How Often are You Called for Jury Duty?

[TromboneAl]

How often?

 

[Dreamer]

I have never been called.

 

[W2R]

Since 1996, when I first moved to Louisiana, I have never been called for Jury Duty.

I have a drivers' license, and I have voted in every single election since 2002. I'm in the phone book. I own a house and have lived in it for nine years, and I worked here too. You'd think that I'd get on the list somehow, but no.

I have been called for jury duty when I lived in Texas back in the 1980's (and had an acceptable reason why I couldn't do it), so I voted "less than once every three years".

 

[DFA]

I get those cards in the mail and call the number the night before you are suppose to go to see if you have to go and have never had to go. I even got on of the Federal ones with a 10 page survey to fill out, but never had to go to the court house.

 

[REWahoo]

Three times in the past 12 years.

 

[rescueme]

3x in the last 42 years (when age 21 was considered an "adult" ).

Of the three, called/served on two trials. The first for a young woman (she was cute - no way she could be guilty )...

The second for an old guy (older than me) who got caught up in a scam run by a young lady. We let him off. Old men are often tempted by young women ...

 

[powerplay]

I have served on jury duty once in my life. I was called for Jury Duty about a year and a half ago. I went, I sat, I waited, and I was dismissed at noon. Then about 6 months later I was called again, but was required to decline because the rules say you can only do it once every two years here.

 

[Sue J]

I've been called for Jury Duty twice in the past 15 years. We have the system where you call a number the night before and see if you have to show up. I had to go to the courthouse 2 or 3 times but did not serve on any juries.

The second time I was put on a jury by 10am the first day of service. It was a burglary and it was very interesting. Almost 2 full days of testimony, then a day and a half of deliberations and a guilty verdict.

It was very interesting and gave me a good lesson on how our system works. The one flaw was that it was obvious that the defendant had a court appointed lawyer. That wasn't his undoing, it was obvious he was guilty.

 

[GregLee]

I was called once over 10 years ago -- it was time consuming and boring, and the case didn't even go to the jury. I was called again while I was still serving. Well, I decided I had done my part. The next time I got an information form which, it said, I was required to fill out and return, I just tossed it. I haven't heard again about jury duty.

 

[Texas Proud]

I have been called many times...


When I was young, I was only on one jury... but the lady caused a delay and we were let go... then many without being on a jury...


The last 4 times I have been called I have been on the jury... strange that now I am older I am serving, but when young... not...

 

[Alan]

Since moving here, twice in the last 6 years, before that, never. We are going to England for 6 months in a couple of weeks time so if I'm called again I won't be able to attend, so not sure if I'll be fined or something.

 

[donheff]

DC gets me like clockwork every two years.

 

[braumeister]

When I first moved to Ohio in 89, I was called within a year. Served two weeks, but only heard one case (murder case -- very interesting).

Eight years later, moved to a different county and again I was called within a year. Never got to hear a case.

Would be happy to serve again, but haven't been called in over 10 years.

 

[W2R]

Since moving here, twice in the last 6 years, before that, never. We are going to England for 6 months in a couple of weeks time so if I'm called again I won't be able to attend, so not sure if I'll be fined or something.

In Texas (at least in College Station), all you have to do if you are going to be out of the country is to respond telling them so. No proof is required. That is an acceptable excuse, and one that my ex-husband used many times because he was a seagoing man. I often responded for him if he was unable to do so himself. No fine was imposed because a response was sent.

 

[Orchidflower]

When I was in Houston I was called obnoxiously 3 times a year for a number of years. In fact, is was so bad that there were a number of us at once jury call who, also, had the same amount of times to be called.
I have no idea if we were on a "suckers list" or what, but it did eventually stop.

 

[bssc]

Once in 2002 and once in 2010. Phoenix has a great waiting room with WiFi, a reading room and a room with a giant TV.

 

[martyb]

I've only been summoned to serve once in my 53 yrs of life. And on that one time, I was not only selected for the jury, I ended up being the foreman. The case was a 4th offense DWI within just a few months time. We spent a few days, I had to get firm with a couple of sympathizers on the jury, but in the end, the guy got prison time. I never lost a minute's sleep. I told the other jurors I had kids driving on those roads & if one of them were hurt or worse by that idiot, I'd never forgive myself. Case closed.

This was in Bossier City, Louisiana in 2007 or '08.

 

[Lisa99]

2x in 27 years and served both times.

First time I was 19 and the trial was attempted murder of a police officer. The kid was caught in the act and still plead not guilty. Was interesting to watch the system in action and watch the defense attorney try to convince the jury that it wasn't really his defendant who tried to kill the officer with his car even though the whole thing was on film provided by the news choppers.

Second case was a DUI. This one was also interesting watching the defense attorney try to confuse the jury with the legal definitions.

Both were found guilty.

 

[Rustic23]

I don't know if this is right, but last time I reported I ask about all the folks that did not seem to show up. The clerk said there was really nothing they could do about it as the notice does not go out registered mail, and there is no way to prove you got it.

 

[travelover]

Served twice, once on a murder trial. Public defender was outrageously incompetent. He acted like he had just read his notes on the way to the door.

 

[scrabbler1]

I have served 3 times. The first time was in 1987 when I was 24 years old. I got on a case (shoplifting) and we convicted the woman, a middle-class, 39-year-old housewife and mother - not your typical shoplifter - it was at least her 3rd conviction and the judge told us she would finally do some jail time instead of getting probation again.

The second time was in 1996. We were still in the jury selection process late one afternoon when we learned the next morning that the defendant had taken a plea in the drunk-driving case. I had to return to Central Jury the next day but was done after that.

The third time was in 2007. It was a civil case and the two yakkety trial lawyers took all day to go through nearly 30 potential jurors to find 6 plus two alternates. Luckily, I was among the 5 or 6 of the original 30 who were never questioned. I was dismissed from further jury service at the end of the day.

I was also once sent a potential juror questionaire in late 1986 or early 1987 from New York County (Manhattan) but I had moved out of NYC several months earlier. The big case which was about to occur around then was the Bernie Goetz subway shooting case - I sometimes wondered if I would have gotten on that case because I was out of town when that story first broke in late 1984 although everyone soon knew about it in the next 2 years.

 

[Nodak]

Called and sat on a jury once in about 1985.

 

[freebird5825]

I hesitated to answer because it's been a looooooong time since I was called. Oh, well, I went ahead and jinxed myself.

I used to get called frequently in the early 1980s. I was usually dismissed when they asked me what I did for a living. Logical people are not usually wanted by defense attorneys.
We just might pay attention to the facts.

 

[Sarah in SC]

My only time called I randomly sat down next to the most famous (or infamous) defense attorney in our state, practically. He is so well known that having him as your lawyer makes most people say that so-and-so must be guilty.

The fact that even HE was called to jury duty was proof that they certainly don't pick and choose before sending those notices in my hometown.

Needless to say, he was quickly dismissed during the "say your name and profession" part, but then again, so was I. It did kinda give me the willies, though, just to think of sitting next to him (like so many murderous folks have done over the years).

 

[Alan]

In Texas (at least in College Station), all you have to do if you are going to be out of the country is to respond telling them so. No proof is required. That is an acceptable excuse, and one that my ex-husband used many times because he was a seagoing man. I often responded for him if he was unable to do so himself. No fine was imposed because a response was sent.

Thanks for this. Our son will be picking up the mail each week so hopefully he will spot a jury summons and let me know.