Jump to content

Menu

?? about jury duty in Canada


Recommended Posts

oh-oh.....just received my summons for jury duty selection. So I am not part of the jury yet, just part of the smaller pool they will choose from.

 

DH has done this before and it was a week - no big deal.

 

But with this particular summons, there was another note that said if selected, this trial is expected to last 2 months!!! :svengo:

 

I am all for fulfilling my civic duty but sheesh - that is a long time!

 

The note goes on to say that if you think it would cause hardship to your family - then you are free to write a note to the judge with your explanation and that they will consider it - but you still need to show up on the day of the jury selection.

 

So do you think they will take homeschooling as a "hardship".......?? I suddenly got this crazy idea that they would tell me to just put them in school, that it isn't a valid reason to be excused from jury duty!!!

 

Anyone have any experience with this in Canada???

 

And I didn't realize that jurors are paid - the note said $100/day! I had no idea.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have received jury duty notices twice, and both times, I wrote a note describing the hardships that my family would face if I had to do jury duty (financial and physical - morning sickness). The first time, I was pregnant with my fourth ds, and homeschooling my others.

 

The second time was just a few months ago, and even though my boys are in school now, and I work part-time, we have foster children that I stay home with, and my youngest is home with me some days too.

 

Both times, I was excused, and didn't have to show up for jury selection at all. I live in BC.

 

You are the primary caregiver of your children, and their teacher, so it would definitely be a hardship for your family if you had to do jury duty. Who would teach your children, and then you'd have to pay someone to take care of them while you're away. That would be considered financial hardship as well.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

oh-oh.....just received my summons for jury duty selection. So I am not part of the jury yet, just part of the smaller pool they will choose from.

 

DH has done this before and it was a week - no big deal.

 

But with this particular summons, there was another note that said if selected, this trial is expected to last 2 months!!! :svengo:

 

I am all for fulfilling my civic duty but sheesh - that is a long time!

 

The note goes on to say that if you think it would cause hardship to your family - then you are free to write a note to the judge with your explanation and that they will consider it - but you still need to show up on the day of the jury selection.

 

So do you think they will take homeschooling as a "hardship".......?? I suddenly got this crazy idea that they would tell me to just put them in school, that it isn't a valid reason to be excused from jury duty!!!

 

Anyone have any experience with this in Canada???

 

And I didn't realize that jurors are paid - the note said $100/day! I had no idea.

 

It varies by jurisdiction, but homeschooling in itself is not a hardship. However, you may state that you are the primary caregiver. They cannot tell you to just put the children in school, nor in daycare. However, I know that when I was called and sent my letter citing primary caregiver, I was informed that the jurisdiction provided free daycare for jurors.

 

In the end, I was not selected. The case involved a marijuana grow op. The defense dismissed me when I answered that I used to be American. If only he had known I was never that kind of American, he could have had a decent ally. :lol:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I showed up in response to my jury duty summons with all 4 kids in tow. Littlest was only a few months old and still exclusively breastfed and I had no sitter. We sat in teh court room while the randomly called names and those people went up to state whether they were free or needed an exemption. They only needed to fill a jury for 1 case and my name never got called. Even if I had a sitter I doubt they would have accepted me. It was a case against a pedophile, going up front with all my kids the defense would have said no way lol I used it as a learning experience for the kids. They thought it was exciting to go downtown to the big court house.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks for the info.

 

I have to admit I am pretty disappointed that I can't do this. I've been waiting & waiting to be called for jury duty, and I've been so envious of others who get these letters.

 

Maybe I am weird that way - but I just think it would be such a great experience to be part of a trial. And for a trial to last 2 months - well I am assuming it would be a pretty interesting case.

 

Off to write my letter to the judge...... :001_unsure:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

 Share

×
×
  • Create New...