well personally i think you should just suck it up and go. But if your looking to get out of it, wear a semi derogatory tshirt that should get you the boot. visit tshirt hell and pick something out. "arrest black babies before they commit crimes (picture of a black baby with a pacifier) should get the job done
I already served a few years ago. They need to get new people in there instead of the same old people. The time I went there were a bunch of people with Bob Marley shirts and making up obviously fake excuses to get out of doing duty. I had to wait around 7 hours just to go into the jury selection process. The rest was waiting in a large room waiting for your number to be called.
I know people that just throw away the summons while jackasses like me actually go.
I know people that just throw away the summons while jackasses like me actually go.
Jury Duty 1 The Mother of All Excuses Place
Jury Duty Excuses Well I think it is time to have a page for getting out of Jury Duty. Most everyone has to go through it sometime in their life and most of the time it is at a very inconvenient time. So here we go folks, please send yours in because I know everyone has tried and succeeded in getting out of their commitment to society.
Jury Duty Excuses Well I think it is time to have a page for getting out of Jury Duty. Most everyone has to go through it sometime in their life and most of the time it is at a very inconvenient time. So here we go folks, please send yours in because I know everyone has tried and succeeded in getting out of their commitment to society.
- 1. Ok this is Madtbone here and I'll start this page off. Years back when I received my first notice for jury duty, we where really busy at work plus I really couldn't afford to take the time off from work to do this. So I talked my boss into sending in a letter telling the appropriate department that their business was extremely busy and I was the only person there that did my job and they couldn't afford to be without me. Well folks it work and I was excused from jury duty for the rest of that year.
- 2. I made it to the final table at the WSOP poker tournament the price money is $1 dollars, if you can match my wages then I’ll be there on the first day of trial.
- 3. Once when I was actually before the Judge being asked why I should be excused from serving on this jury and it was going to be a trial from someone accused of possession of methamphetamine and I said that I am a recovering addict and my drug of choice was methamphetamine. I also said that I believe drug addiction is a disease not a crime and the Judge thanked me for my honesty and excused me!
- 4. My sister was excused by a judge from jury duty because she told them that she thought the police in that town were corrupt.
- 5. My dad told me of someone he knew who got out of jury duty by standing up, looking over the defendant, and saying confidently, "He looks guilty."
- 6. During voir dire for a criminal trial which was to last a few weeks with the jury sequestered, the judge asked my wife if there was any reason why she could not serve for such a period of time. My wife answered that she could manage and her family could manage, but that she was concerned about her cancer patients whose treatments would necessarily be disrupted. She was excused.
- 7. When I got my notice of jury duty I was about to give birth, and after my daughter was born I had to stay home to nurse the baby (the excuse was accepted) [Reported in "Jury Duty No-Shows Explain Why in Court," New York Times, 12 September 1993, section 1, p. 47, col. 5.].
- 8. Another man in my apartment house who the same name as me often gets my mail, so he probably got my jury summons (the excuse was accepted; man showed page from New York City telephone directory to back up his claim) [Reported in "Jury Duty No-Shows Explain Why in Court," New York Times, 12 September 1993, section 1, p. 47, col. 5.].
- 9. A woman brought her boss along, who said that he was a building contractor, that his business could not operate without the woman, and that if the woman reported for jury duty she would be fired from her job. The judge ordered the woman to report for jury service the next week, and ordered her boss to do his jury service upon his employee's completion of her jury service, and that if he fired the woman he would be held in criminal contempt of the court. [Reported in "Jury-Duty Dodgers Tell It to the Judge" by Jan Hoffman, New York Times, 8 April 1996, section B, p.1, col. 2.].
- 10. When summoned to court for not answering repeated jury inquiries, a woman told the judge "Due to my emotional problems and chemical dependencies, your honor, I don't think I'm an appropriate juror at this time." The judge looked at the doctor's note and said "This just says you're being treated by him. How do I know it's not for an earache?" The woman pointed to the letterhead and replied "That's a methadone clinic, your honor." She was excused [Reported in "Jury-Duty Dodgers Tell It to the Judge" by Jan Hoffman, New York Times, 8 April 1996, section B, p.1, col. 2.].
- 11. "I'm a professional psychic so I would know who is guilty even before the trial." (Excuse not accepted, man ordered to report for jury duty) [Reported in "Juror Excuses: Creativity Reigns" by Scott Goldstein, New Jersey Law Journal, 7 February 2000, p. 1].
