Jury Duty has my number !

[HappySails4U]

So received jury summons from my local county government and of course have a cruise scheduled for that week.  I can submit a request for a one time postponement but does anyone have past experience in doing so?   In writing to request postponement to the Jury Division, is it necessary to include any Carnival documentation as proof of a paid in full trip ??  

 

Appreciate any input !!! 

[bafinegan]

I had this happen last spring.  Here in Ga. we have a number to call the Jury Manager.  When I called, she never asked for proof, just asked me for a date within 3 months that I would be available.  ANd I did receive another summons after the date I gave her.

 

baf

[OneLuckyMom]

I get called for Jury Duty every 2 years like clock work.  Just read the directions for your jurisdiction.  They are used to it.  In my jurisdiction, we just have to give an alternate week we are available to serve within a certain timeframe.  No reason even needs to be given. New summons will show up a few weeks prior.

[Rudyard]

Not sure how it is where you are, but here I can just go just online and request two postponements of up to two or three months each (can't remember exactly as I haven't had to do it in a few years). 

[Honolulu Blue]

8 hours ago, HappySails4U said:

So received jury summons from my local county government and of course have a cruise scheduled for that week.  I can submit a request for a one time postponement but does anyone have past experience in doing so?   In writing to request postponement to the Jury Division, is it necessary to include any Carnival documentation as proof of a paid in full trip ??  

 

Appreciate any input !!! 

These will be of limited use for your particular situation, but please allow me to spend a few minutes telling my recent jury duty stories.

 

I was summoned in both 2021 and 2022.  Both had opportunities to opt out, but I didn't need to, so I didn't pay a lot of attention to the hows and wherefores.

 

The '21 summons was (I think) for federal court.  I called in the weekend before my first day and I got an announcement that they weren't having any jury trials, so I was completely excused for that week.

 

The '22 summons was (I think) for county court.  I called in the night before each session, as ordered.  They never pulled my number.

 

I wish you well with wherever life leads you.

[tidecat]

I would just mention that you already have non-refundable travel plans (no need to go into detail), and provide a date or set of date(s) that you are willing to serve. I had to move mine due to work considerations and wound up getting one of the dates I requested to serve.

[latebloomer56]

I changed my jury duty last Oct. No excuse just rent the request on the computer received a new date same court for two months later. I've done this many times over the years without issue. Not my favorite way to spend a day, but it's ok they have been good about changes for me at least in Massachusetts.

Don't wait to long and hope your not called but don't do it closer than a month they may give you a week later.

[WatchHill]

Postponing jury duty varies by state. In MA, one can postpone for up to a year without documentation. Simply respond per directions on the summons, selecting a month in the future. I did that knowing that the one year delay would put me at the age cut-off for required state jury duty.  Then I get notice of Federal Grand Jury - totally different process, but aged out on that, too. 

 

Darcy

[BruceMuzz]

I have lived outside the USA for the past 40 years.

Every year I receive a Jury Duty summons.

And every year I reply that I will be happy to serve if they send me an air ticket - preferably Business or First Class.

I never get a reply - nor  an air ticket

Edited August 13, 2023 by BruceMuzz

[Mum2Mercury]

The letter I've always received has instructions on how to request a postponement.  I've postponed twice without any difficulty.

 

Don't ever request a postponement though, if you can help it.  Why?  Because they will not postpone your postponement, and they might ask you to report on a "worse week".  Here's a story:  A fellow teacher and I were assigned jury duty during exam week -- not a week teachers can really be absent.  We both applied for a postponement.  I was approved, but he was denied.  Why?  Because he'd already been postponed once, and they won't postpone a postponement. 

 

Just FYI:  When I went in for my duty, the week of July 4th, the Ballif (Ballif?) told us to sit tight for 15 minutes, give our names, and we'd all be dismissed.  NO cases were tried in my county that month.  Easiest jury duty ever.

[lynncarol]

Happened to me five years back when I had a cruise scheduled. Called the number on the summons, told them I had an upcoming cruise on that date and that was the end of it.  This was in Pennsylvania. 

[OneLuckyMom]

7 hours ago, Honolulu Blue said:

The '21 summons was (I think) for federal court.  I called in the weekend before my first day and I got an announcement that they weren't having any jury trials, so I was completely excused for that week.

 

The '22 summons was (I think) for county court.  I called in the night before each session, as ordered.  They never pulled my number.

Of the many times I've been called, I've gotten off without going in only twice.

 

I've been seated on juries several times.  Got to the jury box but got excused a few times too (I currently have a job that makes me a target to get tossed off criminal juries these days.)

 

I wouldn't say I enjoy jury duty, but I have no issue doing it, as long as it fits my schedule well enough.  I like seeing our legal system at work.

[Honolulu Blue]

35 minutes ago, OneLuckyMom said:

Of the many times I've been called, I've gotten off without going in only twice.

 

I've been seated on juries several times.  Got to the jury box but got excused a few times too (I currently have a job that makes me a target to get tossed off criminal juries these days.)

