# What's a legit cause for jury-summons deferment or excuse? (need answer fast) **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [April 8, 2022, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-a-legit-cause-for-jury-summons-deferment-or-excuse-need-answer-fast/962545 "2022-04-08T21:33:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2022, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-a-legit-cause-for-jury-summons-deferment-or-excuse-need-answer-fast/962545/1 "2022-04-08T21:33:38Z")
Just got a jury summons today, and it coincides with when I was going to travel to Taiwan for a year (flight is this June - the juror summons requires me to be on call for May to July.) Never tried to get a deferment before - is “I already bought the plane tickets” legit cause? I am also a student taking online classes, but that seems like a weak excuse. How legit does one’s excuses have to be? ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2022, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-a-legit-cause-for-jury-summons-deferment-or-excuse-need-answer-fast/962545/2 "2022-04-08T21:38:43Z")
In every court I’ve been in, “I already bought plane tickets” is a good excuse. Especially if you’re going to be out of the country for a long time. They don’t expect you do cancel your plans to be in Taiwan for a year on their account. Just deal with it before you go, so they can excuse you. Judges vary on excuses for classes, etc., but most will try to accommodate you. Some cases are three days, and you might not need an excuse. Some are three months, and a ton of people will have some kind of hardship excuse that will have to be acknowledged. ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2022, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-a-legit-cause-for-jury-summons-deferment-or-excuse-need-answer-fast/962545/3 "2022-04-08T21:42:05Z")
Thanks. Does it require me to show up at court and present my tickets/proof of purchase, etc.? ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2022, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-a-legit-cause-for-jury-summons-deferment-or-excuse-need-answer-fast/962545/4 "2022-04-08T21:44:10Z")
That’s going to really vary by jurisdiction. In my small county, I can just call the jury coordinator and work it out. Others probably require more. I only see the jurors who make it to the courtroom. In that setting, judges take your word for it (but you are under oath) . ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2022, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-a-legit-cause-for-jury-summons-deferment-or-excuse-need-answer-fast/962545/5 "2022-04-08T21:50:14Z")
Thanks. My other concern is that I hear jury duty can only be deferred once. I would hate to get out of it this time, but then the next time, this Texas court summons me but I’m living in Taiwan at the time but then am not allowed to defer a 2nd time - or is being out of the country always a legit reason to avoid duty? ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2022, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-a-legit-cause-for-jury-summons-deferment-or-excuse-need-answer-fast/962545/6 "2022-04-08T22:23:42Z")
The first time I was called for jury duty, we had just put down deposits on a vacation rental house (the first week was so my wife could attend a work related seminar). We called and asked what could be done and they told us to have her boss write up a letter verifying the situation and they would reschedule – and they did. No muss, no fuss. A month ago, I was called for jury duty and was prepared to serve. I was one of the first to arrive and I sat over in a corner by myself but after an hour and a half, the combined perfumes and colognes of the other draftees gave me a monster headache and it was getting difficult to breathe. When the judge asked who needed to be excused, I went up to the bench and told her my asthma was kicking up and the colognes/perfumes… and that was as far as I got, she dismissed me toot sweet. Just took my word for it. ---
**Author:** ![bob\_2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bob_2/32/3341_2.png) [@bob\_2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bob_2)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2022, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-a-legit-cause-for-jury-summons-deferment-or-excuse-need-answer-fast/962545/7 "2022-04-08T22:35:57Z")
You could try the “Sugar Daddy” ploy. A prospective juror for the sentencing of Parkland school shooter Nikol as Cruz asked the judge to dismiss her from duty earlier this week, claiming she didn’t have enough time to fulfil her civic duty because she’s both married and has “a sugar daddy.” > **[Parkland shooting: Potential Nikolas Cruz sentencing juror says she can't be...](https://www.foxnews.com/us/parkland-shooting-nikolas-cruz-sentencing-sugar-daddy)** > > A prospective juror for the sentencing of Parkland school shooter Nikolas Cruz asked the judge to dismiss her from duty earlier this week, claiming she didn’t have enough time to fulfill her civic duty because she’s both married and has “a sugar... ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2022, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-a-legit-cause-for-jury-summons-deferment-or-excuse-need-answer-fast/962545/8 "2022-04-09T00:19:21Z")
I’m going to bet that she has neither very long after this. So she can serve. ---
**Author:** ![suranyi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e36b37/32.png) [@suranyi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/suranyi)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2022, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-a-legit-cause-for-jury-summons-deferment-or-excuse-need-answer-fast/962545/9 "2022-04-09T00:28:35Z")
In my county, we can defer jury duty once for any reason, or no reason. I’ve done it many times when I had a conflict. You have to specify an alternative date, and on that day they don’t accept excuses. ---
**Author:** ![carrps](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carrps/32/2957_2.png) [@carrps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carrps)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2022, 12:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-a-legit-cause-for-jury-summons-deferment-or-excuse-need-answer-fast/962545/10 "2022-04-09T00:29:59Z")
Yeah, I’ve had to defer a few times, and it’s never an issue. But I do think it’s only one deferment per “call.” ---
