# 3 summons to same address in 2mos?? How random is this process, really? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 26, 2010, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/3-summons-to-same-address-in-2mos-how-random-is-this-process-really/526533 "2010-01-26T17:30:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Ruffian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/71e660/32.png) [@Ruffian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ruffian)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2010, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/3-summons-to-same-address-in-2mos-how-random-is-this-process-really/526533/1 "2010-01-26T17:30:29Z")
Our address received a jury summons for a prior resident (we have lived here about 2 1/2 years) about two months ago. I wrote “Return to sender–not at this address since July 2007” and put it back in the mail. Last Friday, I received a jury summons. Awesome. :rolleyes: But then Monday, _another_ prior resident of this home receievd a summons. :dubious: WTF? Three summons in less than two months? Two in two days? How random _is_ this, really? From what I understand, jury summons notices are taken from two pools: registered voters and driver’s licenses. I know for a fact the second resident requested has moved out of state and registered there, as well as (I assume) gotten a driver’s license there. Sooooo…why is she still in the pool? FTR, I seem to be very popular. I have received at least one summons a year for about six years now. It isn’t uncommon for me to get two, and in one case send proof I had already served on a jury that year. My hubby, meanwhile, has had about one summons in all this time. Boo. ---
**Author:** ![Lightnin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lightnin/32/180_2.png) [@Lightnin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lightnin)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2010, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/3-summons-to-same-address-in-2mos-how-random-is-this-process-really/526533/2 "2010-01-26T18:26:06Z")
I’ve wondered about this, myself. Over the past ten years I’ve received four jury summons. My wife? Not one.\* \*Which is funny, because I always get excused. My wife, for various reasons, would be a much more likely candidate. ---
**Author:** ![Frylock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ce7236/32.png) [@Frylock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frylock)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2010, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/3-summons-to-same-address-in-2mos-how-random-is-this-process-really/526533/3 "2010-01-26T18:31:19Z")
About how many jurors are summoned per year? ---
**Author:** ![Polycarp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/82dd89/32.png) [@Polycarp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Polycarp)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2010, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/3-summons-to-same-address-in-2mos-how-random-is-this-process-really/526533/4 "2010-01-26T19:09:19Z")
One thing is, it’s often the practice if a summoned prospective venireman does not respond to his summons, rather than haling him (or her) in by bench warrant or the like, to simply drop him from the panel of venireman _and place his name on the next panel list._ It’s the tacit equivalent of demanding his prersence, granting his request to be excused from that panel, and then requiring that he fulfill his civic duty (of serving on a panel of veniremen) at the next empaneling. That is the explanation that first occurred to me as to why the name might have come up repeatedly. Although coincidence cannot be ruled out – but “once is chance, twice is coincidence, three times is enemy action” seems to me to apply here. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![CookingWithGas](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cookingwithgas/32/485_2.png) [@CookingWithGas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CookingWithGas)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2010, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/3-summons-to-same-address-in-2mos-how-random-is-this-process-really/526533/5 "2010-01-26T19:11:32Z")
I can’t answer the question about how “random” the process is. But I can tell you there are some popular misconceptions about what “randomness” is. In a nutshell, randomness does not mean “distributed perfectly evenly.” Now, in a random process, getting three calls for jury duty at the same address might have a very low probability, but you cannot determine on that basis alone that the event is not the result of a random process. ---
**Author:** ![Serenata67](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/serenata67/32/10646_2.png) [@Serenata67](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Serenata67)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2010, 4:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/3-summons-to-same-address-in-2mos-how-random-is-this-process-really/526533/6 "2010-01-27T04:16:36Z")
My husband and I were served with Jury Duty summons within a couple weeks of each other. Then, about two months later, my brother (who lives with us) got his summons. Three people currently living at the same address all within about three-four months. ---
**Author:** ![aruvqan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aruvqan/32/2891_2.png) [@aruvqan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aruvqan)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2010, 8:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/3-summons-to-same-address-in-2mos-how-random-is-this-process-really/526533/7 "2010-01-27T08:29:08Z")
No clue I get one once a year like clockwork. No big deal, though I have never gotten a real juicy case [yet] mrAru has never gotten one. :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![butler1850](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/779978/32.png) [@butler1850](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/butler1850)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2010, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/3-summons-to-same-address-in-2mos-how-random-is-this-process-really/526533/8 "2010-01-27T15:22:37Z")
I very much want one. Years ago, I was called, and went in to serve, but nobody waiting in my room was empaneled… we were never even called out of the waiting room. Though, I wonder, if I’d be excused due to a paralegal wife, and a State Cop uncle (different state than I live in though). I’d like to serve on a jury at least once. ---
**Author:** ![Tastes\_of\_Chocolate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tastes_of_chocolate/32/3232_2.png) [@Tastes\_of\_Chocolate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tastes_of_Chocolate)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2010, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/3-summons-to-same-address-in-2mos-how-random-is-this-process-really/526533/9 "2010-01-27T20:40:01Z")
My friends and I have talked about this before. It seems that we fall into 2 catagories. Those that get regular summons and those that never get summoned. We are all in our early 40s, home owners, post-high school education. All have drivers licenses, some are registered to vote but not all. All of us have lived in the state for at least 5 years, most over 10. ---
**Author:** ![UncleFred](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/f0a364/32.png) [@UncleFred](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleFred)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2010, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/3-summons-to-same-address-in-2mos-how-random-is-this-process-really/526533/10 "2010-01-28T02:56:51Z")
Here in Massachusetts you are exempt (‘disqualified’, actually) from jury duty for 3 years after serving. Then you go back into a pool from which jurors are ‘randomly’ selected. But my wife gets a summons exactly every 3 years. Me? Twice in 25 years.