- 12. "Please excuse me from jury duty so I can attend a St. Patrick's Day party" (not accepted) [Reported in "Juror Excuses: Creativity Reigns" by Scott Goldstein, New Jersey Law Journal, 7 February 2000, p. 1].
- 13. "I shouldn't have to serve because I am too obese" (Fat chance on that one!) [Reported in "Juror Excuses: Creativity Reigns" by Scott Goldstein, New Jersey Law Journal, 7 February 2000, p. 1].
- 14. "I'm too busy practicing law to be a juror" (Attorney was excused from jury duty, but called into judge's chambers for a "private" talking to. It is noted that the attorney's large firm specifically has a policy of paying its attorneys their salaries when they serve jury duty.) [Reported in "Judge Find's Lawyer's Jury Excuse Hard to Swallow" by Brenda Sandburg, The Recorder (San Francisco), 11 October 1999, p. 4.].
- 15. I was once called for jury duty in Santa Clara County, California. At the time, I was living in Key West, Florida. Apparently, Santa Clara County officials had not maintained their voting lists very well. I sent them a letter saying that I would be more happy to serve jury duty but that I would for them to pay for round-trip airfare (at the time around $1,000) plus
hotel room and rental car expenses. I never heard back from them...
- 16. I was at Jury duty last week, when at that time Australia was having a remembrance tribute to Police Officers who died in action, only passionate law abiders tend to wear the obvious blue ribbons, the juror wearing the ribbon was challenged by the defense attorney. When you get called in for Jury duty, you need no excuse: just wear a T-shirt which says, "Guilty", or with prison bars across the shirt. Or "I hate Cops". Nice One!
- 17. I've been called up for jury duty twice and both times got excused when I told them I was a convicted felon. (I'm not) Seems to work, though!
- 18. Idaho uses the driver's permit applications as a pool for jury duty. While I was in the military, I got a Boise DP with my dad's address. Mail sent there eventually worked it's way to me. One day, got a letter forwarded to me that I was due to serve on jury duty the next week. I called the contact, said I couldn't make it. "Well," she said, "You'd better have a darn good excuse." I explained that I was enlisted in the Navy, living in Jacksonville, Florida, and the next week my submarine was departing on a 100-day patrol. She took my name off the list, completely.
- 19. Years ago, when my mother was working and my dad was out of work due to an on the job accident, my mother was called in to serve on jury duty. The case was of a woman suing for being bitten by a horse on her breast while at a farm. My mother was desperate to get out of jury duty and when questioned by the woman's lawyer as to whether or not my mother believed she could render a fair verdict my mother said she believed she couldn't because she was too much of animal lover to sympathize. She was immediately dismissed.
- 20. The last time I served on jury duty, the judge in Martinez, CA told the 100 perspective jurors, "...and I don't want to hear any O.J. Simpson the jury system doesn't work excuses. If O.J. was in my court he would have been guilty as hell!
- 21. My brother in law is called in for jury duty (Illinois) every two years or so. He, of course, is asked questions. Do you think......... How do you feel...... he says the same thing, "Kill them" - he's gotten out of jury duty for 15 years.
- 22. I was once told that jury duty was random. Someone want to explain to me how random it is for me to get a summons (and my husband) for 5 yrs in a row? We have to fill out a questionnaire even if we send in an excuse. These people want to know our hobbies, groups we are a part of, and even the stickers on our cars! With my husband (since he works at a shipyard) I write out the letter every blasted year that if he misses work then they can fire him or lay him off until another ship comes in - he is always excused. With me, since our children usually have a legal transfer and I am required by law to provide transportation to and from the school I am excused. Since the big guys couldn't get me I recently got one for the Circuit court. They rarely accept anything but a medical excuse so didn't accept my regular one this time and rescheduled it for summer. My daughter is now in home schooling and will attend it during the summer. But I am thinking of trying for a smoker's angle as a medical excuse :-D
- 23. My Mom is a spry 67 year old and says exactly what she means - quite often with a sprinkling of profanity. She didn't want to serve on jury duty so she wrote a note saying, "I'm 67 and my bladder causes me to pee quite often. I WILL NOT serve unless you can guarantee I can pee every 30 minutes."
