Jury Duty Question

[Calmegja2]

What's the difference, between deferring a term, and being excused?

My state has a rule that you can only have two deferrals of a summons. I was just granted my second deferral (for a three week proposed term of service).

When I spoke to the clerk, however, he indicated that I should have asked to be excused, and not deferred. I didn't think there was a difference, and I thought that being granted deferrals was basically the same thing.

I know, idiotic, but I really didn't see how it was different, since it resulted in the same thing, me not serving that term.

I asked him what would happen if I were to be summoned again, and he said I could try for an excuse, but that I would not be able to be deferred again until I had served.

I guess I thought they were interchangeable terms, with regards to serving on the jury. I'm not saying I never want to serve on a jury, just that with four children and a self-employed DH, I can't figure out how on earth I would manage to serve on a jury at this point in my life.

I'm also trying to figure out why I keep getting called in relatively short order, while other people I know haven't been called in years. Is the deferring doing that to me?

[pritchettzoo]

Deferral means they put you back in the hopper because you can't serve right then but you could another time. So it's probably why you keep being called.

If you show up with children, you can be held in contempt, but if you leave them at home alone you'd get hauled off to jail as well. ;) There was an interesting article in Brain, Child about moms and jury duty. Excellent in theory, but in practice, there is still this little problem of WHO THE HECK IS GOING TO WATCH THE KIDS.

Anna
Mama to Gracie (Sept '03) and Eli (July '05)

[caheinz]

I'm not a lawyer or other expert on this, but my understanding is that deferral only delays the service temporarily. For instance, I was called for jury duty, to be served the week before DS was due! I got a 3 month deferral, and had to serve that time (since I was back to work, I couldn't use DS as an excuse, and BF was no excuse where I lived at the time...)

An "excused" term would mean that you were completely excused from serving at that time. So, you would go back into the general pool and shouldn't be picked any more frequently than anyone else.

On a semi-related note, my stepdad is convinced that he was called for jury duty every time he voted in a primary election. For that reason, he won't vote in primaries anymore. (I should note that he's the type to believe things he reads or sees on tv in general...)

[Calmegja2]

>Deferral means they put you back in the hopper because you
>can't serve right then but you could another time. So it's
>probably why you keep being called.
>
>If you show up with children, you can be held in contempt, but
>if you leave them at home alone you'd get hauled off to jail
>as well. ;) There was an interesting article in Brain, Child
>about moms and jury duty. Excellent in theory, but in
>practice, there is still this little problem of WHO THE HECK
>IS GOING TO WATCH THE KIDS.
>
>Anna
>Mama to Gracie (Sept '03) and Eli (July '05)

******

This is exactly what's at the heart of it for me. I don't understand it. The clerk told me that next time I'll just have to arrange daycare for the term, if I'm not excused.

If it wouldn't have been completely rude, I would have snorted .How on earth would a person find sudden daycare/kindy pickup on short notice? And on the $15 stipend? For four kids (term is from 8-5 each day).

I'm all for civic duty, but with reason. I can't even comprehend the way this works.

I'll have to look for that article. My brain is just fried over this. The rebel in me would like to show up with a 3 year old, but the law and order girl would be scared to death of getting in trouble.

[jbowman]

Jessica,

In the state where I live, a parent can be *excused* from jury duty if he/she is the primary caregiver (until the child is 10 years or so, I believe). I was just called to jury duty a couple of weeks ago and checked the "primary caregiver" box and got excused. I cannot believe that all states don't have this option :(.

[jhaud]

You definately want to ask for excused... i did that just recently. i could either write a letter and send it in with my reason for asking to be excused or deferred or i could go in on a certain day of the week and do the same in person. i just let them know that i am a sahm. deferral just means you can't do it that particular week(s) but that normally you would be able to (ie vacation planned, business trip, medical..)

you shouldn't have any problem being a sahm to 4 should more than justify the need to be excused.

[Calmegja2]

I wish we had that (excused with child under 10). The legislation to make it that way (but only until age 4, which is still a joke) failed a few years ago, mainly because the judges complained that it would limit their jury pool.

The clerk said they don't want to make our lives impossible, but with policies like this, it sure feels like it.

[mamahill]

Here a deferral is just a matter of a couple weeks, but an excuse lasts for a year. Also, you shouldn't be called more than once in a year. I always keep mine just in case, and I (and DH) generally get called every one year and one week. Ridiculous. I can get an excuse because I am the caregiver and to find anything else would be extreme (this was told to me by someone who worked for the courts). DH just got excused without having to show up - they just didn't need any jurors.

I don't know why we always get called but others don't. Maybe it's a demographics thing?