Jury Duty

[gja1000]

GRRR! I got a jury summons for May 23rd, the day we were leaving for Arkansas, for a month of fishing. Jury duty always interferes with some plans, I don't know why that is! It is OK since we don't HAVE to leave on the 23rd, we can postpone a day or so.

I hope I do NOT get selected! Have you all ever served on a trial? I was on a murder trial once - don't want to do that again!

[judy]

They usually don't want Ph.D.'s. They seem to want the average person, not too educated. I'm surprised you were chosen for a murder trial. In NYC, they would not have done that.

Good luck in not being picked. It's pretty easy to make sure they don't choose you. "If someone gets arrested, I figure they're guilty," should get you right off!
How about, "All criminals should be shot. Trials are a waste of money."

When I was a teacher, I loved jury duty. Two or three paid weeks far away from the kids was lovely.

[Janet]

I've been called but never served. It doesn't pay enough so I will try to get out of it.

[paula1961]

Hope you don't get picked Gayle! You are right...jury duty always interferes with something you'd rather be doing! Tell them you are related to the defendant lol!!

[DianaB]

I was called for jury duty once and while we were waiting in line to go in someone further back in the line was telling the others all about what happened. After they had started the jury selection we were released for lunch and when we came back it had been found out so they had to let all of us go. It was a stabbing but I'm not sure that it was murder it's been quite a while ago.

Call and tell them that you can't serve because your husband's very sickly and you can't be anywhere confined in case he needs you.......that might work!!!

[Janet]

That's a great idea....i wouldn't want to be confined and not be able to leave

[gja1000]

Originally Posted by judy

They usually don't want Ph.D.'s. They seem to want the average person, not too educated. I'm surprised you were chosen for a murder trial. In NYC, they would not have done that.

Good luck in not being picked. It's pretty easy to make sure they don't choose you. "If someone gets arrested, I figure they're guilty," should get you right off!
How about, "All criminals should be shot. Trials are a waste of money."

When I was a teacher, I loved jury duty. Two or three paid weeks far away from the kids was lovely.

I know Judy, you are right, PhD's usually don't get picked to serve of juries. The funny thing is though, that on the murder trial, almost all of the jury were highly educated professional people. There was even a lawyer on the jury. It was really weird. The only common thread was that we had ALL postponed our first summons. We theorized that serving was punishment for postponing the original summons. I have never postponed since, and I have never been picked since. Hmmmmm..... probably a coincidence but I'm taking no chances!

I really didn't mind serving, it was pretty interesting actually. But I don't like it when it interferes with other plans. Once when we lived back in Oklahoma, Gary got a summons. You could NOT postpone for any reason - except maybe being sick in the hospital. Anyway, we had a PREPAID vacation scheduled. We could NOT get our money back if we didn't go, and he got picked for the jury. The trial was to start the day we were to leave on the vacation. We thought we were going to lose our money because we couldn't go. They called us about 9:00PM the night before the trial was to start and they settled out of court. WHEW! That was CLOSE!

[DianaB]

I was picked one other time but I was going through a miscarriage so they took my name off of the list.

I'm glad that you didn't lose the money on your trip and were able to go. They say that most trials are settled out of court and that you're to check in the evening before to make sure that you even need to go.

[gja1000]

Originally Posted by DianaB

They say that most trials are settled out of court and that you're to check in the evening before to make sure that you even need to go.

I guess that is exactly right!

[DianaB]

If you have to go in.....just say that you were talking to your friends and you know that he did it!!!!!! That will get you off for sure!!!!!!!

[gja1000]

Originally Posted by DianaB

If you have to go in.....just say that you were talking to your friends and you know that he did it!!!!!! That will get you off for sure!!!!!!!

LOL! I'll try that!

[judy]

NYC is so different! I once ignored a jury duty notice, and nothing happened! Even I was surprised! Now, they fine you a couple of hundred dollars, I think. You can't get off though once you go down to the court. I used to be able to get off when Jessie was young, but those excuses aren't accepted anymore.

Postponements are fine in NYC. I wonder what happens up here. I would hate to be on a jury in this small town! I would probably live down the road from the criminal!

I really hope you get off of this Gayle! I'll be sending "get Gayle off of jury duty" energy.

[gja1000]

Well, I got impaneled today on a criminal court. GRRRR! I have to report May 16th and have to be available to serve until May 25th. At least we can leave for Arkansas by the 26th and get there on Friday the 27th. Of course, I may not get picked for anything, but it sounds like I might be up for jury duty on several cases because I have to be available from May 16-25. If I get out of all jury duty on all those days, I'll be very very lucky!

[DianaB]

That's the pits!!!! Sorry.......at least you'll still get to enjoy some of your trip.