- 24. Hi I got out of Jury Duty, the same way # 23 did it but my excuse is real. My Doctor gave me a note. I do have to pee every half an hour. The lady was not to happy with me when I gave her the note, asked her first how long do we have to stay in the room at a time she said could be an hour or more said I can't do that would have to get up to pee all the time she said go away now. So I am out of it for life...... good job bladder finely paid off for me.
- 25. My friend got out of jury duty for claiming he was raciest- they never bothered him again.
- 26. My excuse is: I don't want to serve as a juror because, I've had to defend my self, my family, and friends from the same people that we pay taxes for. Then, why should I serve in a jury who is run by people who are no better then the criminals they put away?
- 27. I once was call for jury duty and there was three of us use the excuse that we didn't live in that county any more and the Judge told us that we need to register to vote in the county we lived in. That excuse works ever time.
- 28. Sorry, I cant do jury duty because my sister is on trial and I don't want to know when she goes to prison!
- 29. Since serving on a jury in a criminal case (the "crime" was stealing a carton of cigarettes & the man had been in jail for 6 months awaiting trial), I have been called about every six months for the last two years. The first time, I went before the judge with school, work, etc. as an excuse; he gave me a continuance until the summer. The next two times, I just didn't show. The last time (earlier this month), I sent a letter including the attendance policy of the university I attend, a paid tuition bill, and the syllabus for every class this semester (with the attendance policies highlighted). I haven't heard from them since. I'm SURE I'll be called again in 6 months, so I plan to try a combination of a couple excuses I've found here.
- 30. My mom gets out of it because she's a single parent with a handicapped child.
- 31. Once one of my friends got out of jury duty by pretending to collapse in front of the judge then get up and not remember anything. It worked!
- 32. During voir dire for a murder trial the judge asked me what I did for a living. I told him that I was a Reading Specialist. He then asked me if the school hired a substitute for me if I was absent. When I answered "no" he told me to go back to school.
- 33. Unless the jury duty summons arrives by a method that proves you received the summons (eg, registered mail with your signature required), the government entity that issued the summons cannot prove that you ever received the summons. You can just throw it away with the rest of the junk mail. (Editor's Note: This was submitted to me and I really don't know if it is true! So check it out before trying it.)
- 34. A prospective juror in a Dallas District Court was surprised by the definition of voluntary manslaughter given the panel: "An intentional killing that occurs while the defendant is under the immediate influence of sudden passion arising from an adequate cause, such as when a spouse's mate is found in a 'compromising position.' " "See, I have a problem with that passion business," responded one jury candidate. "During my first marriage, I came in and found my husband in bed with my neighbor. All I did was divorce him. I had no idea that I could have shot him."
She wasn't selected for the jury.
- 35. This isn't actually an excuse, but has benefited me twice and could be used if you are not excused. When showing up in the courtroom be sure NOT to arrive early! Wait until the last minute before you're due inside, then go in. Many times they start calling from the front of the #'s list and the chances of them calling all members summoned for duty in a week is slim. Also, the higher your number, the better chance that you will just be required to call in on subsequent days instead of actually having to go to the court. (For example, they may tell you that if your number is between 50-100, you have to show up the next day, but from 100-200 just has to call in etc.) The higher your number, the better your chance of not being called. This worked for me in Boston and San Francisco. Both times I was like # 370 or # 406 and they just said, "anyone over 300 is excused from jury duty" since they didn't have many cases that week. Of course, your court may start calling the #'s backwards or some sneaky thing like that, so I can't guarantee that this will work, but it's worth a try. Anyone else have a similar experience?
- 36. All you need to do is mention "jury nullification". This is the legal concept that a jury can find a defendant NOT GUILTY if they believe that the law they are being accused of is unjust. Judges and prosecutors HATE the concept because it give juries actual power. See http://www.fija.org/ for more information. The best trick, if you don't mind actually serving on the jury, is to wait until the judge is about to dismiss the jury for deliberations. When you're asked "Does anyone have any questions?", ask "Can you please explain jury nullification to us?". They love that. ( Editor's Note: read the next excuse, it has more about "jury nullification".)
- 37. The jury duty 1,2,3's :
1. Tell them you are friends/family with a lawyer and have some understanding of the law. They don't like jurors that understand the law.
