Jury duty

[Kara]

Anyone ever done it?

I'm on duty this week, and not particularly looking forward to it. We got a bunch more snow last night, and I have to go catch the bus for the hour-long (in good weather) ride downtown.

I'd just much rather stay in my nice warm house this morning!

[rach3975]

I got put on a case once in college. It was interesting, but seriously disruptive to my life. I'd been about to move back up to school and start a summer job, but everything got put on hold for a week because of the case. Luckily the case ended in time for me to start the job (ended 2 days before, I think).

If I knew I wouldn't get put on a case, I think I'd like jury duty. Hours to sit around and read or scrap with out the kids needing anything!

[MamaBee]

I was called up twice for Jury Duty... each morning I had to call in to make sure there was something going on and both times, there wasn't anything... I was a bit bummed. LOL! I think I'm the only one that got excited about getting one.

Have fun on the ride into the city... and if you do get selected, hopefully it's a quick case.

[Sarah8914]

Nope, that whole SAHM thing gets me out of it every time!

My hubby had to last year. It was fine until it went on for 2 days... and it was like a drunk driving case or something where obviously the guy was guilty but they still fought it. He was going to donate the $6 for the first day, but after sitting for 2 more LONG days, he changed his mine (you get more the other days). Makes me laugh.

[BrattyMeg]

I had it in January. I had to call the Saturday before my Monday start date and it was automated telling me I didn't have to come in to call back Monday after 7pm. I had a friend set up to watch my youngest (in my county even being a sahm doesn't exempt you..it allows you to reschedule) I ended up not having to report all week. Each day I called said nothing on schedule just call back the next evening. After a week of that I was excused

[Kara]

We don't get excused for being SAHMs. So DH has to take vacation time to be home with the kids. We get paid $10/day -- woo hoo!

I would love to be scrapping but our laptop is just too big to carry around all day. So I have lots of books and my iPod Touch to pass the time.

Maybe I'll pay a visit to the gallery!

[Valgal]

First of all, whenever I see or hear the words 'jury duty' all I hear in my head is Jim Carey in The Grinch, "Jury duty! Jury duty! Jury duty! Eviction notice!"

I am terrified of being called up for jury duty. If it happens I'll try pulling the homeschooling-mom card.

[DawnMarch]

I've been called a few times, but since I'm a lawyer, I never get on a jury.

[HeatherKS]

I've been called twice and both times they've settled before the court date so I didn't have to report.

[Valgal]

Originally Posted by DawnMarch

I've been called a few times, but since I'm a lawyer, I never get on a jury.

Lol! I would think not.

[Julie Billingsley]

I have only been called up for jury duty once, but weirdly it was for the same day that I had a child support trial for my oldest son. So I couldn't serve. They haven't called me since then. My husband gets called for jury duty a lot, like every 18 months. He's had both for the county courthouse and for Federal court. One time was for a grand jury case and he was a bit relieved to not get on that trial because they stated upfront it would go for weeks. Tom's been on some interesting cases and typically becomes jury foreman because he now has so much jury experience. I would like to do jury duty someday because I believe it is our duty as citizens. My oldest son just got a jury summons for later this month but since he is in college he is looking to postpone that until summer.

Anyway, good luck on the travel for jury duty! Hope it goes well!

[kscwgirl]

I've NEVER been called and I would absolutely LOVE it.. love. But no.. never had a summons.

[lauren grier]

I was called once, but was excused b/c of the kidlet. I think its a bit more than "being a SAHM" from what i recall it was more specific (as in not having any support/not having anyone else to take care of the child etc. I think being married automatically makes your sahm excuse go into the pooper.)

[pewtertm]

I used to be called pretty frequently in Houston...hated driving downtown so I never really enjoyed it...if I got lucky enough to park in the building, it ate up $5.50 out of the big $6 daily payment. I did get called for federal once...$40/day, and you have to basically block out an entire week for it.

I was on one panel that I had to go back for...they were trying to select the jury and it took several days. They questioned me on the second day and let me go when I said that I'd probably believe a police officer's statement over the statement of a relative of the defendant.

I actually DID make it on one jury...it was interesting...but we never got to take a vote or discuss anything. Some little rich blonde teenager slammed into a poor mother's clunker on the highway and didn't want to pay for it. The mother had witnesses; the teen just had a pathetic story. Her dad showed up in his tennis gear halfway during the trial, whispered with the lawyers a bit, and then we were sent to the jury room to wait in silence while they did some bargaining. Came back to find they had settled...I think it was obvious how things were going to go. And yes, when we were finally leaving the courtroom and were able to discuss things, we were all in agreement that it was the teen's fault.

[Sarah8914]

Originally Posted by lauren grier

as in not having any support/not having anyone else to take care of the child etc.

Yes, this is what it was for me! It's just all the same to me. And while I am married, I don't really think they expect my hubby to take a vacation day (but maybe I'm wrong...). It hasn't been an issue.

I do think I'd enjoy it, but, not yet--not while I have small ones at home.

[jessica31876]

I got a jury duty notice almost every year for several years then one day I got a notice saying I had not reported to the courthouse and needed to come for jury duty as in it would not be excused. Well there was a number to call to speak to someone and I explained I never recieved the notice. I also explained that my son was riding the handicapped bus and I had to be here to put him on the bus and get him off. If someone was not here to get him off in the afternoon he was not allowed off the bus and he would be taken back to school. If that happened twice then they would report you to DCF so I HAD to be there. It was not even an option. The lady I talked to was super nice. She put that in the computer, excused me from that jury duty and told me I was excused for so many years in the future because of my sons disabilities and the need for me to be there to get him off the bus

For what its worth I thought it was stupid I had to be there as my son is almost 14 now. He only rode the bus because of behavior problems on the regular bus when he was much younger but the school felt since he did so well on that bus they would leave him there as long as it was ok with me and with him. The noise/over-stimulation of so many kids on one bus was to much for him to handle when he was younger. The lady who does his IEP asked him if he wanted to transition back to the regular bus and he said yes so we did that like a month ago. He is doing well so far so thats good.

