Jury Duty

[gator67]

We are fulltimers, and as members of Escapees, our "home" address is in Livingston, but also like other fulltimers, we are never there. On Friday the 13th I got a notice in our mail (which we get about every two weeks) that I was to report for Jury Duty on Monday, April 9. I doubt that we are the first fulltimers to run into this situation. How did you handle it?

[gator67]

We are fulltimers, and as members of Escapees, our "home" address is in Livingston, but also like other fulltimers, we are never there. On Friday the 13th I got a notice in our mail (which we get about every two weeks) that I was to report for Jury Duty on Monday, April 9. I doubt that we are the first fulltimers to run into this situation. How did you handle it?

[Dave Fernandez]

Hello Jerry:

Well what can I say it is our civic duty. Once we retire it is harder go get out of it. I would suggest that you contact the court by phone and advise them you were traveling and just received the notice and ask to be rescheduled. From what I have heard I do not think you can out of it.

[lundy]

I recognize that it is our duty as citizens, but this is how I handled it when called. I called the duty clerk and explained that, although this was still my registered legal residence, I spend very little time there. I explained that I was living in a motor home hundreds of miles away, and it would be very difficult for me to serve. She stated that she understood, and dismissed my wife and I and indicated such on our records. Your clerk may not be as understanding as ours.

[Barbaraok]

You just call the Polk County jury office and tell them you are not in the state at this time. They understand fulltimers better than anyplace in the country. Tell them you will let them know when you will be in Livingston and then they put you on the list for that time period.

[Gene H]

Harris Conty in TX excused me when I told them I was a full time RVer. I did that because I didn't want to sit through jury duty again and then they find out I am hardly ever at my mailing address and then the trial gets contested. A waste of everyone's time and taxpayer's money.

[Chuck Thomas]

We are Escapees too, and get a notification about once per year. Just call the number listed on the summons and tell them you are out of state traveling. They know the SKP routine well, and there never has been any problem for us.

[Snuggery]

I once had someone who workde at the county clerk's office tell me that you can safely ignore these jury duty notices if you need to without any fear. They send out a lot more notices than the number of jurors they actually need and never follow up on people who don't show - since they have no way to prove that you ever received the notice for jury duty. The notices are sent by regular, not registered mail.

[lundy]

Best if you call them. Each area treats jury duty differently. I really don't think the attitude that states that "it's better to say your sorry than ask for permission" is really not very good in this situation.

[TXiceman]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Snuggery:
I once had someone who workde at the county clerk's office tell me that you can safely ignore these jury duty notices if you need to without any fear. They send out a lot more notices than the number of jurors they actually need and never follow up on people who don't show - since they have no way to prove that you ever received the notice for jury duty. The notices are sent by regular, not registered mail. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Pardon me, but ignoring them is a bit irresponsible and can get you in trouble. If the judge is ticked off, he can issue a warrant to have you picked up....best to call them back or send a letter back explaining you are on an extended trip and travel extensively.
Ken

[76dc]

I would call and then fill out form and send it in, attach a note that you called so&so on this date. Having spent 40 years in legal profession, some Judges get a your know what up their you know what and they issue a bench warrant for your not filling out the form or showing up. Cover your you know what. ( make photo copy.) Again, as someone said each county and state is different.