How can you get out of jury duty?

[Petunia 100]

I don't even know. All I know is that it was a criminal case. You know how after they select the jury and then before they let the rest of the pool go, they start asking questions and have the chance to boot a juror if they don't like them? It was at that point. They kept asking very pointed questions in different ways regarding whether you would uphold the law as written. I explained that it was hard to know without knowing what law they were referring to, and things just sort of went south from there. I wasn't even trying to be a jerk about it.

That's called voir dire. That's when you make outrageous statements, assuming you do not want to serve.

[97guns]

tell em your the cargiver for your elderly parent, i went to jury duty 1 time and it was the last time they will get me down there, complete waste of time. i waited all day for 8 hours, never got my name called, went back the next day and spent 6 hours, they called me in asked a few questions and told me they were done with me, elderly parent has been my go to excuse for the past 6 or so call ins

[HundredK]

That's called voir dire. That's when you make outrageous statements, assuming you do not want to serve.

Yes! I think that is actually the term they used when they pulled me aside privately. I wouldn't recommend trying to do that. I didn't mind being on a jury, but I didn't want to be dishonest with them and I wanted more details before I committed to upholding a law as written (I mean, just think of how many insane laws are still on the books). That said, if I get selected for a jury again, I'm keeping my trap shut if they ask those sorts of questions!

[disneysteve]

If you have a medical condition, get a letter form your doctor. We have a form letter that we use for our patients.

If you are the sole caregiver for anyone - child, parent, etc. - send in a letter stating that.

If your job will not pay you for missing work, tell them it would be a financial hardship for you to serve.

If you hold any type of important job position and the job would suffer from your absence, tell them that.

Personally, I get out every time by sending in a letter explaining that I am the only full time physician in a medically underserved area and it would be a hardship to my patients as well as a financial hardship to my employees and myself to be away from the practice for any period of time.

[Petunia 100]

Yes! I think that is actually the term they used when they pulled me aside privately. I wouldn't recommend trying to do that. I didn't mind being on a jury, but I didn't want to be dishonest with them and I wanted more details before I committed to upholding a law as written (I mean, just think of how many insane laws are still on the books). That said, if I get selected for a jury again, I'm keeping my trap shut if they ask those sorts of questions!

Oh yeah, I think your comment was completely reasonable. There are some stupid laws on the books.

I've always wanted to serve on a jury. I've received a summons half a dozen times, but have never even made it as far as voir dire. I'm always in a dismissed group.

[disneysteve]

I've always wanted to serve on a jury.

I think it would be an interesting experience, but unless they're going to pay me $120/hour, I'm not going.

[GoodSteward]

This thread has been moved to a more appropriate area since it isn't related to finances.

[disneysteve]

This thread has been moved to a more appropriate area since it isn't related to finances.

Actually, getting stuck on a jury can definitely have financial implications. If your job doesn't pay for jury duty (mine doesn't) you could be in trouble. That's not what my EF is intended for. Also, if you have to spend money for transportation, parking, meals, child care, etc. that can all add up too. I don't blame people for doing whatever they can to get out of it if it's going to cost them money to serve.

[GoodSteward]

Actually, getting stuck on a jury can definitely have financial implications. If your job doesn't pay for jury duty (mine doesn't) you could be in trouble. That's not what my EF is intended for. Also, if you have to spend money for transportation, parking, meals, child care, etc. that can all add up too. I don't blame people for doing whatever they can to get out of it if it's going to cost them money to serve.

Everything has financial implications if you dig enough. However, this thread's OP was about just getting out of Jury duty, not the financial implications of going or not going. That was added.

[disneysteve]

Everything has financial implications if you dig enough. However, this thread's OP was about just getting out of Jury duty, not the financial implications of going or not going. That was added.

I'm fine with moving it. Just pointing out that there can be a lot of financial issues with jury duty. I have a friend who was just recently stuck for 5 weeks. Fortunately his job paid him but it still cost him money for expenses.

[DaveInPgh]

Actually, getting stuck on a jury can definitely have financial implications. If your job doesn't pay for jury duty (mine doesn't) you could be in trouble. That's not what my EF is intended for. Also, if you have to spend money for transportation, parking, meals, child care, etc. that can all add up too. I don't blame people for doing whatever they can to get out of it if it's going to cost them money to serve.

If you believe the polls, the NFL is experiencing financial implications due to the Colin Kaepernick story. If you own stock in any of the companies that haven't dropped him, then you personally could experience a financial impact.

I could stretch other Everything Else threads as well to suggest they belong in Financial.

[frugal saver]

Over the course of my adult life I was probably called for jury duty at least 25 or 30 times. I argued it every time--I could provide a huge list of co-workers that had never been called even once so the "random selection" thing wasn't true.

My area has done the "on call all week" and the "sit there in the courthouse all day" versions--both are boring. They pay $5 a day--for the days that you're actually on the jury. Sitting there and during jury selection pays nothing. They don't even provide parking any more.

I'm all for doing my duty as long as it at least pretends to be fair, but until I can figure out why certain people are called constantly and other are never called, then I'll keep fighting it every time.

[bjl584]

I was called for jury duty once.

I got out of it. I was in college at the time, 2 hours away from home, and didn't have a car.

[disneysteve]

They pay $5 a day

Exactly what I was referring to.

If you need to take off from work, drive to the courthouse, pay to park, buy lunch, and possibly pay for extra childcare hours, it's going to cost you way more than $5/day. We constantly talk about how 70% of the population lives paycheck to paycheck. How many people can actually afford to go to jury duty?

[Weird Tolkienish Figure]

Walk into court completely naked. That would probably do it.