Wait, how do we know if you're telling it correctly? Weren't YOU the defendant? I'm calling the District Attorney's Office the first thing in the morning. Grrrrrrr.
Over the years, I have been summoned for jury duty about eight or nine times, and I have served on juries approximately five times. I am one of those rare birds who would welcome not only more summons, but also the opportunity to be called a trial and sit on a jury every single time. So far, I have never done anything to try to "get out of" jury duty, and I cannot ever imagine myself trying it in the future. Now that I am newly retired, I am more eligible to sit on a Grand jury, and I look forward to beginning that application process immediately.
Jury summons were generated based on public records such as the census, voter registration, drivers license filings, property tax filings, etc.
In my county years ago, 400 people per week were called. Monday morning the potential jurors would assemble at about 7 am, check in was 7:30 am, and the courtrooms upstairs would receive a report of how many people were available at about 8:30. For a criminal trial requiring 12 jurors and 2 alternate jurors, 38 people would be sent to that courtroom for voir dire just after 9:00. Depending on the number of courtrooms needing juries, the room might empty out by 10:30 or 11, when those remaining would be sent to lunch. In the courtroom, however, a decision would be made between the prosecution, the defense, or the judge as to whether or not a person would be dismissed to return to the jury pool, or be dismissed from jury duty fully for that summons. As such, the original number of 400 would fluctuate all day long. Those either not called to go to a courtroom at all on Monday or who were returned to the jury pool from a courtroom were expected to report back daily at 7:30 am until Thursday. If never called again by Thursday at close of business, or if continually sent back, that person's jury obligation was fulfilled. By the time I was called the second instance of jury duty, they had changed it to allowing people to call in on Tuesday to Thursday to see of they were needed, instead of appearing in person. In the past few years, however, they have adopted a one-day, one-trial system. You only report on Monday, and if you're never sent to a courtroom or if you're dismissed from a courtroom, your jury obligation is complete, no returns and no call-ins.
Of the five times I've been called to a courtroom, I served once as an alternate juror on a case of alleged rape. The prosecution did not want me because I had too many factors in common with the defendant; a black military man. He was active duty, I had already left military service. The defense wanted me for the exact same reasons that the prosecution did not, and in fact, once the jury was set, I turned out to be the only black male on it. I sat as an alternate for all five days of trial, if any juror could not complete his or her duty, I would be impaneled. I heard all of the evidence and on day five, no juror needed to be replaced, so just after closing arguments and before the juror went to deliberate, I was excused.
Another case I sat on was a civil trial brought after a car accident in which the two insurance companies were suing each other. BORING.
The other three cases ended before the jury was needed. One plead out, another was declared a mistrial and the last was postponed because one of the principals was going out of the country for an extended period of time. It's been two and a half years since I was last summoned, and I await the next opportunity.
I think I've been summoned 4-5 times but I've never served. All but once, my group was canceled the night before. The one time I did have to go in, they got enough jurors from the first batch, so all I did was sit in the waiting room for an hour or two.
I've always been excited by the notices and would love to serve. I see it as my civic duty and welcome the opportunity to see justice carried out. Interestingly, I have a summons for July stuck to my refrigerator. *fingers crossed*
Several times, but I have never served on a jury. The last time was in July 2015 for grand jury service, but I was not selected. I was released after one day.
Livvie 