I got my first summons for jury service a few weeks ago, exciting considering I’ve been a registered voter for six years now. The funny thing was, it was a summons from Travis County, Texas and it was addressed properly, to our home in Richmond, and not forwarded.
I am simultaneously not qualified (as I am no longer a resident of the county, state or time zone, for that matter) and exempt (as I have legal custody of two children under the age of 10 who I care for during the day.) Oh well. I am sure I’ll get around to completing that civic duty at some point!
I think it took Santa Clara County about 4 years to take me off their electoral rolls and stop sending me jury summonses(?). I was eligible to vote in the recall election but my mom refused to send me my absentee ballot form. Apparently electoral fraud is only legal in Florida?
*ducks*
I’ve never been summoned either. . .
I got summoned after having lived in Orange County for less than two years. I almost got called to serve in the rape trial of a UNC football player…interesting.
I got summoned while living in New Orleans. I had to go down to the court house and sit in line for 3 hours (it was very nice that they provided chairs), before I got out of it because of my grad student status.
I’m convinced there’s nothing that levels society so clearly as jury duty–it was so stark in that crowded room in Orleans Parish, where economic disparity is so pronounced.
I received summons in Colorado. And my being the legal guardian of four children between the ages of 0 and 5, one of whom I nursed a LOT, did nothing to automatically excuse me. The judge said, “Well, your husband can drive the baby here when she gets hungry and you can nurse on the breaks.” Obviously never been around a nursing baby…
In the end, it was my traffic accident record that got me kicked of – they didn’t want me because I’d been in too many of them and it might sway my opinion.
Megan, in Austin you could have filed your exemption (which would be automatically accepted) online and never shown up! Some ways that Travis County is progressive are certainly helpful!
I have been summoned twice in 5 years and BOTH times I have exempted b/c of my status as having 3 children under the age of 5 (10) in my sole care during the day. You would think that notifying them of this fact once would be enough, but I guess not. Maybe they thought I got rid of my children…..
My husband, on the other hand, has been called twice in just over 3 years (yes, 3!). Apparently, you can’t serve twice in 36 months, but the 37th month, you are fair game for a repeat appearance!
Kristen, this happened to me THREE times! I moved away and a year later got a jury summons. I also was a nursing mother and exempt. Now I’m available and eager to dip my oar in the pond and….nothing.
Kristen,
I had voted/driven in this county for over 30 years and had never gotten called for jury duty until December. I went a couple weeks ago, was chosen to sit on a jury in a civil case, and spent 6 days listening, with 11 other jurors and 2 alternates, to what we all determined to be a “frivolous” case and in under 30 minutes ruled in favor of the defendant. It was eye-opening and very gratifying….I am in the process of writing a blog entry about the experience. It really gave me some insights into not only civil government but also into church government as well.