The trick is to say that you’re prejudiced against all races.
I’ve never been called for jury duty despite being eligible for ~7 years. I wonder if you can get an exemption if you can’t physically get to the courthouse (nondrivers, etc). That’s not an issue for me now that I live in the city and the courthouse is busable, but if I would have had to try to get one when I lived in a small town.
STORY 1:
I recall reading a news article of a defense lawyer interviewing potential jurors, and after many minutes of reading his questionaire, stopped and looked at the older woman sitting in front of him. She looked familiar, so he asked, “Do we know each other?” She calmly replied, “Yes, you were defending client Smith in front of my bench last month.” Turns out she was the Superior Court judge!!!
Not sure I’d want a judge on my jury, either. She’d probably be taking notes where I’d messed up.
STORY 2:
I have a friend who’s father is an ER PHysician and Director of Emergency Services for a major St. Louis hospital. He was called to the jury for a malpractice suit against one of the physicians on staff at the hospital. Needless to say, he didn’t serve.
I’ve never been called; which really bums me, as my job pays me while I serve on a jury. And I’d enjoy it. I’ve heard it can be fascinating.
Eli
I’d gladly serve on a jury, but only during the summer. Like Ruffian, as a teacher I get irate when they call me at the start of school. Last year they called me for the first week of school. I got a postponement for that, then another for a medical reason. Then they summoned me for another jury at a different courthouse (at the same time). I wrote to the first courthouse, telling them of this and saying that I would serve my jury duty at the second one. They excused me.
There should be a way to request to serve at certain times. It would be a fun way to spend July.
I’ve only ever been called once. This was in Ohio when you actually went to jury duty the full two weeks, if they needed you on a jury or not so I learned to play bridge while there.
Went to voir dire twice but wasn’t asked to serve, the first was a medical malpractice case and since I work in insurance I knew I wouldn’t be called. I don’t recall the details of the second but it seems it was a gang shooting or something like that.
I’ve been called three times in the last 10 years. Each summons was for Superior Court for a two week period. I’ve served on juries everytime I served. They REALLY seem to like me.
My last summons was last fall. I served on three juries. All three were criminal trials.
I find trial process fascinating. The waiting to be called for voir dire stuff is kind of boring; but I talk meet new people and take a book.
I kind of look forward to being called. I’m lucky; my job continues to pay me while serving. My bosses aren’t happy when I’m called, but they haven’t come up with a real good reason for why I should be excused…yet.
I’m 33, and I’ve been called to jury duty 4 times, twice in Harris County, TX and twice in Collin County, TX. The one time I made it past the waiting room, I was picked for the jury, and ended up foreman. It was pretty much a slam-dunk case.
The weird thing was that each time I got called, it was just about the minimum period after the previous time- 9 months? 1 year?
Now that I was actually on a jury, they haven’t called my name in something like 5 years.
In California, at least, you must be a citizen to serve on a jury. I would guess it’s the same in every state.
In California, only peace officers are automatically exempt for jury duty. The judge of the trial I served on didn’t let anyone off for hardship. She compared jury duty to the draft–citizens get called to serve the public from time to time, so straighten up and do it. One of the other jurors was a small-business owner who basically depended on friends to keep his shop open while serving.
I didn’t get any time of off either–I basically worked nights and weekends to avoid burning too much vacation. Of course, two months after the trial ended, my company changed its jury policy. Grrr, that bugged me.
Despite the hardships, jury did give me some confidence in the judicial system. I hope we never get rid of the jury system.
After my husband moved to Idaho, he was called within a year of getting his license. And he just received another summons two weeks ago for September. Then there’s me - I have been licensed for … erm … 21? years and I’m a registered voter with only one lapse. I finally got called - I just received the summons - for September also. :smack: And since I’m a SAHM the $5/$10 will not cover the cost of a babysitter - at least my daughter will be in school all day this year…
Man, if we could volunteer for selected times that would so rock.
I’m 36, been a licensed driver and registered voter in this county for twenty years and only been called twice. Never even got to voir dire either time, they filled up before getting to me.
Work pays us 8 hours to serve and it’s about a zillion degrees at work right now, hell yes I want to do my civic duty! 
So are people serving in the military or underaged or who are not going to be in town and a couple other reasons.
I’m pretty sure they’re required to pay you while you’re in jury duty, just like they’re required to keep you on if you sign up for the Reserves or National Guard. You should look into this, though it may have been too long ago. (Then again, I could be wrong.)
I was called for jury duty in September 1998. At the time I was registered to vote in my hometown. I wrote to the court and said that I’d just started law school in Gainesville. I got a letter soon after that excusing me from jury duty.
Quite a few people at my office have been called for jury duty lately, which is odd considering that we’re a bunch of lawyers/journalists. I’m wondering how long it’ll be before I’m called again.