# How Often Do You Get Jury Duty? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [February 22, 2003, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-you-get-jury-duty/156840 "2003-02-22T22:14:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![RadioWave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/91b2a8/32.png) [@RadioWave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RadioWave)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2003, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-you-get-jury-duty/156840/1 "2003-02-22T22:14:00Z")
This is just a simple poll to see how frequently people in different parts of the world get jury duty and what it entails. For instance, here in Los Angeles, California we frequently get cards in the mail telling us we have jury duty for a specific week. For that week, we either show up at a courtroom or call a number to see if we’re needed. Once there, we sit around until a judge requests a panel at which point we all go to a a courtroom and sit through a _voir dire_. If selected, we’re part of the jury for that trial until it completes. If not selected, we go home and enjoy our lives until the next card arrives. The frequency seems to depend on where you live. I spent 10 years in Sacramento and only got called twice. In Los Angeles, however, I’ve been called five times in six years. What’s it like where you live? ---
**Author:** ![BadBaby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/71c47a/32.png) [@BadBaby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BadBaby)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2003, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-you-get-jury-duty/156840/2 "2003-02-22T22:40:23Z")
I get called all the freakin’ time! Just got another notice this week. About once a year I’m ordered down to the courthouse basement. Packed in with a zillion other people we spend all day sitting in sticky chairs, breathing mold infested air, with me desperately trying to ignore The Ricky Lake show they’ve got blaring. Not good for a misanthope with borderline social anxiety disorder. Ah well, civic duty and all that. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2003, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-you-get-jury-duty/156840/3 "2003-02-22T22:51:14Z")
I’ve been called twice in about eight years. You get a two-year exemption around here if you are called. ---
**Author:** ![Seldon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/958977/32.png) [@Seldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Seldon)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2003, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-you-get-jury-duty/156840/4 "2003-02-23T00:20:56Z")
I’ve been really lucky. I’ve been called twice (in 6 years of residence), but both times I was out of state with the military. My husband was called up while he was out of the country. Obviously, neither of us had to show up. ---
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2003, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-you-get-jury-duty/156840/5 "2003-02-23T00:27:20Z")
I’ve been in Florida since 1987, only called once. I had to show up, and I was in fact picked for a attempted murder jury. This was maybe 4 or 5 years ago. ---
**Author:** ![Lsura](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7993a0/32.png) [@Lsura](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lsura)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2003, 12:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-you-get-jury-duty/156840/6 "2003-02-23T00:29:11Z")
I’ve been a voter for 11 years, in every town/state I’ve lived in, and I’ve never been called. I’m perfectly willing to serve, but I couldn’t tell you why it’s never happened. ---
**Author:** ![5\_time\_champ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/5/278dde/32.png) [@5\_time\_champ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/5_time_champ)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2003, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-you-get-jury-duty/156840/7 "2003-02-23T00:52:10Z")
I have lived in St Louis County for 20 years now. I have been called once about 8 years ago, was the foreman of the jury that convicted the defendant of armed robbery. If you live in the City of St Louis you get called about every other year. ---
**Author:** ![Ringo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/779978/32.png) [@Ringo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ringo)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2003, 1:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-you-get-jury-duty/156840/8 "2003-02-23T01:04:26Z")
I’ve been a registered voter for over 30 years, and I’ve been called about 10 times. I _have_ been summoned twice within a few months; one was for a federal court and the other was county - I don’t know if they communicate regarding the juror pool or not. ---
**Author:** ![Fern\_Forest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/71c47a/32.png) [@Fern\_Forest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fern_Forest)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2003, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-you-get-jury-duty/156840/9 "2003-02-23T01:14:10Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Lsura \* > \*\*I’ve been a voter for 11 years, in every town/state I’ve lived in, and I’ve never been called. I’m perfectly willing to serve, but I couldn’t tell you why it’s never happened. \*\* I can give that a perfect ditto. ---
**Author:** ![notfrommensa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/f14d63/32.png) [@notfrommensa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/notfrommensa)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2003, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-you-get-jury-duty/156840/10 "2003-02-23T02:53:30Z")
Registered voter in several states (NY, FL, GA, TN, MS, MO) for 24 years and never been called for Jury duty. ---
