Well, that took 12.5 years

[LucyStoner]

In 2003, while hugely pregnant I was called to report for jury duty in municipal and superior court on the same day. I got out of each as I lacked a duplicator machine and I was about to drop a child into the world. Since then my husband has been called at least 6 times, my brother has been called several times and we recieved a summons for each of our DEAD parents but I have never been called again. Despite being a continuously registered voter.

 

Alas, my luck has run out and I am now to report next month.

 

Though truthfully, several hours to read alone with a conspicuous lack of children around while I wait around and most likely don't get assigned to a case sounds downright refreshing. So in answer to that "is your life boring?" thread: apparently. Yes, yes it is.

[Farrar]

I'm hoping my number doesn't come up too soon. I was called when pregnant for a 7 month (or something like that) special trial. I was excused. Ditto for when I was called a couple of years later when the boys were 2 yo. But I haven't been called since. I think it's the result of gentrification in my city... more affluence means more voters and more voters means a larger jury pool.

[Tsuga]

Oh God. I was out of the country. I have been exempted so many times. I could just see getting called over Christmas.

[LucyStoner]

Oh, when I called about my FILs summons, they were like he needs to call himself. I was like, well that's just the thing. He's dead. You don't want him to call you. :P

[Laura Corin]

I've been on the voter roll for seven years, ever since we moved back to the UK and so has Husband.  Neither of us has ever been called.  Like you, I quite like the idea, but no one would be doing most of my tasks at work, so they would build up for me....  I don't know how much of a break it would really be.

[dancingmama]

I just served last week. It was a nice little break without the kids for that day. I had previously missed going in because each time I had just moved out into another state or county.

[happypamama]

I was called for when my first baby was eight weeks old. I replied back that I was the sole caregiver for a breastfeeding newborn, and they exempted me. I got called one other time when I still had two or three small children, and I was again exempted. Haven't been called again, and I've lived in this state for almost nine years.

[Farrar]

It used to be common to be called every two years like clockwork here. Thank goodness it got better.

 

I wouldn't mind doing it. I do think it would be interesting. But three of the times I've been up for it, it's been for a trial that's many months long. That's the thing I dread. A week or two would be fine.

[Jean in Newcastle]

I've asked for exemptions a couple of times and have gotten them.  If I was called now, I would go since my kids are older.  When my kids were quite young (young elementary) I was called and when I asked to be exempted for homeschooling I was told that "you can homeschool in the evenings".  This despite explaining that I didn't have anyone responsible to stay with my kids.  (I did go two days by hiring a sub. for homeschooling but that would be cost prohibitive!)   Like Farrar I was being considered for a case that lasted months and in fact my neighbor was actually chosen for the jury.  I ended up being rejected (thankfully) because the victim's case and my life had too many similarities.  

[Artichoke]

I received my one and only summons in 1996. At the time I was a public school teacher so an exemption was easy. Sometimes I wonder if my name was completely removed from the jury pool.

[sassenach]

Dh has been called like clockwork our entire marriage. I just received my first summons last year, 16 years into registered to vote adulthood.

 

Indeed, it was a nice diversion! I brought my knitting, only to discover that I couldn't bring the dangerous weaponry of knitting needles (or a coffee thermos) into the courtroom. Ultimately, I was excused from an anticipated month long trial, because I have a special needs guy who needs me.

 

Have fun!

[Wheres Toto]

I think they use the driver's license records for the voting pool around here.   I was called once while pregnant with my son and was excused because I had all-day morning sickness.  I was called again when my dd was an infant and son was about 2 1/2 and was excused for nursing infant and no childcare.  I haven't been called since.

 

[Slache]

I've been told I'll never be called because my step father's in prison and I used to visit every weekend. I know the system too well to be on a jury. I don't know if that's true but I've never been called.

[alisoncooks]

I've gotten a notice 3x, but each time when I called the hotline (as instructed) I was told I was not needed.

DH has served once on a district court or something (had to drive an hour+ away).   He was summoned again, but got out of it with a doctor's note (cancer patient).

[LucyStoner]

I've been told I'll never be called because my step father's in prison and I used to visit every weekend. I know the system too well to be on a jury. I don't know if that's true but I've never been called.

I don't know if it means one would never be called here (I don't know that they flag people by cross checking voter rolls and prison logs and I rather doubt it) but it would definitely probably mean you would most likely be sent home once they started questioning jurors. Also in Oregon, with motor voter, they have a lot of people to call!

 

My friends who are attorneys or have close relations in the criminal justice system usually get released almost immediately.

[shawthorne44]

I received my one and only summons in 1996. At the time I was a public school teacher so an exemption was easy. Sometimes I wonder if my name was completely removed from the jury pool.

 

Why would a public school teacher get an exemption?   

 

I have a lawyer friend who was a judge at the time actually get picked for a jury.  I was shocked.  He said a Supreme Court Judge served on a jury once.  

[Sahamamama]

I was called up once, about twenty years ago. I was asked questions about police officers in the family. I honestly answered that five close relatives were either police officers, security guards in prison, or state troopers. I have never been called up since.

