Jury Duty

[MandaBella]

Oy.

I just got a summons for jury duty. This is my first time. Normally, I wouldn't care. However, I am in a 2 year program right now with very strict attendance policy. I'm worried I will be forced to drop out of this program if I get selected for jury duty. The courses I am taking now cannot be made up or taken out of order, unless I restart the program...assuming I get re-accepted.


Has anyone else been called for jury duty while attending college? Were you forced to serve or were you able to delay? What happened with your classes?

[PirateMickey]

Re: Jury Duty

You can ask for an extension (delay). Just explain your situation and be sure and tell them that you would be VERY happy to serve, but it is a "hardship" for you this time.

Good luck!

[Hyperbole]

Re: Jury Duty

What PM said^^^. They can very easily schedule you along school breaks (winter or summer, etc.). As long as you respond promptly, they are usually very good about working around school schedules.

[Anders]

Re: Jury Duty

Ask for an extension like has been said. Then again, I'm currently serving my 30 day on-call jury duty and haven't had to do anything yet, then again I have three weeks to go still.

[aimster]

Re: Jury Duty

I've been summoned for jury duty 3 times. The first 2 times I didn't get picked and the 3rd one I got I was automatically excused because I had moved and no longer lived in that particular county anymore (yet the summons was fwd to me with the rest of my mail).

Plus I think it was to my advantage that I have a relative who used to be a cop.

[Jolie]

Re: Jury Duty

PirateMickey is correct. When I was in nursing school in AZ I received a jury duty summons. I responded immediately explaining that I was in nursing school and that I couldn't be absent long enough to serve on a jury if I was selected for one. They excused me. Of course, I received another summons within a year of graduating, but I was excused while in school.

[Mac Daddy]

Re: Jury Duty



"JURY DUTY! JURY DUTY! JURY DUTY! BLACKMAIL! JURY DUTY!"

In Orange County, they'll let you post pone three times before you're stuck. I've written them before and let them know that I would need to be scheduled December/January in order to get the time from work, and they did send a card with a summons for December.

But I just checked your profile and it looks like you're from Hawaii.

So nevermind then.

Shaka.

[MandaBella]

Re: Jury Duty

Thanks for advice everyone. I was a little miffed when I opened it this afternoon. I've been laid off twice (hence my return to school for another degree), why the hell didn't they summmons me then? I swear they should use the unemployment office to pull names.

I'm just going to write them and exlain I'm not available for weeks for a trial unless it's during my breaks. And since I have clinicals starting this Summer, I really won't have that much time off more than 1-2 weeks between semester until I graduate in 2008.

Hawaii? Never been....

[Mac Daddy]

Re: Jury Duty

Hawaii? Never been....

:lmao: OK...I so totally suck. What the frick is Hawaii? The coconut state? The aloha state? I was thinking "Diamond head" and don't ask me WHY I thought that Hawaii would be the diamond state. :bang:

And WHO KNEW Delware was the Diamond State?

It IS Delaware then, isn't it? :blink:

[MandaBella]

Re: Jury Duty

And WHO KNEW Delware was the Diamond State?

It IS Delaware then, isn't it? :blink:

Well, I've always known....being a native Delawarean and all. Google really is your friend, isn't it? It's not one of our common nicknames, but since I'm a jewelry person it's the one I like to use. Most people know the nickname "The First State," which is on our license plates.

The Diamond State comes from a quote by Thomas Jefferson who described my tiny state as a jewel.

And now you are ready for the DE questions in a trivia game! )

[Anders]

Re: Jury Duty

Delaware also has more mini-golf courses per capita than I've ever seen, maybe I was just in a touristy area but they were everywhere. Hopefully the jury duty can be put off to a time that works better for you, I think they generally work around student's schedules.

[UncleTheodore]

Re: Jury Duty

My last time to jury duty was my first actual trial.I was up 3 times before but not called or was excused.My first trial was 2 days DUI case.we deliberated for 20 minutes on the 2nd day,right at 4:30.

[Brain Toad]

Re: Jury Duty

The postpone thing is what to do. They called me during school and I wrote them a little note saying I couldn't because school and I'd be available to serve on my upcoming spring break or during the summer. Sure enough they sent me another summons in the summer (a week before I was going to DL!), but when I checked the little court website thing, it said our services weren't needed.

My mom just got done doing jury duty on a 2 week long murder trial.

[MandaBella]

Re: Jury Duty

UPDATE

I sent a letter and I brought a letter from my school. They are going to call me back in December. Of course my next WDW trip is in December, but the dates I gave them are for when I get back from Orlando.

[MandaBella]

Re: Jury Duty

Further UPDATE

I got a postcard in the mail that is denying my request for a postponement because I delayed before.....huh? This is the first time I have ever gotten a summons. WTH?

I can't miss a month of school, should I get picked, for a murder trial.

bastards!

[Mac Daddy]

Re: Jury Duty

Further UPDATE

I got a postcard in the mail that is denying my request for a postponement because I delayed before.....huh? This is the first time I have ever gotten a summons. WTH?

I can't miss a month of school, should I get picked, for a murder trial.

bastards!

I think at some point you'll have an opportunity to tell that to a judge. Most of the time, if you can explain how you'll have to deal with an undue hardship, they'll let you reschedule, or excuse you altogether.

If worse comes to worse, maybe you could try to be NOT what they are looking for.

[MickeyMania]

Re: Jury Duty

If you think your chances of getting by on being truthful about situation won't help you, you may also want to be biased as heck and the defense will ask the judge to dismiss you. I know one time I had to go the defendant had been convicted of a previous crime that I personally found extremely distasteful (child ), and they brought this up before selection began so as to warn the faint of heart.

When they asked if anyone had any questions, I raised my hand and when called asked why the guy wasn't locked away in a cell. I was dismissed.

[MandaBella]

Re: Jury Duty

UPDATE again

Well I called the jury hotline, and it turns out no one has to report to the court house because the case ins't going forward. I'll be getting a new summons in 4-6 months....and then I get to play this game all over again!

Thanks everyone for your advice.

[AlohaStitch]

Re: Jury Duty

Really glad things worked out for you. My freshman year of College, I was called SIXTEEN times for jury duty, and being married to a cop at the time, would have to sit all day, and then be excused. The judges refused to give me a break, and I almost flunked out just because of the excessive absences. It was a nightmare.

Later years, I was sitting in the jury room, waiting to see if I would be picked when a young man was called. He explained that he was in middle of finals, and that these were the finals right before graduation. So there was no way he could miss them. The judge said.."I don't care" and the poor guy had to serve...THEN wait another year until he could complete his AA requirements. It was so unfair. (Welcome to Central Ca).

So, again, REALLY glad it worked out for you.!!

[MyEvilTwin]

Re: Jury Duty

Jury duty can be a problem at times but I have never had any trouble getting rescheduled when needed. I also have not served since my college days because of my type of business.

In the future it is best to call and speak to someone before sending anything in the mail as that can sometimes give you an idea of what the court might want to see and if they have you listed as having delayed before and you have not then you can get that straightened out.

Many times I have been out of the country on business and so far the court has been understanding.

Best of luck in the future in both your education and jury duty.