Jury Summons.. questions!! (lawyers, live in, law)

[Sco]

Do what most people do and throw the summons away and forget about it. If you are going to do this, do not call and ask any questions, you want to act like you never received it. If your group was actually called that day, they will send you a second notice, so it works like a defacto postponement. If you want, you can even choose to ignore the second notice, unless they send it certified mail or serve it in person they have no proof that you ever received it. The reality is that the courts don't have the time or money to chase down the people that just never show up for jury duty.

[observer53]

Originally Posted by Sco

Do what most people do and throw the summons away and forget about it. If you are going to do this, do not call and ask any questions, you want to act like you never received it. If your group was actually called that day, they will send you a second notice, so it works like a defacto postponement. If you want, you can even choose to ignore the second notice, unless they send it certified mail or serve it in person they have no proof that you ever received it. The reality is that the courts don't have the time or money to chase down the people that just never show up for jury duty.

What lovely advice. The OP did not ask how to get out of jury service altogether, to the OP's credit. She asked about postponement, about selecting a day, etc. Those questions were answered. They are doing a lot to make jury service convenient.

I hate to see jury service summons getting talked about here the same way photo radar tickets are. Other than the fact that they both come in the mail, there's a world of difference between them.

[Sco]

Originally Posted by observer53

What lovely advice. The OP did not ask how to get out of jury service altogether, to the OP's credit. She asked about postponement, about selecting a day, etc. Those questions were answered. They are doing a lot to make jury service convenient.

I hate to see jury service summons getting talked about here the same way photo radar tickets are. Other than the fact that they both come in the mail, there's a world of difference between them.

When the judges and prosecutors agree to work for the same $12 a day, then I might care to show up. Until then, I will give the request for me to appear and serve as a slave the respect it deserves.

[rjrcm]

Originally Posted by Sco

When the judges and prosecutors agree to work for the same $12 a day, then I might care to show up. Until then, I will give the request for me to appear and serve as a slave the respect it deserves.

I guess the concept of community service is lost on you.

[Rick Lee]

I had jury duty in fed. dist. court in Alexandria, VA once, aka the Rocket Docket. Of course, they sent the notice to my old address, so I got it with not much notice before I had to be there. This judge had a hard-on for people trying to get out of jury duty. Anyone who didn't show got a visit from US Marshals, brought before the judge and handed a $1000 fine a day in jail. It was a federal RICO case involving the FBI. There were 80 potential jurors. Judge asked everyone to stand up who knew someone in the FBI. Half the room stood up. None were dismissed. In my one-on-one with the judge, I told him I work in the news business and was familiar with the case. Too bad. Another guy had just dropped his wife off for back surgery that morning and would be tending to her for everything for weeks. Too bad. NO ONE got out of it for any reason other than the defense counsel wanting them off. I was the last person they kicked off.

[Ketabcha]

Shame on all of you who ignore the summons. Jury duty is part of living in a Democracy.

[azriverfan.]

Originally Posted by observer53

A good portion of the time, when you call the day before, you learn that you don't have to come. But, given your situation, what I would do is ask for another date. The last time I was called, there was an option right there on the form to pick a specific different date. I picked a specific date 90 days out, as my own court calendar gets set 90 days in advance, so I could just block that day off. They sent me new info for the new date, and when I called the day before, I was not needed.

This is what happened to me. I showed up on my date and they canceled that session and I was released. They have the 90 day out plan so you can schedule a date that appeals to you. For the most part, the people who don't want to serve don't really have to. They pick up on that. It's my civic duty and I wanted to serve.

[azriverfan.]

Originally Posted by Ketabcha

Shame on all of you who ignore the summons. Jury duty is part of living in a Democracy.

Exactly, we have young men and women who are serving in a war abroad and we can't even show up to jury duty. And it's not like the movies. You will likely serve one day tops

[LocoAZnative]

Originally Posted by Ketabcha

Shame on all of you who ignore the summons. Jury duty is part of living in a Democracy.

We are not a Democracy we are a Constitutional Republic.

[thegirlinaz]

Thanks for all the replies everyone It isn't like I am trying to get out of Jury Duty, I just don't want it to be a long trial that is on my wedding day! Or if I postpone it, I do not want it to fall on the week of my honeymoon (that isn't until January)! Hopefully I will get excused, if not.. I don't know!