[KrissiK]

Even though people say you can not get exempted for lack of child care, it has worked for Me the 3-4 times I've gotten a jury summons. I really would like to do jury duty, but I just can't arrange child care for all these people I am I charge of. I will do my civic duty as often as they like in about 10 years!

[MysteryJen]

I have been called four times in 10 years (last time two weeks ago). My Dh has never been called.

 

Here, no one, that I have ever seen, gets an exemption for employment issues. Or hard luck stories. Or care taking responsibilities.

[Farrar]

I received my one and only summons in 1996. At the time I was a public school teacher so an exemption was easy. Sometimes I wonder if my name was completely removed from the jury pool.

 

Around here, they say it guarantees that you'll be chosen, not exempted. Not totally sure why, but I've heard that all public employees are more likely to end up serving than private ones.

[rose]

Do you have to be a registered voter to be called? I was called years ago (and was exempted for child care reasons) while we were still registered but since we went off the list we've never been called.

[Amira]

I was called once when I was 18 but I wasn't in the US at the time. Now I don't ever live in the state where I could get called so it'll pretty much never happen till dh retires. Dh did get called once when we stayed put for two years in Seattle, but he didn't serve on a jury. Defense attorneys rarely want another attorney on the jury.

 

Voter records are just one way that they collect names now. Most places also use tax records or driver license records so no one can avoid it anymore by not registering to vote.

[G5052]

Yes, I'm figuring my time is coming.

 

DH has come up multiple times in the last decade and always receives an exemption.

 

I haven't received one at all in a decade. Earlier I got out for having a newborn and then homeschooling young children, but that's over with only an 11th grader.

 

Not a lot of jury trials in my area though, or so our lawyer tells me. Maybe I'll go another decade!

[Reefgazer]

I'm excused until my youngest is 16 - so I've still got 6 years. 

[SebastianCat]

In my state, full-time caregivers with children are only exempt until the child is 6 years old.   I did worry about being called for jury duty when my kids were older than 6, but still not quite young enough to be left alone all day.   But now that they are both in middle school, I'd just leave them at home if I got called.

 

My DH has been called every 2 years in the 14 years that we've lived in our current city.   I haven't been called once since we lived here, but I was called once in the city where we used to live, before we had kids - probably 16 years ago.

[Slojo]

I was called for the first time a few years back, but my father had a bout with cancer at the time, and I was a primary caregiver. So I didn't have to go. I'm ambivalent. On the one hand, it would be a total stressor to be called right now with homeschooling a 9, 7 and 2 year old, so on a personal level, I would prefer not to do this at this stage in my life. But, I know from a public policy perspective, we need an engaged, educated jury pool. This is especially the case for minorities, given all of the recent stories about bias in jury selections  (African Americans get pulled out of juries at much higher rates). I've heard that my profile is the least likely to be selected for jury duty once summoned - African American woman with graduate degrees in the social sciences working in a social service/non-profit sector. 

[My3girls]

I was called once but was excused, because I had 3 kids ages 6 and under and a husband in Iraq with the closest family 9 hours away.

[Butter]

I was never called up for jury duty when we lived in MD or VA.  My husband was several times.  We moved to TX two years ago and last fall I got a summons.  I notified them that I homeschool elementary age children and I was excused.  I did tell them I have teens who could baby-sit all day with me gone and my husband at work, but they said that would not be necessary.

[Renai]

I've asked for exemptions a couple of times and have gotten them.  If I was called now, I would go since my kids are older.  When my kids were quite young (young elementary) I was called and when I asked to be exempted for homeschooling I was told that "you can homeschool in the evenings".  This despite explaining that I didn't have anyone responsible to stay with my kids.  (I did go two days by hiring a sub. for homeschooling but that would be cost prohibitive!)   Like Farrar I was being considered for a case that lasted months and in fact my neighbor was actually chosen for the jury.  I ended up being rejected (thankfully) because the victim's case and my life had too many similarities.  

 

This happened to me too. I took dd with me to court because I really had no one to watch her. She took her school books and sat in the back row. No, I wasn't supposed to take her, but I had no choice. I was rejected anyway because the accused was a drug dealer and I told the judge that I was raped by a druggie so I considered the accused guilty just by looking at him. They didn't want me after that.

 

EAch time after that (about 3 times), I was in school and so was excused on that basis.

[Jean in Newcastle]

 I've heard that my profile is the least likely to be selected for jury duty once summoned - African American woman with graduate degrees in the social sciences working in a social service/non-profit sector. 

Really?  You sound like you would be a very good choice.  

 

Even before I got disqualified for legitimate reasons, the defense attorney asked me if I was one of those "anti government homeschooling types".  Um. . . no.  

[Laura Corin]

I have been called four times in 10 years (last time two weeks ago). My Dh has never been called.

 

Here, no one, that I have ever seen, gets an exemption for employment issues. Or hard luck stories. Or care taking responsibilities.

