Oh NO! Summoned for Jury Duty 10/16!!

Not sure how it works where you live but usually you can request a delay to a later date.

Pete

Just ask them if they were on trial for something would they want their fate decided by a grown adult who plays with toy trains? 

Jerry

You:  "Your honor, in my opinion any defendant brought to court is considered guilty until proven innocent.  And I don't think this defendant has the legal representation to get him off that hook."

Judge:  "Thank you.  Have a good day in York."

Guaranteed dismissal.

George Carlin said to tell the judge that you can spot a guilty person by measuring the distance between their eyes. Then go on to say, "Measure the judge, he'll like that."

That's not a good excuse for not going to York. In fact it's a pretty poor one. You need to come up with a better one.

Many complain about the legal system and how bad juries are, yet when they get the opportunity to do their part they decide it's they complain that it is something they shouldn't have to do

And people wonder why things suck

I hope you don't get selected but if you do know missing York is better than shirking your civic duty

I've postponed it several times, usually once isn't an issue.

I told them one time I believed in the death penalty. It will be 40 years next year that I have been called. Seemed to work.

I've only been called twice, only once did I even get to the jury interview. I was there for a couple hours then dismissed. Not sure what I said wrong, but it wasn't what one of the sides wanted to hear.

You should talk to whomever is handling the administration of juries in your jurisdiction and explain the situation. See if anything can be worked out.

Call the jury commission for your area. Usually a one time postponement because you have a special event planned is not a big deal, but you need to be pro-active.  I have had to postpone for a work event before and with a letter from my manager was able to be put into the jury pool three months later.

And for what its worth I've been on the jury of a rape and sexual assault case where both parties had legitimate mental deficiencies.  I love this country and won't shirk my civic duty but that was a very difficult experience that i care not to repeat.

It's routine to be able to postpone if you have something else that can't be rescheduled.  One time I was heading out on vacation, the other time a business trip.  They just rescheduled it without any issues.

I also know it's routine to allow reschedule and it would be very odd for a Judge not to allow you to. I just rescheduled in June due to vacation I had scheduled for a two month trip out West.

I first tried to tell tell the  Judge I was retired Law Enforcement , my son is a 20 yer active officer and my Father  in Law is retired Customs, and this was the first time in my life I was summoned. He didn't care. My new date is next Monday.  I can't help but think what kind of dumb *** defense attorney would put me on his jury??????

I once got polled for a Federal court jury in a gun liability civil case.  A woman was suing Ruger for design defect because her 7 year old son shot the husband with a Ruger .22 and killed him!  BTW, this was in their house!  One wonders who really shot the dad!

For some reason the plaintiffs lawyers didn't want me when I pointed out that I had that gun and as near as I could determine from what they were saying that the gun functioned properly.  The defense would have loved to have me on the jury, but from the boxes of documents they were bringing in, I'm glad they tossed me, that would have been weeks!

I should have used an emoticon after:

I wonder if showing my York Badge is proof enough of prior plans?

As much as I would rather go to York I will serve if selected.  Too many fellow countrymen (and women) have given their lives for the freedoms we have today and I have no intention of disrespecting their sacrifice by not doing my civic duty. 

Hopefully it will come to pass or the trial will just be one day so I could at least get there on Friday.   We shall see.

--Greg

Greg

That is a very positive attitude and I for one commend you for it, as well as agree 100%. I do think you will have a very interesting first day to see how the system works.

Larry

PS There is absolutely no reason you can't maintain that attitude, serve and still go to York if you want to. IMHO

I've sat on a jury trial as the foreman.  It was a very interesting civil lawsuit case.  Being in law enforcement in California, I am exempt from jury duty now.  I have also testified many times in court...sometimes for an entire day.  Matt

I don't see any conflict between my civic duty and asking for a new service date for jury service. 

It's pretty bad to think that you would have to forfeit a preplanned event that can't be changed because you were bound and determined to serve on the jury without asking for a new service date.  Suppose you prepaid for a vacation package and it was nonrefundable?  Would you just take it in the ear and lose the money?  That makes no sense to me.

There is a big difference between asking for a single delay vs those who do whatever they can to get excluded from all jury service. I was kind of bummed when I got excluded from the jury figuring it would have been a interesting case (guy was claiming entrapment by the cops)

Of course the thing I wonder about is that I am a legal resident of Oregon these days due to a business I inherited, but I live in Utah. I keep wondering what would happen if I get called for an Oregon jury

True Chris, but we were talking about the former, not the latter.   In both cases I got a delay I ended up serving on the alternate date.  I've never actually gotten on a jury, I guess they don't like my answers.  Yes, I answer honestly to all the selection questions asked.

It all depends on how involved the vacation is.   If it was a trip for which I was on the hook for a large expense I would have asked to be assigned to a future case. 

