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Anyway out of jury duty due to our business?

TheSnowman

TheSnowman

New Member
I got the paper saying I had possibly been selected. We had a family vacation planned for that time. I notified them of that...not sure if that actually helped or not, but I never heard anything or had to serve.

I have a friend that is jumping up and down to get called. He gets full pay from work, plus there, plus he's into that kind of stuff. Why wouldn't you want to do it if you were still making normal income?
 
Letterbox Mike

Letterbox Mike

New Member
I'm with Fred, the "civic duty" line is BS. There are more than enough people out of work or on government support they can and should be calling on to do this, they need to leave people that have jobs or businesses or other commitments alone, and the $20 a day is an insult to say the least.

I've gotten out of it 4 times by saying I own a business in which my presence is critical.
 
Gino

Gino

Premium Subscriber
Guess it's where I live or something, but I've been called many times.... and so has my wife. Neither of us have even set foot in the court room. We explain about our business and needs and my wife gets it canceled every time.

We don't give any lip, stupid under the breath words or cockamamie stories.... we just tell them we can't possibly do it and we're excused from even having to show up.

I've sat through a jury selection once... being involved in a lawsuit. What a bunch of crummy tricks those lawyers pull. It's like a game of Eeny, meeny, miny, moe catch a juror by the toe. If he hollers let him go.... You're frickin' next if you're too dumb to get excused.

Ever think about it ?? Basically, only the people not too spry are deciding who goes to jail or gets an easy sentence. Sure sounds rigged to me.
 
Jillbeans

Jillbeans

New Member
I got called once, did the sitting around thing for a few hours, the case was settled out of court.
I got a paper saying I served and could not be called up again for X amount of years, and got paid $8 about a month later. Then 2 months later I got called again!
So I called them.
The guy whom I talked to on the phone was really nice.
I had to send in a copy of my document.
I'd call and explain your situation.
Love....Jill
 
Pat Whatley

Pat Whatley

New Member
By the way, I have a friend who received a "pre-selection" questionnaire. There was a comment section on the bottom to add anything else he saw as relative.

Rob put down that he hated every race out there (using the most racially derogative terms he could come up with) and added "but not as much as I hate lawyers and judges" thinking he'd automatically get kicked out. Nope. Rob had to go in, sit all day long through the selection process, and then, very last thing of the day, the judge called him to the bench and chewed him out for not taking jury duty seriously.
 
letterman7

letterman7

New Member
You're lucky, Gino. I just served a couple months ago. I did say it was a hardship since I was a one-man band, but tough toenails. Went in and was selected immediately and served a three day trial for an auto accident claim. Those who were chosen were all involved in an auto accident at one time or another (aren't we all?). Nice... three days for a grand total of $27.00.
 
Border

Border

New Member
I got out if using the sole proprietor excuse and explained that I did not even have someone who answer calls for me for the week. Told them if I could leave my cell phone on then I could maybe do it.

I did serve once before many years ago and got on a case and was appointed the head juror...I hated the whole thing and the other jurors were total dipsh*ts. Ended up awarding a guy a ton of money for was obviously (to me at least) a frivolous lawsuit.
 
Kemble

Kemble

New Member
I've been called for duty one time so far. At the time the job I had paid me 80% of my pay if I had to go to Jury Duty so I didn't try to get out of it, I served and was picked after 3 hours of waiting on the first day. Took 1 week before we came to a verdict.

My boss told me, after I was back to work, that the last time he was called in for Jury Duty they asked him if there was any reason why he shouldn't be considered part of the Jury. He honestly told them "If he's black, and he's in court, then he's guilty". They dismissed him immediately. Now my boss isn't racist at all, he just knew if he said something along those lines that he would get dismissed.

Not trying to offend anyone or to stir up anything, just wanted to tell a true story from my experience.
 
G

greglauter

New Member
Gino said:
It can't interfere with your making a living if this is your sole means of income.
Click to expand...

Gino is exactly right, I just went through this 3 months ago. I showed up for jury duty (didn't know how to get out of it), as they were calling everyone in I asked "how long will this be? My sign shop is currently closed and I need to make sure I don't miss any customers". The lady replied, "You shouldn't be here, you should have filled out the form and mailed it back explaining you are a business owner (can't close store) and you are excused every time". I signed a paper and I got out of it :)
 
Billct2

Billct2

Active Member
OK, I admit I'd want to opt out, at least right now...but geez... Isn't a trial by a jury of your peers just as important a right as all those others (like free speech, unreasonable search and guns) that everyone gets so steamed up about? Sure the system sucks, but it's our system. Aren't we all in a big huff about protecting our citizenship from those who
want to get it illegally? Well part of that citizenship are things like voting and jury duty, neither of which seem very popular.
 
iSign

iSign

New Member
Billct2 said:
OK, I admit I'd want to opt out, at least right now...but geez... Isn't a trial by a jury of your peers just as important a right as all those others (like free speech, unreasonable search and guns) that everyone gets so steamed up about? Sure the system sucks, but it's our system. Aren't we all in a big huff about protecting our citizenship from those who
want to get it illegally? Well part of that citizenship are things like voting and jury duty, neither of which seem very popular.
Click to expand...

yes, you are correct, but I would be far more inclined to spend my time fighting to change the fact of the matter (as evidenced by Fred's and others actual experiences) rather then spending it being a part of the charade our hard won democratic process has become... yes it may be true that I haven't lifted a finger to promote change of that specific charade... but I haven't spent (wasted) time being a part of it either...
 
parkedcar

parkedcar

New Member
Hot damn! $20 a day!?
I think NJ is something like $4 a day. Doesnt even cover the cost of parking most places...
I've never been called, while my friends and family all have...most, multiple times.
 
anotherdog

anotherdog

New Member
Go in, pretend you are stone deaf, but claim loudly you have perfect hearing. Keep asking for someone to Answer that damn phone!
 
P

petrosgraphics

New Member
in massachusetts they allow you to request a new date, so long as you do this when
you receive your first notice... you can request a date 1 or 2 months later... just don't
wait....to request a date change.... when you do finally serve bring a good book to read..
there is a lot of waiting, and waiting, and waiting.......they even have a wonderful video
for you to watch... or not!!!!
 
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