 

My former boss tried to get my colleague exempted for employment reasons (he was the only person in the office with his skills - three person office - so no jobs could go forward while he was away).  He was told that he might have got exemption, except that there were too many medical exemptions that particular week, so he had to serve.  It ended up being a one-week trial.

[AHASRADA]

I was never called in my home state (where I lived until I was 30). Ironically, dh was, before he was even a citizen, so obviously he didn't qualify and didn't serve.

 

Within a year, probably less, of moving to and getting a driver's license in a new state, I was summoned. In that state, there are no automatic exemptions. You still have to show up and explain why you should be exempted. My dc were 4 and 7, and we were 4 hours away from anyone we knew. Fortunately, my mom happened to be visitng for a couple of weeks at that time, so I went. It was a huge room full of potential jurors, maybe 200, and they asked general questions to weed people out, such as whether you or a family member had had a negative experience with a healthcare provider that could have resulted in malpractice. When I raised my hand truthfully in the affirmative, I was sent home.

 

First and last time I was ever called, 11 years ago.( I no longer live in that state).

[emzhengjiu]

In this area,  both voter registration and driver's license lists are used to call potential jurors.  I believe parents with children under 12 can ask for an exemption; or at least that's the way it was a few years ago.  As a single mom, I requested that exemption several times.  Now that my girls are teens, no exemptions for me even if it means losing money from my part-time jobs. 

 

The last time I was empaneled, it was for a child abuse case where the child died.  When the defense attorney  questioned me, I burst into tears and was excused.  I know I could not have been impartial.  I wouldn't mind serving for a short civil trial, but no longer know if I'm capable of being fair during a criminal proceeding; my reaction was so emotional.

[Mom22ns]

I've been called twice in almost 30 years and I only remember dh being called once. It seems amazing to hear of people being called every two years. We asked for and received exemptions when we were called. I would be happy to serve now that my kids are grown but who knows if I'll ever get the chance.

[Kim in Appalachia]

I've been called 3x's since moving to this area (13 yrs ago) and I've been exempted each time because I have kids.  Here, jury duty is for 2 to 3 months.  I mean you are on active call for 3 months when court is in session.  Because I have kids who I school at home, as well as cart to activities, and I have no relatives in the area, they exempt me.  

 

It's sad, really.  If it was for a week I could pull it off, but 3 months is too long.  

 

When we lived in MD I did get called, and picked, for jury duty.  The case lasted 3 days total (but that includes the day I was picked and we did nothing else that day).  It was an unpleasant experience and has convinced me that we should have full time, professional jurors.

[sbgrace]

I got called once and was excused because I had young kids at home with me. Hubby though, in the same place, was called three different times over the years. I started to wonder if I might have been permanently excused or something! Hubby wasn't selected any of those times. Neither of us have been called in our new town, but this is a much bigger pool.

[purpleowl]

I have only been called once in my life, and that was...about a year ago.  In my area, you can be excused if you are a SAHP of a child under the age of 6.  So I was excused.  

 

It also says that you *may* be excused if you show hardship or extreme inconvenience, and I'd hope that being the homeschooling parent of kids too young to stay home alone would be enough to show extreme inconvenience, at least for a longer trial.  But I will not have to deal with that for at least 4.5 more years (when my youngest turns 6), maybe longer, depending on when they try to call me again.

 

DH gets called every 1-2 years.  And he gets picked.  He's a good juror, lol.  

[Little Women]

Dh has been called once in his adult life, not at all in the past 25 years since I've known him.    I have gotten called about every 2 years, though when I had little kids I did get out of it.   

[Storygirl]

My dad has never been called for jury duty, and he is 81.

 

I've been called three times. The first time I didn't have to report (case dismissed, maybe? can't remember). The second time I had infants and no childcare. The third time we were a week away from moving out of the county, and I was no longer going to be a resident by the time of the trial.

 

In theory I think it would be interesting to serve. In actuality I think I would be a stressed-out mess, trying to figure out what to believe.

[Julie Smith]

I have never been called. 
Dh has never been called. 

My Mom has never been called. 

My Dad has never been called. 

My brother and his wife have never been called. 

My dh's sister has never been called. 

To my knowledge my dh's parents were never called. 

 

We are all registered voters. 

[Slojo]

Really?  You sound like you would be a very good choice.  

 

Even before I got disqualified for legitimate reasons, the defense attorney asked me if I was one of those "anti government homeschooling types".  Um. . . no.  

Yes, one would think so. But here is the reasoning behind it, as I understand it. The combination of being African American and highly educated, particularly in the social sciences, might suggest to the prosecution that I'd lean toward finding the "gray" and "the complexity" in many cases (from life experience coming from a community that has higher than average incarceration rates, and from a deep academic understanding of how social factors influence choices, outcomes, and biases), particularly in situations in which the accused is also African American. Of all the "bleeding heart liberals," supposedly, I'd be among the "bleediest." 

 

It is true that African Americans have higher rates of being pulled off juries. See:

 

http://bigthink.com/politeia/why-dont-black-people-get-selected-for-juries

 

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=127969511

 

I cannot confirm whether there is an additional bias against African American women, or African Americans with high levels of education. But I have heard it several times.