Do you think I'll have to serve?

[bisous]

UPDATE: I was excused from service due to the fact that I'm the primary caregiver of my young children. Thought I'd update in case anyone has this come up in their lives.


I served a day of Jury Duty in May. I was not selected, not even called into a room but I did sit in the jury room all day.

I just got a notice to serve for Federal Court. Apparently my day served will not count because I didn't actually sit on a jury. If my number is called up this is going to be inconvenient to the max. I have one car, four minor kids, one with a serious medical condition (though he is 14 now). It is 50 miles away in LA traffic and I'm an hourly employee. I filled out my excuse form. Is there anyway that I'm going to have to actually do this? I feel a bit like a chump for thinking this way--I do believe in doing my civic duty. It is just this is going to be SO difficult for my family!!

If there is even a chance of me serving I'm going to have to start arranging my stuff like now to make sure all the pieces fall into place (including working extra so I don't lose out on that income!)

Any been called up for Federal Jury Service lately?

[westwoodmom04]

You will probably just sit in the jury room again, or even if called into a court room, unlikely that you will wind up on the jury. I wouldn't worry about actually sitting on a jury until it happens.

[Dayzy]

I'm an hour north of NYC and was called. In my experience they didn't care much about other obligations. I had a 4 month old and was a stay at home parent. Plus I had served a month on county Grand Jury only 5 years before (I was told I was exempt for 11 years.) They said I should find a babysitter for my child.

[bisous]

I'm an hour north of NYC and was called. In my experience they didn't care much about other obligations. I had a 4 month old and was a stay at home parent. Plus I had served a month on county Grand Jury only 5 years before (I was told I was exempt for 11 years.) They said I should find a babysitter for my child.

This is kind of what I was thinking. I can't imagine that this is convenient for ANYBODY. Yikes. I'm on call for two weeks.

[bisous]

You know, I'm just really glad I'm not still an exclusively nursing mom. At least nobody needs me for daily sustenance!

[o_mom]

You can request to be excused. I would guess if you details all the child care, it will be granted.

[SnuggleBuggles]

Jury duty is a tricky thing. It really puts planning in limbo and complicates a lot. But, like you said, it's pretty much inconvenient for everyone. I was on call for a friend to be her oldest's childcare when she went into labor (due any day). That excuse only got me on the shorter trial vs the long one. :)

[niccig]

Was the May jury state court or federal. I got called for both within a few months of each other and had to report for both.

If you can, change it for another time period that would be better. DH got week between Christmas and New Year, and didn’t have to report at all. That and Thanksgiving week are weeks to swap to I’ve been told.

If you get called to be on a jury, explain all the childcare you have. It’s up to Judge if they’ll excuse you. I got to a panel, and case was settled so I was only there 1 day.


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[mmsmom]

In my area you are excused if you are the primary caregiver for young children. I get summoned often and fill out the excuse form. I think the hours for jury duty are 8:30-5:00 so I put on the form that I am the primary caregiver for children ages x & x and they are in school from x to x but I do not have childcare for x hours. It is always excused here. I know that isn’t the case in other areas. In NYC you used to have to physically go with your child to request an excuse.

[PZMommy]

In my area you are excused if you are the primary caregiver for young children. I get summoned often and fill out the excuse form. I think the hours for jury duty are 8:30-5:00 so I put on the form that I am the primary caregiver for children ages x & x and they are in school from x to x but I do not have childcare for x hours. It is always excused here. I know that isn’t the case in other areas. In NYC you used to have to physically go with your child to request an excuse.

Here they don’t care if you are the primary caregiver. They tell you to find child care. As a teacher we don’t get paid at work if we miss for jury duty. We have to postpone it to winter break, spring break, or summer. I don’t have child care during those days, as I’m off with my kids. They didn’t care. I always postphone to the week between Christmas and New Years, and then have my DH watch them.

[westwoodmom04]

In my area you are excused if you are the primary caregiver for young children. I get summoned often and fill out the excuse form. I think the hours for jury duty are 8:30-5:00 so I put on the form that I am the primary caregiver for children ages x & x and they are in school from x to x but I do not have childcare for x hours. It is always excused here. I know that isn’t the case in other areas. In NYC you used to have to physically go with your child to request an excuse.

We have this as well but only in state court.

[dhano923]

I did federal jury duty in DTLA in November. The good news was i was originally scheduled to serve in July, but i decided to postpone until the week of Veterans Day. Reason being was because I’ve heard over the years that there aren't too many jurors needed during hokiday weeks since judges and lawyers dont like to hear cases during those times. When I got there, they offered the option for people who needed to be excused for chikdcare or employment reasons. I was going to claim childcare issues since my kids need to get home after school and I didnt have anyone to pick them up that week. When i got to the line, there was a woman asking why everyone wanted to be dismissed. When she got to me, i told her why. She told me that normally, they have 5-6 cases being heard every day. That day, they only had 2. She said “soooo... do you understand what I’m saying? Less cases means less jurors needed.” I got out of line and decided to take my chances. I ended up in a court room for a federal tax fraud employee case. I work in Finance and HR, so I most likely would have been dismissed because many of their disqualifying questions applied to me. I never got a chance — by 11am, the lawyers had found their jury, and the rest of us were dismissed. Got my $77 check for my mileage and jury pay last month.

[BananaMama]

I'm sure it depends on your district. I was called for federal duty last year. I sent a one line email saying I was a primary caregiver for 2 children with no backup care and was excused almost immediately.


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[catsnkid]

I got called to federal jury duty, called the night before, it was cancelled. They then scheduled me for another day, called the day before and it was cancelled.

[AnnieW625]

I would request that it be postponed if you can. If not then just go in the first day and explain your situation, but tbh I would just serve it and get it over with.

If you got called before by your local county than that is different than federal jury duty. I haven’t served in almost 3 years (but was called in 07, 09, and 15) for my local county and I have never served for federal. DH hasn’t served in over 5 years (and has only been called once in the 13 years we have lived here) and has never done federal. It is a crap shoot.


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[bisous]

Update in OP!