**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:** [April 9, 2022, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-a-legit-cause-for-jury-summons-deferment-or-excuse-need-answer-fast/962545/11 "2022-04-09T01:03:54Z")
I’ve had to defer in the past. They just took down my name and said they’d call me the next time. But if you don’t tell them, and you don’t show up . . . well, you may find a policeman at your door. ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2022, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-a-legit-cause-for-jury-summons-deferment-or-excuse-need-answer-fast/962545/12 "2022-04-09T02:21:38Z")
> [@Velocity](#): > > Thanks. My other concern is that I hear jury duty can only be deferred once. I would hate to get out of it this time, but then the next time, this Texas court summons me but I’m living in Taiwan at the time but then am not allowed to defer a 2nd time - or is being out of the country always a legit reason to avoid duty? If you are living in Taiwan, isn’t “I no longer live in Texas” a good enough excuse? For that matter, what if I owned two homes (which we do)? Can I be like “I don’t live in XYZ County anymore”? ---
**Author:** ![Mallard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b9bd4f/32.png) [@Mallard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mallard)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2022, 2:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-a-legit-cause-for-jury-summons-deferment-or-excuse-need-answer-fast/962545/13 "2022-04-09T02:58:03Z")
> [@bob\_2](#): > > You could try the “Sugar Daddy” ploy. > > A prospective juror for the sentencing of Parkland school shooter Nikol as Cruz asked the judge to dismiss her from duty earlier this week, claiming she didn’t have enough time to fulfil her civic duty because she’s both married and has “a sugar daddy.” > > [Parkland shooting: Potential Nikolas Cruz sentencing juror says she can't be on jury because of 'sugar daddy'](https://www.foxnews.com/us/parkland-shooting-nikolas-cruz-sentencing-sugar-daddy) Da\*n that’s funny! 🤣 ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2022, 6:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-a-legit-cause-for-jury-summons-deferment-or-excuse-need-answer-fast/962545/14 "2022-04-09T06:18:18Z")
> [@bob\_2](#): > > . . . she didn’t have enough time to fulfil her civic duty because she’s both married and has “a sugar daddy.” Just in case anyone here didn’t click on that article: TL;DR: It worked! The judge dismissed her. 🙄 ---
**Author:** ![CairoCarol](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cairocarol/32/3825_2.png) [@CairoCarol](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CairoCarol)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2022, 6:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-a-legit-cause-for-jury-summons-deferment-or-excuse-need-answer-fast/962545/15 "2022-04-09T06:36:40Z")
I’m sure the rules vary by jurisdiction, but I’ve been called for jury duty about a zillion times in Hawaii and I’ve been legitimately excused every time, including just a few days ago. I’d actually love to serve on a jury and have been disappointed each time I had to explain why I couldn’t. My latest excuse related to the fact that I was called to serve at the court in West Hawai’i, whereas I live in East Hawai’i. The rules say you can be exempted if you live more than 70 miles away, which I do, and as much as I’d like to be a juror I don’t want to drive150 miles/day for who knows how long in order to serve. The not-so-fine print on the Hawai’i jury summons explains everything you need to know about who is exempt and how you go about claiming an exemption if you are requesting one. I would think that @Velocity 's summons would tell him everything he needs to know about how to be excused (the Hawaii County summons gave me the option of submitting a copy of my itinerary if travel plans were my reason for asking to be exempt). ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2022, 6:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-a-legit-cause-for-jury-summons-deferment-or-excuse-need-answer-fast/962545/16 "2022-04-09T06:56:06Z")
> [@msmith537](#): > > For that matter, what if I owned two homes (which we do)? Can I be like “I don’t live in XYZ County anymore”? Where are you registered to vote? ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2022, 8:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-a-legit-cause-for-jury-summons-deferment-or-excuse-need-answer-fast/962545/17 "2022-04-09T08:47:49Z")
> [@RealityChuck](#): > > But if you don’t tell them, and you don’t show up . . . well, you may find a policeman at your door. Bullshit. There simply aren’t the resources to go after the myriad people who don’t answer their summons, many of whom never saw it because they moved or something. I never shirk jury duty but the best way to get out of it isn’t to come up with an excuse, it’s to just toss the summons in the trash. How can they prove that you actually got it? Your scenario virtually will never happen. ---
**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:** [April 9, 2022, 12:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-a-legit-cause-for-jury-summons-deferment-or-excuse-need-answer-fast/962545/18 "2022-04-09T12:36:03Z")
I only know what the court clerk said in court about those who weren’t present. Maybe she was lying. The cops probably weren’t going to arrest anyone, but they would be there to make sure it didn’t happen again. And while it might not involve cops, the Commissioner of Jurors would need to take some sort of action to make sure people don’t ignore the summons. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2022, 12:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-a-legit-cause-for-jury-summons-deferment-or-excuse-need-answer-fast/962545/19 "2022-04-09T12:47:17Z")
Another legit excuse: having an earworm that compels you to break out into [this song](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HsZ3DT4rRWc) at unpredictable moments. ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2022, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-a-legit-cause-for-jury-summons-deferment-or-excuse-need-answer-fast/962545/20 "2022-04-09T15:07:57Z")
> [@RealityChuck](#): > > I only know what the court clerk said in court about those who weren’t present. Maybe she was lying. She was lying. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-a-legit-cause-for-jury-summons-deferment-or-excuse-need-answer-fast/962545.md?page=2)