# Jury Duty: Do you try to get out of it? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [February 16, 2012, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jury-duty-do-you-try-to-get-out-of-it/613040 "2012-02-16T16:49:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![lindsaybluth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/90db22/32.png) [@lindsaybluth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lindsaybluth)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2012, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jury-duty-do-you-try-to-get-out-of-it/613040/81 "2012-02-21T16:12:20Z")
So if your spouse is a lawyer or cop you can’t serve? Guess I’ll be outta commission in 2014. ---
**Author:** ![EddyTeddyFreddy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eddyteddyfreddy/32/18796_2.png) [@EddyTeddyFreddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EddyTeddyFreddy)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2012, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jury-duty-do-you-try-to-get-out-of-it/613040/82 "2012-02-21T16:18:25Z")
> [@lindsaybluth](#): > > So if your spouse is a lawyer or cop you can’t serve? > > Guess I’ll be outta commission in 2014. Not entirely true; a law enforcement connection will probably keep you off a criminal jury but be no impediment to service in a civil case. And a lawyer spouse is unlikely to influence your selection for either civil or criminal unless s/he practices in the same field of law or has some connection to the parties or attorneys involved. ---
**Author:** ![TommyTutone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c4cdca/32.png) [@TommyTutone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TommyTutone)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2012, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jury-duty-do-you-try-to-get-out-of-it/613040/83 "2012-02-21T16:31:23Z")
On three occasions I have been summoned as a backup but did not have to go. One time I went and during voir dire, explained that I had tickets to Ukraine in two days and would be happy to serve if I knew I could be out in time for the flight to adopt a child. I was excused. One time I served on a civil case. Most recently in October I was summoned but it was deferred as I had been in a scuba diving accident and could not drive until a couple of weeks ago. Still waiting for the mail to come through to make up for it. I enjoy the process minus the going downtown (Atlanta) in the morning. ---
**Author:** ![lindsaybluth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/90db22/32.png) [@lindsaybluth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lindsaybluth)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2012, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jury-duty-do-you-try-to-get-out-of-it/613040/84 "2012-02-21T16:42:34Z")
> [@EddyTeddyFreddy](#): > > Not entirely true; a law enforcement connection will probably keep you off a criminal jury but be no impediment to service in a civil case. And a lawyer spouse is unlikely to influence your selection for either civil or criminal unless s/he practices in the same field of law or has some connection to the parties or attorneys involved. A ha, very interesting. Thanks for clarifying! ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2012, 5:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jury-duty-do-you-try-to-get-out-of-it/613040/85 "2012-02-22T05:32:58Z")
I’m not eligible to serve as a juror in my jurisdiction, since I’m a lawyer; automatic disqualification. I got a notice a couple of years ago and just sent a note to the sheriff’s office, explaining that I was disqualified; got a form letter back a bit later, agreeing that I could not serve and did not need to turn up at the jury selection. ---
**Author:** ![Azeotrope](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/0ea827/32.png) [@Azeotrope](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Azeotrope)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2012, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jury-duty-do-you-try-to-get-out-of-it/613040/86 "2012-02-22T14:41:19Z")
I’ve never been summoned but I’d do it if I had to, unless it was one of my major deadlines because there’s no one to take over my work. Slight hijack… One summer during college I worked at the courthouse for the jury board. It was the most brain-numbing job I ever had. Mostly what we had to do was open the questionnaires when they were sent back and sort them into “eligible” vs. “ineligible” piles. To combat the boredom we started keeping a list of the most whacky excuses. The ones I remember: I have large toe ulcers I love hearing descriptions of violence too much I’m crazy, ask my doctor The all-time winner was some old geezer who wrote, with a Magic Marker, all over his paper: **I GET THE SHITS!** ---
**Author:** ![Kimballkid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b5a626/32.png) [@Kimballkid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimballkid)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2012, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jury-duty-do-you-try-to-get-out-of-it/613040/87 "2012-02-22T14:46:57Z")
I served on one once, it was a two day trial for an assault and some other things. I thought it was a unique and interesting experience. To actually answer the question, I wouldn’t lie to get out of it as it is my civic duty. Also, I wouldn’t have to go to work and I’d also get paid for it from both the county and my job. ---
**Author:** ![Kimballkid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b5a626/32.png) [@Kimballkid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimballkid)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2012, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jury-duty-do-you-try-to-get-out-of-it/613040/88 "2012-02-22T14:52:41Z")
> [@Lanzy](#): > > As in the other thread, I just ignore the summons. Worked so far. If pressed to show up via threats from the court, I would try to get out of it. I have no interest in serving at all, just like voting I would have no impact on the process. This is kind of a strange statement. If you’re only one of twelve people empaneled, you sure as heck could have an impact. > [@Wheelz](#): > > I couldn’t find a definitive number, but it’s my understanding that sequestration is fairly rare. Maybe someone who knows more about it (or is a better googler than I) will come along and provide a percentage. We weren’t sequestered on the two day trial I was on, they just sent us home for the night and told us not to talk about it. ---
**Author:** ![glee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b5a626/32.png) [@glee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/glee)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2012, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jury-duty-do-you-try-to-get-out-of-it/613040/89 "2012-02-22T15:10:36Z")
Reading this thread makes me even more determined never to commit a crime. :smack: Many replies here sound like a politician declining high office: “If served notification, I will not reply; if questioned for selection, I will not answer; if chosen, I will not serve.” ---
**Author:** ![SciFiSam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/47e85d/32.png) [@SciFiSam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SciFiSam)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2012, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jury-duty-do-you-try-to-get-out-of-it/613040/90 "2012-02-22T15:20:50Z")
> [@Quartz](#): > > That **is** a lot of money for someone who’s unemployed. But it’s expenses only. And you could always take your child into court. 😃 If you were unemployed, you wouldn’t get that money, just travel costs. ---
**Author:** ![Huerta88](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/82dd89/32.png) [@Huerta88](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Huerta88)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2012, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jury-duty-do-you-try-to-get-out-of-it/613040/91 "2012-02-22T17:10:48Z")
> [@glee](#): > > "If served notification, I will not reply; No one better do that. My local court is staffed by incompetents who didn’t manage to process my deferral form (you can defer every so many summonses for specific reasons, and I qualified), but managed quite handily to issue a bench warrant for my arrest for contempt. I went and got it expunged, but I carried that signed order around in my wallet for months in case I got pulled over and the old warrant somehow was still in the cop’s computer. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jury-duty-do-you-try-to-get-out-of-it/613040.md?page=4)