get a summons every 3 to 4 years & it's usually for a courthouse that's within 20 miles. I was also told to hang on to my "Jury Duty stamped receipt" in case they call me up AGAIN within 12 months. They make mistakes all the time! (Believe me, I hang on to that little item.) - Michele Editing to say: Last time I was called was 1 month prior to ROAR. I nearly fainted when we were told the case was going to go for 2 months & it was a capital case. Judge was unique & was sympathic to my major commitment to a dream trip. (I had B&K receipts, airline ticket proof, etc., in hand, that's for sure!)

Denise, :) ...I must have known that thing was in the mail when I left!

Michele, now THAT would stress me out. Thank God they were sympathetic to your situation. I never even think about something like being called for jury duty when I plan a vacation...but ROAR...that's over the top. Now you've got me thinking about ROAR 2, adding another prayer to my ever-growing list... "Lord, please don't let either Greg or myself get called for jury duty" LOL!

Around here we get a "pass" for 3 years too. And you don't actually have to serve to get the exemption, but you do have to sit in a room with the rest of the potential jury pool for up to 5 days, just waiting. But they have internet access set up at desks so people can bring their laptops and work. It's boring as hell, I've done it twice--the second time we got off halfway through day three. I never got chosen.

Well I guess I am the unique one. I've been a registered voter over 40 years and was only called to jury duty once. The timing was awful though - it was for the week we were making our first move in 30 years. I phoned and received a postponement of 60 days. When that time came I received new paperwork with instructions to phone on Sunday night to see if my number was among those to report the following morning. The recorded message I heard was that my number was in the group that would not be needed and I was excused from that round of jury duty. It's been almost 8 years and I've not heard again. My husband served 3 times in those years when I was never called and our daughter was called up once. Karen only had to spend one day at court - she was in medical school at the time and the case involved something against the University so they did not want her on the jury.

I would not mind local jury duty as long as it didn't conflict with something major. But we can also be called to federal jury duty, which means reporting to court in Detroit (figure an hour commute each way and not so safe neighborhoods).

Kathy,
Do they still call people by the voter reg. in Mich.? We used to be, but now they use the Drivers License lists.

Michele,
I can imagine how freaked you must have been, getting a summons just before ROAR. Nice judge!

I guess I don't know how they call us, Betty. I also have a Michigan drivers license so that could be what they use. I don't think I'm going to telephone anywhere to find out!

I've been called twice in Chicago - first case was settled in the middle of the voir dire (Sp?). The second time I knew one of the attorneys slightly so I probably wouldn't have been selected. In Chicago it is a "one day - one trial" system. After the OJ case I am a firm believer that reasonable people should not try to shirk jury duty, but being able to reschedule would be helpful.

Called once about 17 years ago but I was teaching a real estate seminar so I was "released"...never summoned again.

It's very hard to shirk jury duty in LA County anymore. There are SO many cases....!@#$!!! There is a lofty fine if one doesn't reschedule (& I believe it has to be within 90 days) or report. And, the judges are not sympathetic to the usual circumstances AT ALL anymore. LA County jury duty definitely changed after OJ, though I see the same folks run out of the door while the gang bangers volunteer to stay & help out their friends. Lovely environment. - Michele