2. Tell them you know about "Jury Nullification" (look it up) and you think it's a good thing.
3. If they still want you on the jury, serve. An informed, intelligent juror would be such a nice change.
- 38. Most Honorable Judge, On Thursday Aug. 15th, I was issued a subpoena to serve as a Civil Juror on Sept.3rd. I would like to be excused because I had planned to play in our annual Cotton Patch Golf tournament on Sept. 4th. If you could schedule me for another time, I would be more than happy to serve. Thank you for your consideration. (Have not heard results yet)
- 39. Well I'm an epileptic and my fiancée has anxiety disorder. She got a summons for one week and I got one for the next week. We both go to the same psychiatrist (yeah, we're a bunch of nutcases--you don't want us pressing the button) who wrote her a latter. The City of San Francisco decided to postpone her to the week of Christmas. I'm not sure how we're going to get out of it but I think I'm going to tell the court that I'm schizophrenic and everywhere I go there's someone following me around with a clipboard.
- 40. Hi! I am actually scheduled to go for jury selection tomorrow morning. I am, however, just not going to go. My excuse, when they finally catch up to me, will be.... Ohhh! My GOD.... I totally forgot which day it was I was supposed to call in. I just started a new job in addition to my old one and I work 14 hours a day... you see the days seem to stretch into one long year. I know this is irresponsible on my part and I do apologize for any inconvenience I may have caused. I'll let you know how it turns out.
say your traveling. i put it off for about 6 months recently. im in college and i was supposed to do it during the begining of the year, told them i couldnt and scheduled it for winter break. i then forgot to do it and pushed it off until the first week of summer. to e honest i could have made it work sooner but i just didnt want to do it. about a month before the summer i called them and told them i couldnt do it because i was traveling, which was true. they said it was fine but the next scheduled time i had i had to show up to. turns out when i went there wasnt anything to do (guess it only happens about 4 times a year) so i left after an hour
If you've attended Jury Duty before you shouldn't be called back for at least 4 years. I don't think there is any way to get out of it completely. Attend the first day, and at the end of the day explain why you have a biest opinion one way or another..... they don't want anyone there who's decision has already been made the minute they walk in the door.
no i just kept postponing it hoping they would stop asking me to go. i eventually went but there were no cases that day. i have a couple of friends that have gotten to the selection process and they just keep saying what your not supposed to say. theyll kind of hint at what the case is and your answers have to be biased one way or the other. one of them was asked how tehy felt about gang violence, he answered that they should get the max punishment because he knew some one killed by gang violence (true but he could have easily served). someone else i know was asked about weed, she said it should be legal and that it isnt dangerous. both were asked to leave after giving those answers
I know this isn't a great way, but I just shred the letter when I get it. They have no proof I ever actually got it as it comes through regular mail. I never signed for it. Mail gets misdelivered quite often. Been pulled over for speeding well after blowing off jury duty and wasn't detained for a bench warrant.
Why take the chance at having a bench warrant? Wouldn't that be great, on your way out with the wife and kids for the day or the girlfriend. Get pulled over for speeding, now instead of going to the amusement park with the kids or the beach with the girl they're taking a trip to the police barracks to pick your ass up. Just do the right thing, and call the # to find out if your needed. I was sent a notice for jury duty about 3 months ago, called the # i was suppose to everyday to check in for that week. They didn't need anyone or my # wasn't selected to go, so I got a confirmation # at the end and I won't be getting another notice for at least 4 years. Who know's you might get put on a jury for some of these big shots involved with gambling rings.... Your vote could be the deciding factor!
ushups:Here's how i got out of it.
1-Postpone the 1st one,by writing back stating that you are the only person in your family bringing in any income and if you have to go to jury duty.You wouldn't be able to keep a roof over your families head.
That worked for around 4 months,when i received my second notice.
2-I replyed back with a...I am still the only one bringing in any income and now i have to take the bus to work,because the family car is broke and i cann't pay to fix it...
I was excused,this was about 3 years ago.I never received anything since then.
1-Postpone the 1st one,by writing back stating that you are the only person in your family bringing in any income and if you have to go to jury duty.You wouldn't be able to keep a roof over your families head.
That worked for around 4 months,when i received my second notice.
2-I replyed back with a...I am still the only one bringing in any income and now i have to take the bus to work,because the family car is broke and i cann't pay to fix it...
I was excused,this was about 3 years ago.I never received anything since then.
