I used to look forward to serving on jury duty. In theory anyway.
My first summons was in 2008, while I was in the throes of fibromyalgia. I finally asked to be excused, sending in a request by my nurse practitioner.
I thought I’d be back to normal when the second one arrived in early 2012, but my symptoms hadn’t improved at all. That time I wasn’t allowed to mail the note. The nurse practitioner was required to fax that one herself.
The most recent mailing from them (2025) was a Federal Jury Service Qualification Questionnaire, ACTION REQUIRED. A paragraph for Excuse Requests included “70 years of age or older and do not wish to serve” highlighted in yellow, also an 888 number to call “and follow the prompts.”
Done.
This American citizen still isn’t able to “tolerate the obligations of jury duty.”
But my Favorite Guy was fascinated by the jury he served on. Have you ever served on one?
As a teacher of history and American government, I knew the “book learning” of jury duty, but I longed to see and experience it in action (from the jury box, not the defendant’s table!). But every time I was summoned, I was never chosen. Finally, I was chosen for a trial and was seated in the room just outside the jury box, ready to enjoy the experience. It was a trial of a young girl who had been charged with drunk driving. Just before it was time to march into the courtroom, the judge entered and announced that we had done our duty. He explained that he had encountered the defense attorneys in the hallway just before he was to enter the courtroom, and they said their client was ready to plead guilty. Her parents knew the judge and didn’t want the embarrassment of a trial before a jury. We were free to go, having done our civic duty. Another time, I was able to witness the jury-selection process as a potential juror in a child-molestation case, but the jury was completed before they got to me. I’m still waiting to serve on a full case! (I just don’t want to be sequestered!)
Wow, Dennis, this would make a terrific blog post!
My history was showing up, but not getting picked. I wanted to be on a jury, when I was young, Dad and I would sit in the gallery of various trials. So interesting.
Your dad was terrific, wasn’t he!
A rock I will always miss.
I’ve served on one, many years ago. Our jury found a business guilty for a traffic accident that caused an individual’s death. The case was pretty cut and dry in my opinion. Trial lasted only a few days.
Thank you, Tim.
I have…just once. I’ve been excused a few times….but that one experience was an eye opener! 😉
Sounds like a fascinating blog post?
Ohhh! Look at you! It could be…you’re right! Love you, Joy! 🥰
I get summoned once a year, which is fine. This last time was the closest I’ve ever come to actually sitting on a Jury. It was a case of a guy running narcotics and since I worked undercover narcotics, I’m the last guy a defense attorney wants. Now if it had been za robbery or homicide, I might have ended up serving.
Once a year is a little over the top, isn’t it? Wow!
I think so, but then I don’t always have to go in. I get a notice at once a year, but more often than not, they don’t need me and I’m not even asked in.
Funniest summons I ever got I was in Iraq, and it was the day before I was supposed to show up. My LT thought it would be a good idea to give them a call. So, that evening, I did. Carrie Deherrea was the court clerk and I remember telling her I’d received a summons but was in Iraq. “You are most definitely out of the country, Rich!” But it still gave me an excuse to call home and talk with someone I knew.
Great story, Rich!
Never managed it, for exactly the same reason!
I’ve been on two juries. One case was a slam dunk. The lawyer was trying to get his client off by a line of questioning about his history of seizures and how that can make a person appear drunk. The client decided to go rogue and say that the whole thing was fabricated. He said he was never arrested in the first place and had never met the police officers. In fact, he didn’t know why he was there. 🤣
The second case was a far more interesting case regarding ageism. An assisted living center was on trial for discrimination. They had an age requirement (you had to be a certain age to be eligible to stay there.) A woman living there married a much younger man, who supposedly lied about his age. A misplaced application added to the suspense. Someone was outright lying. Before we got to deliberations, I had to be excused because my mom fell and fractured her pelvis. I was always curious about the outcome of that case.
Fascinating, isn’t it, Pete!
Never even called. Go figure.
Not even once, huh.
I’ve been called at least four times, and have served twice. Both times I was selected to be the jury foreman. The first case was an auto accident injury claim. We decided it was a false claim after photos were exhibited showing the claimant partying on a cruise ship while supposedly being incapacitated. The second trial was in federal court. The accused was a poor schmuck who was found asleep in his car, blocking a sidewalk. They discovered a garment bag filled with marijuana in the trunk. He was convicted of being stupid.
The last time I was called I begged of due to my poor hearing.
Good for you for serving twice, even for a false claim and a schmuck.
The process of notifying citizens of potential jury duty is supposedly random. For about 14 years in St. Lucie County, Florida (Fort Pierce) Lisa would get a mailing in February. The next year it was my name. This alternated 7 times. Both called into the selection questioning several times, but not once in a trial beyond one day. It always seemed if you even appeared conservative or answered a query the wrong way, defense attorneys couldn’t dismiss you fast enough.
Makes you wonder, doesn’t it!
I’ve been called a number of times and have made it as far as jury selection, but I’ve always been rejected for the jury. A judge I knew always told me that even just showing up for the selection is participating in the process.
Rejected, huh?
In one case, they settled the just as they started to question the jurors — according to my judge friend that’s a typical tactic. Once the parties realize that a jury might make a decision they don’t like, they magically decide that a settlement is better than an unknown jury.
Aha!
I’ve never been called to serve on a jury.
Hmmm.
I’ve been called a few times, once when I had just delivered a baby. Another time I was rejected. The last time, I had to keep calling a number to see if a trial came up, but everything was settled out of court. Good! 🙂
How interesting!
Like GP, I got called in quite a few times but was never selected to be on the jury. Now that I’m over 70, I don’t get called in.
Age has its perks?
Evidently.
I served once on a civil case for three weeks and it was interesting, but while I’m working, getting summonsed is more of an inconvenience. 🙂
Wow, I imagine it would be!
No and I have used the over 70 excuse in responding to the Feds. So sorry about that fibromyalgia. Always good to hear from you, Joy.
After two dozen years of fibromyalgia, I’ve made peace with it. But last month I was diagnosed with Crohn’s which, so far, isn’t responding to steroids. Bless you for your note, Bob.