So next time I get a summons Ill be going...I doubt Id get picked because my political viewpoints are so conservative when it comes to crime but you never know.

[kristijoy]

I did...but before kids! I sat on one drug trial (pretty pathetic I'll have to say), but got thrown off a date rape case because I don't drink alcohol. I met one man on the elevator that got dimissed at the same time. He said he gets called every year but has never sat on a case because he works for the church.

I got a deferrment last year (because I was having surgery) but until this April. I've got my mom on tap to come visit in April so I can go. Hopefully nothing long or drawn out will happen. We have a trip planned in May. We bought travel insurance for this one because it actually covers cancelation of your trip for jury duty!

[Kara]

Well, I've been excused for the day but have to report the rest of the week. Now I just need to wait for my bus home ...

[jessica31876]

Oh just something random I thought I would add...

I was reading this book/magazine thing that talked about in ancient times if you were thought to be guilty of a crime they would call a priest to bless a body of water (river or lake) and then throw the person in the river/lake. if the person floated then they were not guilty as they believed the water was blessed so it was refusing the person and pushing them out. I cannot remember what it was called now but they had a name for this type of judgement. I just thought that is CRAZY!!

[littlekiwi]

I was just called a few weeks ago to serve from next monday in my old home area but since I have moved more than 45km away I could postpone it so I have until December through Feb

[SweetMelissa]

I got called once but it was right after I had married my husband and he was stationed at Fort Bragg, NC.. The duty was for our home town in Florida. I got excused. Since we've been back hubby has been called but not picked due to his medical condition & PTSD.

[NeverendingJen]

I've got a deferment on file until my husband retires from the military due to locations change. I'd love to serve someday.

[maryinaz]

Originally Posted by Julie Billingsley

My oldest son just got a jury summons for later this month but since he is in college he is looking to postpone that until summer.

Julie, Grant got called for it over Christmas, but he called the day he was supposed to report and they dismissed him. He had kind of been looking forward to the process. But who would want a teenage boy on their jury?

If I was a really old lady, with all my kids gone, I'd love to sit on the jury for an interesting case. But I guess you really don't get to choose.

[mummytothree]

I'm glad you were excused for today...I hope the rest of the week follows suit!!

Here is funny tid bit of info: of my family (mom, dad, 4 brothers, me and my sister) none of us have ever been called for jury duty. My dad is 77 years old and never once been called...I find that amazing!!!

[carriesmom]

Originally Posted by DawnMarch

I've been called a few times, but since I'm a lawyer, I never get on a jury.

This would be me! I was a court appointed defense counsel for 3 1/2 years and now in private practice. I know all the lawyers and the judges. No one would want me on a jury!

[rach3975]

Here we can get excused if we have "all day care" of a child and no one else to watch them. Having been on a case that lasted almost 2 weeks, I no longer think of jury duty as a few day commitment. Sure, DH could take off a couple of days, but not weeks. So I always take the out. The case I was on was about a man who killed his fiance in a traffic accident, and her parents were suing him. Sad all around.

[davec777]

We get called pretty regularly for jury duty around here. I've been called probably at least 3 times, my dh probably more than that and I actually served on a jury once when my youngest was one (I am a sahm). It was for a guy caught with a bunch of drugs. We didn't know it until the initial trial was over, but it was his third strike offense and we had to also try him on this charge also. He probably went to prison for life. Very sad to see a life so wasted!

Stephanie

[sigmakap95]

I was called a few times but got out of it because you basically have to find ANYTHING in your life that would make you not a good candidate for the case....the last one was a drug trial and apparently having had an alcoholic father got me cleared from that! Three years ago I was only about 5 months pregnant, but I put on the shirt that made me look the MOST pathetic and waddled up to the front to whine out of it. Shortly after that, I got another summons and put down that I couldn't because I would have to leave my child unattended, blah blah - which isn't exactly the case, but apparently that worked because I haven't got another summons in 3 years and before that it was almost yearly!

[deepounds]

I didn't get called for years because my DH was military & we never lived in Texas, which has always been our legal residence. Since he retired & we moved back here 12 years ago, Dave has never been called & I've been called twice but both cases were resolved before the trials even began. I personally would LOVE to serve on a jury - even if it was a boring case. I really DO think it's my civic duty. The way I see it, if I were ever on trial for something (heaven forbid!), I wouldn't want the jury made up entirely of people who were too dumb or unlucky to get out of serving!!

[pewtertm]

I've been automatically dismissed a few times because of my views...apparently lawyers didn't want me on the jury when they heard me mention that I believed when drunk driver kills someone, it's murder, not manslaughter.

[4noisyboys]

I've served on a jury, but that was before I was working.
Now when I'm called, I go in and wait out my day. If I end up going in before the judge, I tell them that I would be at work otherwise, I don't get paid for being there, and they excuse me. I really can't take off for jury duty more than one day.

[Serendipity]

I was on a Jury for 2 weeks with a medical malpractice case. I both loved it and hated it!

[Buggie185]

Originally Posted by deepounds

I personally would LOVE to serve on a jury - even if it was a boring case. I really DO think it's my civic duty. The way I see it, if I were ever on trial for something (heaven forbid!), I wouldn't want the jury made up entirely of people who were too dumb or unlucky to get out of serving!!

This is well said!!