I have a summons to serve jury duty in a federal court (in the U.S., for international readers). It was delivered by ordinary mail and asks me to complete and return a qualifying questionaire. What are the consequences of ignoring it? I’m assuming that if they can’t prove service, they can’t hold me responsible for failing to respond. Am I wrong?
Also, is there anything I could write on the questionaire that would indicate unsuitability for duty without enraging a judge? Maybe something like “I firmly believe that the police only arrest guilty people.” Would that work?
I don’t want to seem less than civic-minded, but unlike the system in most local jurisdictions, federal jury duty can last for months. You don’t necessarily have to appear every day, but you have to call a number every morning to find out whether you are required to appear for a selection panel that day. Meaning neither you nor your family nor your employer can plan even one day ahead. And then if you are actually put on a jury, it is likely to be a complex, long-term case (federal, remember?). My feeling is that an idiotic system deserves to be thwarted.