In this instance I am planning to stay through Monday as I'm also going to visit Gettysburg as my great-great-great-great-great grandfather fought there.   All I'm on the hook for is my York badge as I always get hotels the night before when I go to York (via the various online booking services).   I can always go to York on Friday and extend my visit to the Gettysburg so to me, it didn't warrant trying to postpone the summons date.

Kinda like tonight's Eagles-Chiefs game - I really, really want to go but it's too late for my young son to attend and I'm not about to leave him at home and go with a friend because watching games together in one of "our things".   Some things are just more important than others. 

--Greg

I have lots of lawyer friends and Judges are on to people making crazy statements to get out.

Your best bet is to bring proof of your going to the YORK SHOW and have your Hotel reservations and they will either dismiss you or reschedule. I have done it personally for another reason and it worked I was out in less than an hour!!!!!

I have called (usually the clerk), and obtained postponement.  Any reason is ok, as long it is sincere and you are willing to do it later.  They usually have a huge jury pool.

I just wish I could serve on a jury, but as a lawyer, both sides probably use a peremptory strike on me.  One time, without lying, I avoided telling them I was a lawyer, but they saw right through it, and struck me anyway.

Greg,

Call the clerk at the court and ask to be rescheduled due to a conflict.  Don't wait until the summons date and show up, as that is too late.

People are rescheduled all the time, or more likely you may never be called again.

You risk showing up and either not being selected or you get selected and the case is settled just prior to the court time.

Do you want to go to York or not?  Call now and we'll see you there.

I just served on jury duty Monday. Civic duty complete for a few more years. It was interesting.

I know many people who just toss out the notice when it comes in.  It's not registered or certified mail so no proof it was ever received. A friend of mine has been doing this for fourth years.  I disagree with it and believe we should appear when summoned. 

Postponing it is very easy to do and not frowned on at all.  They are happy to work with people who have previous plans. 

One time I didn't respond to the notice, but they ended up calling and telling me I had to show up.  I think they see right through that logic.

Had the same thing happen to me for the 19th. Just write back and plea hardship as you 've pre paid for a trip a year in advance and the costs are several hundred dollars and cannot be cancelled. Mine was pushed back to Jan 2014. Ironically, the October date was a reschedule as I had originally gotten a Sept 9 date and at the time my mom was very sick and needed me to care for her. They must have thought I was some crackpot, but I got a new date and everything worked out. 

Gandy

Guess I should not repeat the old joke that juries are composed of folks who didn't have a good excuse.

I have served on  a jury once, civil lawsuit over auto accident.  Person who caused jt

was uninsured,,so they went after public carrier, but not their fault, so we

held against plaintiff.  Second time called, I was undergoing medical treatement and a

note from my doctor exempted me.

Actually the jokes goes,

"Do you want your fate decided by 12 people too stupid to get out of jury duty?"

As a side note, when I lived in Baltimore I was on 4 jurys and a foreman twice. Between the witness testimony and some of the fellow jurors it was some of the most mind numbing, brain damaging experiences I've ever had to endure. Been lucky here in Pa., 9 years and not called yet, probably just jinxed myself, here in Pa. it's for a whole week or one trial.

Jerry

i know it's different all over, but in CA most people don't know that you can show up within two weeks on either side of your summons date without any penalty.  it's written right on the notice.

It's always a good plan to **** off the Judge and be held in contempt.

Why does anyone think that asking for a delay is NOT serving their civic duty? In NY it's pretty automatic if you request it. And you're really not trying NOPT to serve. You just want a more convenient time.

Gerry

Actually, that depends on your county.  Last time I served in Federal court, it was two days or one trial, and Montgomery County it's one day or one trial.

Hay John

Here in TN when you report your give different days for 3 months. Then your instructed to call the courthouse by 6pm the night before the date to see if they want you to show up in the AM or not. I go Monday.

Any cops in your family or you know? Lawyers? When your in the pool tell them that and they won't touch you.

It seems that a lot of time is to put into ways of avoiding jury duty.  If you can't make the date let the court know.  The courts realize that most people have a life and they summon many more folks than they actually need for that reason.  Unless you do it time and time again they will excuse you and reschedule.  Getting excused once you have already been selected to sit on a trial is a whole different story.

We call the night before, but they don't have alternative dates, at least the last time I got a summons they didn't, that was about three years ago.  Things might have changed, I won't know until I get another one.

Not in Baltimore, 4 cops in the family, sons a prosecutor in the city, friend is prosecutor in Anne Arundel county, me , my wife and several members of my family have been victims of serious crimes and it still didn't get me excused or keep me off a jury.

Jerry

I have served on several juries. In Maryland if you are over 70 years

you can be exempt.  Last time I was called, I did not ask for exemption.

Was bounced from the jury by defense lawyer. Was sure a tough way

to earn $15-. jury pay in Maryland

Al W.