 

I wouldn't say I enjoy jury duty, but I have no issue doing it, as long as it fits my schedule well enough.  I like seeing our legal system at work.

Thanks for sharing. I was summoned for jury duty one other time, many years ago. The first four days, no one in my group was called. The last day, most numbers were called - but not mine. That was the end of the week and they moved on. So I'm 0-for-3 in my life.

 

My attitude on jury duty is similar to yours - I'm curious about it, would kind of like to serve sometime, but not enough to go volunteer.

[Turtles06]

23 hours ago, HappySails4U said:

So received jury summons from my local county government and of course have a cruise scheduled for that week. 

You’ve heard nice stories above, but the only thing that matters is how the request for a postponement is handled in your own jurisdiction.  Good luck, and enjoy your cruise. 

[latebloomer56]

22 hours ago, WatchHill said:

Postponing jury duty varies by state. In MA, one can postpone for up to a year without documentation. Simply respond per directions on the summons, selecting a month in the future. I did that knowing that the one year delay would put me at the age cut-off for required state jury duty.  Then I get notice of Federal Grand Jury - totally different process, but aged out on that, too. 

 

Darcy

Aged out what is that? Never heard of this so curious. I'm only 67 and sat last year didn't even get mind as if was a new courthouse. Would hate to have to go to Boston though.

[WatchHill]

7 minutes ago, latebloomer56 said:

Aged out what is that? Never heard of this so curious. I'm only 67 and sat last year didn't even get mind as if was a new courthouse. Would hate to have to go to Boston though.

At age 70, you are no longer required to do jury duty in MA. You may still receive a summons, but just enter  "age" as a reason to NOT serve and include the required documentation to support this. I just checked the Federal summons form, and age 70 is also an excuse from serving. 

 

Darcy

[latebloomer56]

1 minute ago, WatchHill said:

At age 70, you are no longer required to do jury duty in MA. You may still receive a summons, but just enter  "age" as a reason to NOT serve and include the required documentation to support this. I just checked the Federal summons form, and age 70 is also an excuse from serving. 

 

Darcy

Thanks never knew this, guess I should have looked at something other than location 😏.

Have a great day.

[Philob]

There is no age restriction in California to be summoned. However 70+ can be excused for a medical condition without a doctor's note.

[Nebr.cruiser]

I've been called for jury duty before when we were scheduled to cruise.  No problem with calling and telling them, at least here in Nebraska.  They postponed it with no questions or paperwork required.

[hallux]

Some of you just have 'horrible' luck regarding getting called for this.  I've been eligible for over half my life and have not gotten a single summons to this date (knock on wood!!!).

[Nebr.cruiser]

Before I opted out, (because of age), I used to get called at least once a year; my husband maybe only once.  I never had to serve, cases were either settled out of court or jury picked before they got to me.  But, big inconvenience as the county seat is about 35 miles away, in the few cases I had to actually go.

[new_cruiser]

8 hours ago, WatchHill said:

At age 70, you are no longer required to do jury duty in MA. You may still receive a summons, but just enter  "age" as a reason to NOT serve and include the required documentation to support this. I just checked the Federal summons form, and age 70 is also an excuse from serving. 

 

Darcy

It is similar in California. If you are over 70, you can be excused to serve based on having a medical condition that interferes with serving without any documentation. I guess they figure that enough people over that age have medical reasons that sitting on a jury is a hardship that they just take you word for it. 

 

Like others here, I've often had to request postponement to a different date, usually due to work commitments and it has never been an issue. 

 

As I was typing this my husband walked in with a jury summons that arrived for me today and the date is a problem. Following the instructions to go online to request a postponement took about 5 minutes. In the past, you would tell them other dates you are available and get a notice in the mail that your date has changed. Now, they have a new web interface for jurors so it just asked me to select a week and changed it to that date.

 

None of the specific reasons offered fit (the original week included Yom Kippur and they didn't have conflict with a religious holiday) so I selected "other reason" and it doesn't even ask for what the other reason is. Conflict with a vacation is one of the options.

[wdw1972]

11 hours ago, WatchHill said:

At age 70, you are no longer required to do jury duty in MA. You may still receive a summons, but just enter  "age" as a reason to NOT serve and include the required documentation to support this. I just checked the Federal summons form, and age 70 is also an excuse from serving. 

 

Darcy

Same in Florida - can't wait!

 

Sue/WDW1972

[KreinKrunker]

12 hours ago, WatchHill said:

At age 70, you are no longer required to do jury duty in MA.

Same in Michigan.  Got a summons last week.

[slidergirl]

I've had myself excused due to pre-planned vacation before.  Wasn't a biggie. Your district is most likely the same.  Sometimes they'll just put you back in the hopper for another possible choosing or they may totally dismiss you for that session.  I think that is the difference.

My last summons was this past Winter.  My boss said "go ahead and do it, we're not busy" so I waited.  I got my notice to appear.  I filled out the online voir dire for the initial screening.   On the morning I was to show up, I received an email that the case had been settled so no jury was needed.  

I missed being called up for the Gwenyth Paltrow "ski accident" jury by 2 weeks.  I would have loved to have been on that one!