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Trusted Contributor
Posts: 1,955
Registered: ‎01-15-2017

I have been summoned for jury duty four times in my life. The first time I was excused because I was eight months pregnant. The next two times I reported but was excused because I had been a victim of a crime committed with a gun ( I was robbed at gunpoint in the 80's at the clothing store I was working at ) I was finally picked the fourth time. It was a malpractice case. I found the whole process fascinating. We were there for an entire week and I loved the experience. I have always been fascinated with the law.

Honored Contributor
Posts: 16,566
Registered: ‎04-04-2014

@Icegoddess 

For the record if you're chosen for grand jury you're on the hook for a few months!

You don't go every day I think it's in week long increments periodically.

 

I served on a jury a few years back for federal court. I said everything that should've got me out of it, I work for an attorney, have a cousin that went to prison, etc.etc. It obviously didn't work. 
Even though it was an interesting case it was long and dull to listen to. By the end of the week we were all sucking on Altoids to stay awake! LOL

These guys were snuggling illegals into the United States via The Bahamas. While they still had the people on the boat they would call their family and friends and threaten to toss them overboard if they didn't wire more money!!

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Honored Contributor
Posts: 15,240
Registered: ‎03-19-2010

@Andreatoo wrote:

@Icegoddess 

For the record if you're chosen for grand jury you're on the hook for a few months!

You don't go every day I think it's in week long increments periodically.

 

I served on a jury a few years back for federal court. I said everything that should've got me out of it, I work for an attorney, have a cousin that went to prison, etc.etc. It obviously didn't work. 
Even though it was an interesting case it was long and dull to listen to. By the end of the week we were all sucking on Altoids to stay awake! LOL

These guys were snuggling illegals into the United States via The Bahamas. While they still had the people on the boat they would call their family and friends and threaten to toss them overboard if they didn't wire more money!!


@Andreatoo It says petit court, so is not Grand Jury.  Also, it does specifically say it's for the week, not a month.

Honored Contributor
Posts: 9,293
Registered: ‎12-12-2010

Jury duty is a part of our civil responsibilities.  I look at it this way; we have young men going off to war, losing limb and even sacrifice their lives so we can enjoy living in freedom.  Have to serve on a jury is a cakewalk compared to what they endure.

 

I have served on a jury and "enjoyed" it, so to speak.  It is a good experience seeing law & order in action.

Time is just a drop in the bucket compared to eternity. It isn’t how long you live that matters; it is how well you are prepared to die. ~~Colonel Robert B. Thieme, Jr.
Respected Contributor
Posts: 3,666
Registered: ‎06-03-2010

I've been on two jury trials, one for shoplifting at Sears and one for first degree murder.  The murder trial lasted for 30 days, but the courthouse is close to my office, so I just went back and forth as needed.  

 

I enjoyed it both times, and it's probably about time for me to get the letter again.  The last time I went they excused me (I guess I wasn't the "type" they were looking for) and was sort of disappointed that I didn't get to serve.

 

I think the age here is 70 to be permanetly excused, but as long as I can think and get around OK, I would rather serve then be excused. 

 

 



......You look like I need a drink.....
Honored Contributor
Posts: 8,449
Registered: ‎03-20-2010

A former coworker had the attitude she wasn't going and ignored the summons.  They contacted her and she gave excuse after excuse and they told her she had to appear and sent a sheriff's deputy to take her and bring her back daily.

Esteemed Contributor
Posts: 6,419
Registered: ‎12-13-2010

@Icegoddess wrote:

I have no excuse.  I go to the grocery store and church and even the gym.  We go out to eat.  I have a singing practice with the other members of our worship service team once a week.  If I can do all those things, there's nothing keeping me from serving on a jury.


I go the grocery store and wouldn't even consider going to the other places you mentioned. No way. That goes for jury duty too. 

Trusted Contributor
Posts: 1,231
Registered: ‎01-05-2017

@SeaMaiden wrote:

I did jury duty a couple of years ago... a week it took as I was chosen to be on a jury. I found it to be a huge waste of my time.  I will never do it again... and I  would never consider to do it during this pandemic until it is totally over.  If I ever get a card in the mail I will throw it away.


Maybe read the instructions first so you do not end up in jail.Smiley Happy

Honored Contributor
Posts: 36,841
Registered: ‎05-17-2010

@Icegoddess wrote:

I have no excuse.  I go to the grocery store and church and even the gym.  We go out to eat.  I have a singing practice with the other members of our worship service team once a week.  If I can do all those things, there's nothing keeping me from serving on a jury.


 

@Icegoddess   I guess I'm more cautious than you. Although I do make my necessary trips to food stores and drugstores, walk in my mall before stores open (gym only partially open and need to mask up during exercising), but do not rub shoulders with others at restaurants or religious services. In fact, our synagogue only has services on zoom. No way I would sit in close promixity to 11 other jurors during a pandemic even if court was next door. 

Respected Contributor
Posts: 3,772
Registered: ‎05-21-2010

There's a lot between throwing the card away and ignoring the summons and actually going to the courthouse and serving.  In GA there is a top age I think 70. I have been called many times but only served on a jury twice. We have a # to call each night  and you may or may not need to show up the next day. They send the summons to way more people than they need. But it ties you up for a week.  All one has to do here is to ask for a deferral if they have a valid reason for not serving at the time of the summons. They will excuse you from duty at that time but you usually go to the head of the list for jury duty the next time. In the OP's case it sounds like she wants to serve. For many of us we would have serious concerns about sitting on a jury day after day for possibly weeks during a pandemic. I don't think the courts want to put people in a situation where they are so concerned about getting sick they they would not make attentive jurors. 

I served on a felony murder case. it was not fascinating at all. The jury is sent out of the courtroom over and over all day while the attorneys argue in front of the judge. The case resulted in a hung jury.