Would you skip out on jury duty if you had an expensive dive trip planned?

[ScubaClicks]

I am sure that we have all heard by now about the Ohio woman who skipped out in the middle of juret duty to go diving in Cozumel. (this was a murder trial by the way)

So I thought I'd like to find out who amongst us would do the same.

 

[Rick Murchison]

Loaded questions of this sort have no correct answer. "Skipping out" on jury duty is not an option. Nor is serving on a jury when it will cause you to forfeit an expensive trip, thereby making it impossible for you to concentrate on the case and to discharge your duty properly.
The correct answer is to say, during jury selection, "I have an expensive trip planned that is not refundable. Serving on a jury at this time would cause me to lose so much money that I would spend the entire time so angry that I wouldn't be able to listen to a single witness - indeed, I'll probably end up in the hospital with apoplexy. To have me on a jury would be an automatic mistrial. Please excuse me for now and call me after April 10th, when I will gladly serve."
Rick

 

[sactomags]

Having just gone through being called in for jury duty ... I agree with Rick 100%. I believe they can also fine you. If you know going in that it is not a good time, you can ask for a postponement before you even report for duty. To get assigned to a jury, go through the trial and then walk out is not right. Hey, we're in America, jury duty is a small price to pay for all the freedoms we enjoy.

Just my two cents' worth ...

Margaret

 

[FredT]

In Mississippi doing something like that would probably result in the judge asking you to think about it a while. Say for the 90 days or more you'd spend in county jail for contempt of court! If it REALLY pissed judge off by interupting a long or complicated trail you'd stand a real good chance of seeing the inside of the state pen for 6 to 12 months.

I've been called a few times with out of country trips planned. Generally a note to the circuit clerk _as soon as the summons is recieved_, with copies of the travel plans and paid tickets is enough to "put you back in the bucket" for the next draw. Expect to be drawn again soon though, 'cause she'll also use you as a "hold card" in case there is a shortage of jurors due to sickness or travel one week.

Being an engineer, lawyers REALLY don't want me on a jury anyway. I tend to bring logic and knowledge into a process that has no use for it, especially in a civil case! The few times I've been seated as a juror has been when both lawyers had already run out of challenges before they got to me in the questioning process.

FT

 

[chepar]

I would think that there is no reason that you would not be able to reschedule jury duty if you have a trip planned.

I work in a law firm, and when a potential juror has a trip planned (and can back it up with documentation, such as airline tickets), usually the clerk will excuse them and then put their name back into the pool to be selected at a later date (usually within the next 6 months). The potential juror usually doesn't even have to sit during the selection process, they just come back at a later date to do their civic duty. At least, that's the way it works here.

I don't know how it works in Ohio, but I would imagine that woman was subject to some serious fines when she returned. I can't imagine that she might have told them about her trip and they didn't excuse her (at least for that particular trial) - when they get a jury pool, they have at least 4 times as many people there than they really need to select from.

 

[Drew Sailbum]

Once, when summoned, I was attending college out of state. My father phoned the clerk of court, and I was excused before I even heard about it.

Second was for a murder trial. Lots of forensics and DNA to be presented. The defense lawyer asked me about my understanding of DNA evidence. I replied I had a degree in Genetics, and he promptly used a challenge to dismiss me.

Skipping out on jury duty like this lady is not cool. The courts are reasonable in accomodating schedules of potential jurors. Just don't be obstinate about serving when your schedule allows.

 

[AllenG]

I once got called for jury duty two weeks before an overseas dive trip. When I was brought in before the judge and counsels to determine my availability for a three-week trial (GASP!!) and voir dire, I matter of factly spoke of an overseas trip that I had already paid for. The judge gave a suspicious stare at me, suggesting that this was a regular ploy in his court. Fortunately, I had brought the tickets with me! Moments later, I was released from jury duty. The foresight of bringing the tickets saved my trip!

 

[k4sdi]

Most of the time if you explain and show proof (tickets, ect) they will dimiss you or put your name back in the pot for later.

Or just say, "He must be guilty, they wouldn't have arrested him if he wasn't" and see how fast you get to go home.


Seriously folks, this is our civic duty. Please don't shrug it off.




Mark

 

[KoralKat]

In a previous life long long ago, I used to be a District Court Clerk. When we had jurors that had tickets with them to support their request for being excused, and they used the verbiage that Rich suggested, they were postponed from the current jury selection and thrown into the jury pool for the next time around.

Just walking out like that woman did is turning your back on our citizenship duties as Americans. We should be proud to serve when called, as that is part of why our country is so great to live in.

just my .02 cents worth...

KoralKat

 

[dlndavid]

I would