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Another Jury Question? Do 18 yo students really serve jury duty?


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My son turned 18 in October. He is homeschooling and is a Senior this year. He was notified last week of his selection for jury duty. We filled out the survey and I made sure that he noted under occupation that he was a full-time high school student. We haven't heard anything yet and he should call and follow-up or just show up on the day he was called for.

 

Have you ever heard of or had a high school student called for jury duty? I can't imagine that ps students are serving on juries during school time, or are they?

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I had friends called to serve who were 18 when in college. So, yes 18 year olds do serve, but they will probably not call him in to serve once they see he has not graduated high school. Where I live, it you are a student or a teacher, you are asked to send in dates you are available.

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I don't know why they wouldn't be since they have the privilege of voting, and are an adult.

 

Sometimes it just seems like my ds is in no-man land's right now. Yes, he's eighteen and an adult and he did vote in the last election BUT he's still in high school - LOL! Next year as a college freshman I probably wouldn't have even given it a second thought.

 

It just seems weird for him to be worried about missing high school basketball practice for jury duty!

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Here (TX) you are exempt if you are a full time student- high school or college. They should have given you a list of exemptions w/on the summons.

 

Full-time student wasn't one of the listed exemptions. The exemptions were very few. When we sent the questionnaire back, I was expecting a response right away if he had been exempted because of the full-time student occupation. A few years ago, I was called to jury duty that was to begin the day my three-year old was due. They responded to my note very quickly to excuse me but no response yet for 18 yods.

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Full-time student wasn't one of the listed exemptions. The exemptions were very few. When we sent the questionnaire back, I was expecting a response right away if he had been exempted because of the full-time student occupation. A few years ago, I was called to jury duty that was to begin the day my three-year old was due. They responded to my note very quickly to excuse me but no response yet for 18 yods.

 

Hmm, here they only respond if your excuse doesn't work. No response means they excepted your excuse. I would call and ask.

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Full-time student wasn't one of the listed exemptions. The exemptions were very few. When we sent the questionnaire back, I was expecting a response right away if he had been exempted because of the full-time student occupation. A few years ago, I was called to jury duty that was to begin the day my three-year old was due. They responded to my note very quickly to excuse me but no response yet for 18 yods.

 

Is there a phone number on the summons? I would call.

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I did.

 

When I received the summons I called, and was told to have a notary stamp my letter saying that I was a full-time student and ask for deferment.

 

They deferred my summons until Christmas Break. They had a shorter time requirement for students on holiday, so I only had to call in 4 or 5 days, I think.

 

ETA: I didn't wait until the day I had to show up to discuss this with them. I called them ahead of time and arranged a deferment. I really did want to serve, and they were helpful in scheduling it for a break.

Edited by Hillary in KS
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I served in college. I had to be a juror for one case that took all day and into the evening. I told the judge I was in college and would be missing the first day of the quarter, including a night class (which is a week worth of classes). Didn't matter.

 

The second time I got called in, they anticipated the case taking a week and did excuse me then because the length of time would be a hardship.

 

But, yeah, as long as you've filled out a voter's registration card, you are eligible. And honestly, I'd probably encourage him to do it now, so during college and the beginning of a career he won't have to worry about it. It might be harder then.

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My dc had to serve soon after they turned 18 yo, as did their friends. It didn't matter that they were college students. Our courts want bodies and accept very few excuses. They will excuse a high school student, but not a college student. I guess the government doesn't want to lose its average daily attendance money for ps students, but doesn't care at all if a college student loses money by being forced to skip classes, possibly resulting in lower grades in those courses or being dropped from the course for non-attendance. I have one ds in college in another state and he was called to jury duty. I called to tell them he was in another state going to college and the person on the phone said it doesn't matter. Unless he has a driver's license from that state, he has to show up. She said all he can do is defer and do it when he is home for vacation. Otherwise she said he needs to fly home and do jury duty. No excuses unless it is a medical issue with a doctor's note or the person is not a citizen or doesn't speak English.

 

So yes, 18 year olds get called for jury duty if they have a driver's license or register to vote, the two ways our county finds jurists.

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My dc had to serve soon after they turned 18 yo, as did their friends. It didn't matter that they were college students. Our courts want bodies and accept very few excuses. They will excuse a high school student, but not a college student. I guess the government doesn't want to lose its average daily attendance money for ps students, but doesn't care at all if a college student loses money by being forced to skip classes, possibly resulting in lower grades in those courses or being dropped from the course for non-attendance. I have one ds in college in another state and he was called to jury duty. I called to tell them he was in another state going to college and the person on the phone said it doesn't matter. Unless he has a driver's license from that state, he has to show up. She said all he can do is defer and do it when he is home for vacation. Otherwise she said he needs to fly home and do jury duty. No excuses unless it is a medical issue with a doctor's note or the person is not a citizen or doesn't speak English.

 

So yes, 18 year olds get called for jury duty if they have a driver's license or register to vote, the two ways our county finds jurists.

 

:blink: That seems quite extreme, to me..making someone who's in college *in another state* fly or drive back home for jury duty?!?! Or making them defer until break...at least they have that option!!! If I was your ds I might consider becoming a resident of the state in which I was attending college, especially if it would get me in-state tuition or extra financial aid. Eesh.

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I was summoned when I was a college student and delayed until vacation (twice). Almost all the other jurors at that time were public school teachers or college students! Most places allow deferral. That's not the same as excusing you (not making you serve).

 

In most places, you are only eligible to be excused if you've served in the past year. So serving now won't "get it out of the way" for the future, depending, obviously, on where you live.

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