Advice on how to get out of jury duty.

Glorified KC

I have been summoned to appear on Monday (10/28) to jury duty.  Has anyone gotten out of it, and what did you do?

deadendp

Work has a standard letter. They do not compensate us for jury duty. I always get excused.  

My husband works for the county. He has no choice but to go when called up. He went to jury selection wearing an obnoxious concert shirt. I'll see if I can find his choice. Hang on...

Cliffy6745

Oooor, just do it.  It is an interesting process and something you are responsible for as contributing member of society.

deadendp

It was one of these. I think the first one, though. 

Glorified KC

Cliffy6745 said:

Oooor, just do it.  It is an interesting process and something you are responsible for as contributing member of society.

I'm not opposed to doing it, it's just bad timing for me.  I served 3 years ago in a civil case.  Just a lot going on at home and work and it would be nice to not have to spend several days next week in court.

deadendp

Family hardship. Go and claim that. It's a real thing. 

dankind

I just let it be known that I think the US justice system is a sick joke and that I have nothing but contempt for the court.

Have never been picked!

ed243421

Poncier

Act like you have Tourette's and keep blurting out stuff like "Judge is an asshole!", "whoop whoop guilty!" "Fry the bastard!" "Qantas never crashed"

Hobbes

Glorified KC

Spiritual_Chaos

So weird having jurys made out of random people who knows nothing of the law deciding on peoples fates.

I would be too scared to say or think anything.

HesCalledDyer

dankind said:

I just let it be known that I think the US justice system is a sick joke and that I have nothing but contempt for the court.

Have never been picked!

I only make eye contact with the defense.  Throw in a smile & wink and it's an immediate dismissal every time.

markymark550

Claim that you have a bias against one of the parties and that you cannot be a fair and impartial juror.

deadendp

Spiritual_Chaos said:

So weird having jurys made out of random people who knows nothing of the law deciding on peoples fates.

I would be too scared to say or think anything.

^^ This. 

brianlux

Being on a jury is a good (not necessarily fun, mind you, but good) experience.  We are fortunate to have a legal system with jurors rather than some of the horrid alternatives.   Unless you've already served as a juror so many times you just can't stand the thought, I would do it.

brianlux

cdthomas1981 said:

Cliffy6745 said:

Oooor, just do it.  It is an interesting process and something you are responsible for as contributing member of society.

I'm not opposed to doing it, it's just bad timing for me.  I served 3 years ago in a civil case.  Just a lot going on at home and work and it would be nice to not have to spend several days next week in court.

Sorry about the above- just noticed this.  If you really think the trial could go weeks, maybe just explain to the court what you've got going on.

Spiritual_Chaos

brianlux said:

Being on a jury is a good (not necessarily fun, mind you, but good) experience.  We are fortunate to have a legal system with jurors rather than some of the horrid alternatives.   Unless you've already served as a juror so many times you just can't stand the thought, I would do it.

What are these "horrid alternatives" you speak off?

dankind

brianlux said:

cdthomas1981 said:

Cliffy6745 said:

Oooor, just do it.  It is an interesting process and something you are responsible for as contributing member of society.

I'm not opposed to doing it, it's just bad timing for me.  I served 3 years ago in a civil case.  Just a lot going on at home and work and it would be nice to not have to spend several days next week in court.

Sorry about the above- just noticed this.  If you really think the trial could go weeks, maybe just explain to the court what you've got going on.

When they let you go, ask them if they would've done the same if you had been a person of color. That should keep the notices from showing up for longer than the customary four (or however many) years.

Spiritual_Chaos said:

brianlux said:

Being on a jury is a good (not necessarily fun, mind you, but good) experience.  We are fortunate to have a legal system with jurors rather than some of the horrid alternatives.   Unless you've already served as a juror so many times you just can't stand the thought, I would do it.

What are these "horrid alternatives" you speak off?

I'm sure some alternatives are more horrid than having a dozen blue-haired retirees and camo-wearing trailer bats deciding the fates of our more discriminated against citizens, but I'm also certain that there are much better ways than this extremely dated system.

pjhawks

Spiritual_Chaos said:

So weird having jurys made out of random people who knows nothing of the law deciding on peoples fates.

I would be too scared to say or think anything.

why? it's actually a great system. a  jury of 12 is far less likely to be biased than 1 judge.  and you are given specific instructions on what each charge is and what is required for said charge to be guilty.  the problems in our justice system do not come from a jury system. They come from prosecutors who have a very wide leeway on who is charged and what charges are brought.  that is a much bigger issue than juries.  

Spiritual_Chaos

pjhawks said:

Spiritual_Chaos said:

So weird having jurys made out of random people who knows nothing of the law deciding on peoples fates.

I would be too scared to say or think anything.

why? it's actually a great system. a  jury of 12 is far less likely to be biased than 1 judge.  and you are given specific instructions on what each charge is and what is required for said charge to be guilty.  the problems in our justice system do not come from a jury system. They come from prosecutors who have a very wide leeway on who is charged and what charges are brought.  that is a much bigger issue than juries.  

Why do you limit it to a binary choice of "the great system of 12" or "the bad system of 1 judge" ?