**Author:** ![Frostillicus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Frostillicus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frostillicus)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2003, 3:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-you-get-jury-duty/156840/11 "2003-02-23T03:35:57Z")
I have been a registered voter in Illinois since 1976 and have been called for jury duty four times, which seems reasonable to me. Of those four times, I was actually placed on a jury only once. ---
**Author:** ![lorene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/65b543/32.png) [@lorene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lorene)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2003, 3:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-you-get-jury-duty/156840/12 "2003-02-23T03:37:13Z")
I just got called for duty in May. In MA, you can only be called every 3 years and, even through it is supposedly random, I got my card almost 3 years to the day of my last sevice. I honestly don’t mind. Last time, I was almost on a jury, but the defendant’s lawyer eliminated me for reasons unknown. I have to say, I was a little insulted. ---
**Author:** ![Geobabe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/geobabe/32/3908_2.png) [@Geobabe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Geobabe)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2003, 4:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-you-get-jury-duty/156840/13 "2003-02-23T04:11:14Z")
I’ve been registered in VA, CO and FL for a total of almost 20 years and recently got called for the very first time, here in FL. ---
**Author:** ![Angel\_of\_the\_Lord](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/angel_of_the_lord/32/2949_2.png) [@Angel\_of\_the\_Lord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Angel_of_the_Lord)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2003, 4:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-you-get-jury-duty/156840/14 "2003-02-23T04:32:58Z")
In Illinois, jury duty is based on your driver’s license, not your voter registration. At least, I think so. I’ve never been called, and I’m both registered to vote and a licensed driver. ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2003, 5:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-you-get-jury-duty/156840/15 "2003-02-23T05:07:09Z")
Registered Voter for 22 years and never been called. ---
**Author:** ![Eva\_Luna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e495f1/32.png) [@Eva\_Luna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eva_Luna)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2003, 5:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-you-get-jury-duty/156840/16 "2003-02-23T05:46:21Z")
Registered voter for 16 years; I’ve been called three times. Once I was in school out of state, so they let me off. Once I was post-surgical and on crutches, so they postponed for 6 months. Then I went, but never got called for voir dire. The last time, about 18 months ago, I was finally impaneled for the dumbest case ever; damages only (liability already admitted) for a relatively minor car crash case. What a waste that the parties couldn’t manage to settle! The verdict was almost exactly what the defendant’s insurance company had already offered. ---
**Author:** ![tarragon918](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d26b3c/32.png) [@tarragon918](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tarragon918)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2003, 6:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-you-get-jury-duty/156840/17 "2003-02-23T06:09:59Z")
Been a registered voter since 1972 in PA, DE, DC and MD. Was first called in PA in 1972, but was in school in DE so was excused. Never called in DE or DC. Have been called on twice in MD, where I have lived since 1979–once about 6-7 years ago, I actually got as far as having to call the night before to see if my name was going to be in the pool (first or last half of the alphabet, I think), but it wasn’t. A couple of years ago, I got a questionnaire, filled it out and mailed it back, but never heard anything more. So, I’ve never gotten as far as the courthouse. Yet. Might be a small problem if I do, though–our county seat is not very accessible for non-drivers; there is a county-run bus that runs there, but the last run is at 7 pm–woe unto any non-driving juror whose trial runs late, eh? ---
**Author:** ![Lissa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/85f322/32.png) [@Lissa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lissa)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2003, 6:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-you-get-jury-duty/156840/18 "2003-02-23T06:43:47Z")
I’ve only been called up once, but nothing ever came of it. I’d actually love to be on a jury. A friend of mine was a juror on a murder case, but even if I only got to sit in on a misdemenor, I’d enjoy being a part of the trial, and watching our justice system work. Reading the responses, however, I fear I’ll never get a chance. ---
**Author:** ![Wysiwig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/b2d939/32.png) [@Wysiwig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wysiwig)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2003, 7:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-you-get-jury-duty/156840/19 "2003-02-23T07:43:12Z")
I UK once in a lifetime and they have’t caught up with me yet. ---
**Author:** ![GusNSpot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gusnspot/32/436_2.png) [@GusNSpot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GusNSpot)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2003, 7:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-you-get-jury-duty/156840/20 "2003-02-23T07:58:53Z")
4-5 times if I reacll right and only once didn’t get in on something. Got to be forman on one and the judge said it was OK to ware my biker stuff the next day. ( I asked) You should have seen the looks from the lawyers. Bwahahahahah [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-you-get-jury-duty/156840.md?page=2)