Jury Duty

snapppyd

God is Great, Beer is Good and People are Crazy!
Joined
May 11, 2009
How do you feel when you get the notice to serve?
 
pissed off LOL- haven't gotten one in about 19 years though since my daughter was born. My daughter doesn't even live in Boston, just goes to school there and 4 days after her 18th birthday she got a jury duty notice for Boston- stressed her the hell out about missing classes to go.
 
As long as I don't have vacation or Doctor's appointments, I like it.
I've been called 4 times. I got called in 3 times (we have call in jury duty here where you may get called in mid-day). I always make it to a court room, but only made it to a jury once. 6 1/2 week trial. 2 hour lunch every day, 2 half hour breaks. During that 6 1/2 week trial, I was the 11th juror called, and the only out of the first 40 or so not challenged. Best part of that case, I worked graveyard shift, and the guy who had to shift to overnight shift that entire time.....his WIFE was the recorder in the courtroom I was in. She was livid that the attorney's kicked off so many people but not me. She just assumed because i worked in the media I would get the boot. I didn't
 
When I lived in NY I hated it because it was far from where I lived and in a high crime area. Now it’s a few minutes from home in a quaint town. I’ve been dismissed after a few hours both times recently so not bad at all. I was almost hoping to be on a case because it’s been ages.
 


Interested. I have only been called once, and then didn't even make it into a court room. I think it would be interesting to be on a jury.
 
Oldest daughter got called during a semester where she had a class that required steady class participation in order to be able to perform the tasks necessary to keep up because the classwork was a cumulative undertaking. It was near the end of her degree and the class was only offered once per year. If she couldn't attend and participate regularly she would have needed to drop it and delay graduation a full year. She wrote a letter to the court explaining the situation and was granted a deferment. Her next notice arrived with a report time partially conflicting with finals week. Luckily she was able to work out the conflict with the professor involved so she could report. She was seated on the jury panel and when they came back from lunch to proceed to trial they were released because the complaining witness elected not to go forward with the case.

No matter how much it's insisted how the summons for service are random, around here I'm having a greater and greater struggle believing it based on what we see over and over again. Overall it's weighted very heavily to the college-aged sector by far for about five or six years now. Every few months there will suddenly be a week where you noticeably don't see a single candidate under 40. The next week the pools go right back to being dominated by those in their early twenties. Because it's been so out of whack for such a time the judges frequently aren't able to grant deferments to the college students.
 
Usually dread. Not because of being called but because it’s downtown and such a pain to get to and find parking. The first couple of times I was dismissed over the phone. This last time I had to show. The vast majority of us were dismissed. Funny thing is, I was disappointed. After sitting through the videos and listening to the judge I was starting to look forward to it.
 


I hate it. Usually get out of it. I’ve never been chosen when I’ve gotten that far.
 
Frustrated because I've been called 3 times in the 5 years that I've lived here, which seems excessive. The last time I was there for a half day and then got called back and had to stay for an entire day before I was excused and they only paid me for one day. I wouldn't mind serving, but with kids that I'm responsible for getting to school and activities it takes a lot of arranging for me to be gone, especially with the uncertainty that comes with jury duty and how long you may need to serve. Once the kids are grown I don't think I'll mind, but maybe not every other year would be nice.
 
I almost made a grand jury one time, but didn't make the cut. I was in a jury pool for a couple of weeks but never made it to a courtroom. I'm retired now, I wouldn't mind doing it.
 
Frustrated. Im from MA. The courts here are in the worst (traffic/parking) cities, all far from where I live. I had JD once in 1991 or 1992 and got a summons again about a month ago for 04/18/19 We are allowed to change it once, but I feared if I postponed it, I would end up with a snowy winter date at a court even less convenient (this one is 45 minutes away but at least its not Boston). Hopefully Ill get dismissed early.
 
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I’ve gotten summoned twice in the last ten years. Didn’t have to go in either time after doing the daily online check.
 
I would love to serve on a criminal case, but probably never will my husband is a police officer, so I am shunned. LOL
I was called once after I was asked and answered about law enforcement officers in the family, I was booted. It was a case where the defendant said the officer "framed" him with the drugs, so I get why they didn't want me.
Maybe a civil trial someday.
But it would be hard, I help my children now with the grandkids, so I'm not as free as in the past.
 
pissed off LOL- haven't gotten one in about 19 years though since my daughter was born. My daughter doesn't even live in Boston, just goes to school there and 4 days after her 18th birthday she got a jury duty notice for Boston- stressed her the hell out about missing classes to go.

This may be way too late to help, but Massachusetts allows a one-time postponement. Also see this link, since not all college students are eligible: https://www.mass.gov/info-details/l...qualification#jury-duty-for-college-students-
Frustrated. Im from MA. The courts here are in the worst (traffic/parking) cities, all far from where I live. I had JD once in 1991 or 1992 and got a summons again again about a month ago for 04/18/19 We are allowed to change it once, but I feared if I postponed it, I would end up with a snowy winter date at a court even less convenient (this one is 45 minutes away but at last its not Boston). Hopefully Ill get dismissed early.

As far as I know, you get to pick your postponement date from a large set of eligible dates, though I don’t think you get to pick the location. Also, the state courts are by county. I don’t think you can be called for a Boston court unless you’re in Suffolk County (just Boston and three other towns). Not that Cambridge is any better for commuting or parking.

Personally, I kept my date for the first Friday in March, figuring it would be a light date; who wants to start a jury trial on a Friday, when they could go skiing over the weekend?. Sure enough, when I checked the night before, it was canceled.
 
I was called and served once, for a child abuse case. Before that experience I was eager to be a good citizen and serve my community. After hearing/seeing/serving on that jury my heart and stomach would sink and I would do my best to get out of it, in all honesty.
 
As far as I know, you get to pick your postponement date from a large set of eligible dates, though I don’t think you get to pick the location. Also, the state courts are by county. I don’t think you can be called for a Boston court unless you’re in Suffolk County (just Boston and three other towns). Not that Cambridge is any better for commuting or parking.

Personally, I kept my date for the first Friday in March, figuring it would be a light date; who wants to start a jury trial on a Friday, when they could go skiing over the weekend?. Sure enough, when I checked the night before, it was canceled.

Yes my first summons was for Cambridge in 1991. This time Im going to a Middlesex Court. I do live in Middlesex County, but 45 minutes from where I need to go. April 18 is a Thursday :(
 

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