So last week a got a summons for jury duty in US district court. Well not actual jury duty; I’m only “on call” for jury duty for the month of November. Then on Friday the opportunity of lifetime arose at work; a possible 6-8 week overseas assignment working with a new vendor. I’ve never had a chance to do anything this before, and it would help my career in so many ways. Things are moving really fast; I have an internal interview Monday, and will know by Wednesday at the latest if I’ve been selected. The catch is depending on which group I’m picked for I could have to leave in as little as 2 weeks (the later option would be toward the end of October) which obviously conflicts with jury duty.
That’s literally the only obstacle I’d face leaving such short notice (being a single childless male sure comes in handy sometimes). I’ve served in state court once before, and am absolutely willing to do my duty in federal court. I just desperately need it rescheduled for after the new year. So anybody have any experience with getting federal jury duty rescheduled? How do I best increase my chances of succeeding? I’m desperate and freaking out over this. I’m willing to literally to beg on my knees in front the court staff. Am I overthinking this? Could it be as simple of bringing a letter from my employer with travel dates to the court?
I did show my direct supervisor my summons the day after I got it, but he just brushed it off because we wouldn’t need to do anything until later if I’m called. This was before any overseas stuff came up, and he hasn’t mentioned it since. The uncertainty is killing me. One of the key things that’s been stressed is that if selected we need to make a firm commitment & start making arrangement immediately. I’m so afraid this could cost me the chance of a lifetime I actually briefly considered just going regardless of what the court says, and risking the $1,000 fine (and/or 3d in jail) when I get back, but I do really how incredibly stupid that would be. Anybody been in a similar situation? What are my chances? Am I making a routine request of the court, or asking for the Moon on a silver platter? Any advice?
I don’t have any experience federally or in PA, but there is a 99% chance that they will say “okay.” Usually there’s a box to check where you can put when you think you’ll have more free time. They may want an explanation or not, either way yours is very credible.
Look at the form. There is usually an option for asking for a deferral for a later date. If you see that, then fill it out and send it in.
If you don’t see that, you can normally get the jury duty moved if you can show the court that you have travel booked (at least in the states where I have served). Just go ahead with interview process at work. If you get the gig, then contact the court and work through how you demonstrate to them that you will be out of the country for a work assignment at that time. In my experience, the court has required seeing travel documents. It may be different where you are.
I got one for a time right at the end of spring term when I would be giving finals and all that.
So I called and asked for a time change to summer break. They seemed to be actually pleased that I was intending to show up at some point so they rescheduled me.
Turned out I wasn’t even called in for the new dates.
The day after my wife finalized her conference in N. Carolina (which we tacked vacation onto the end)–deposits made, pet sitter lined-up, etc.–the county notice for jury duty showed up in the mail. Her boss wrote a letter to the local sachem explaining the predicament and they said, No problem, we’ll reschedule. And they did. Not sure if the outcome would have been the same if it was just vacation. Didn’t make it to Round 2 jury-pick, anyway. They actually seem pleased when you offer to reschedule.
As all the others have said a one time postponement for scheduled travel is almost never a problem. I got notice of jury duty several times in my youth but I was always either away at school or the military. There was never a problem rescheduling. Since then other things have kept me off jury duty without me trying.
I got a jury duty notice a few years ago. I was kind of stressing out about it, and predictably enough, I had fairly serious bowel issues the morning I was to report in. I called the number on the notice letter, essentially calling in sick, and the clerk said he’d have to check with the judge. Ten minutes later he called back and said it was okay, and that was it. I was expecting to get a letter about rescheduling, and when that didn’t happen, to be called in again the next year, but that didn’t happen either.
When I was called up for jury duty, I was allowed one “no questions asked” deferral. The first deferral was given automatically. You only had to provide a reason if you asked for another deferral afterwards.
That you all for the advice. It was decided that I’d be moved to a wave tentatively planed to leave in December rather than being sent over next week (or Saturday) like they were going to. And I might being going to a different country than my first choice depending on business needs, but I don’t really care about that. So I went threw a wide range of emotions today, but at least now I can buy groceries.
chiming in late, but I was able to defer when I was called during the same time was was getting recertified at work. The recertification is only offered twice yearly, so if I went to jury duty, I"d be uncertified for 6 month, really affecting my ability to work. As previous posters have said, there was a space on the jury duty letter that I filled in asking to reschedule for a couple months later. I got a new letter back with new dates. I was 'On call" for 2 weeks and never did have to go to the court house.