I have researched various web sites about avoiding jury duty and many said that judges can be jerks when it comes to dismissing jurors even when they have a valid excuse such as loss of income of health reasons. Most sites said the best way to avoid it is to simply throw away your summons because although there is a stern warning about fines, they cannot be enforced because they can't prove you got the letter. Has anyone tried this successfully?

They will then send you a certified letter so then you will end up going eventually.

And the reason you don't want to go to jury duty is for financial reasons or health reasons I take it?

They do give exemptions. You could try that way.

I heard you can dodge certified letters by either getting a family member to sign for you or by making your signature illegible.

True.

But why go down that road?

If you are caught, you will get huge fines and perhaps even prison time depending on where you live.

And they will keep coming at you until they get you. So unless you are planning on dying sometime soon, they will catch up with you eventually. Why not just get it over with?

Go for jury, when ask question, state that you will determine the common law and statute in the case yourself, and not by the instructions of the judge, they will dismiss you from jury duty.

Or say that you were once wrongfully accused by the police and you know all to well that the police make many, many, many mistakes and they probably made another mistake here.

Well, once when I was out to sea I got called for jury duty. I got a letter, wife ignored it, got another letter, wife ignored it, Got a third letter saying I was in contempt of court and would be arrested, wife forwarded that one to me. When I got home I had to have the JAG Corps write up a nice explanation. Got me out of that, but I got another letter saying I'm scheduled for June-July time frame now. Point being, I never got a certified letter that anyone had to sign. Went from regular letter in the mail to regular letter in the mail saying I was in contempt. Personally always felt it was my duty to go. Now if you have legitimate medical/financial reason they should excuse you. Also, if its work you can't afford to miss a lot of companies will give you paid time off for jury duty, might look into that. On the positive side maybe you'll get a high profile case, write a book with a ghost writer and become rich. It happens

Legal service is different in various states, if you are living at a specific address and another family member signs for it, that will be accepted as legal service in many areas ( unless you latter prove you were not living at that address during that time period)

If you sign poorly ( I do every day) you are basically lying and that is fraud. Beyond that you also now adays on all my registered letters print you name also. So you are signing a printed name, don't not matter if you can't read the signuture,

Yes you could act like you did not get the original notice, but normally they will send one out certified.

Best bet is to be the juror no one wants, if you are a bible carrying anit death penalty pro life, odds are one side won't want you.

For criminal cases, you have heard something in the news that will effect your opinion and so on.

Try being an ex police officer who is a priest, I could not get picked for a animal control case

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Originally Posted by dave5150

I have researched various web sites about avoiding jury duty and many said that judges can be jerks when it comes to dismissing jurors even when they have a valid excuse such as loss of income of health reasons. Most sites said the best way to avoid it is to simply throw away your summons because although there is a stern warning about fines, they cannot be enforced because they can't prove you got the letter. Has anyone tried this successfully?

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What is so special about you that you get to avoid jury duty while everyone else has to go?

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Originally Posted by mr.yet

Go for jury, when ask question, state that you will determine the common law and statute in the case yourself, and not by the instructions of the judge, they will dismiss you from jury duty.

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That doesn't usually work, because they just keep throwing jurors back into the pool. (depending on where you live) If I bounce a juror from my panel while I am selecting, that juror doesn't get to go home, they go and wait to be assigned to another panel.

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Originally Posted by sideoutshu

That doesn't usually work, because they just keep throwing jurors back into the pool. (depending on where you live) If I bounce a juror from my panel while I am selecting, that juror doesn't get to go home, they go and wait to be assigned to another panel.

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That depends on where you live. Here, they called in 50 people to be potential jurors on this case (which turned out to be a 3 week murder case, go figure).

After about 30 people, they had their 12, so they sent the rest home. Those last 20 who never were even called were lucky. And all it cost them was 1 days of work and they had served their jury duty purposes. And the 30-12= 18 people who were rejected all got to go home as well once they were rejected.

Hi,
Before you are selected for Jury Duty, either Federal Jury Duty, or in some cases County District Courts Jury Duty, you should received a questionnaire in the mail, to be filled out and returned.
There are phone numbers listed in the info received. By calling for information, you can determine whether you need a Doctor's signed statement as to being Excused for jury duty. This is usually sufficient to be excused, if it for any medical or mental issue; Or, if you are the "Primary Care Giver" for a member of your immediate family.
Normally, being excused is not accepted due to "not being at work", "Having to miss work", "Can't get there", "weather is too cold", etc.
If you receive a summons, appear when it says, and take a Doctor's statement. Without one, your chances of getting excused are very slim.
If you don't respond with a summons, you will eventually pay for it.

Hello Dave:

Well, I'm never going to get called for jury duty. Actually I did once. They sent it to me right in the slam. Told ‘em I was tied up. However, I digress...

If you're just an ordinary guy, I wish you'd go. Coming from a guy on the other side, whose had juries made up people who "like" that sort of stuff, I can tell you that there is some defendant out there, probably innocent and maybe not, but he's looking for a fair shake.

Ok, don't do it for him. Do it for your country. The system (YOUR justice system) works only if "peers" sit in judgment of their fellow man. It does not work when good people like you avoid serving and juries get stacked with little old ladies who have nothing better to do.

I know, it's a pain, it takes time, and costs money. Ok, citizenship ain't free. And, who knows? Maybe someday you'll find yourself on the other side of the jury.

excon

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Originally Posted by fredg

That depends on where you live. Here, they called in 50 people to be potential jurors on this case (which turned out to be a 3 week murder case, go figure).

After about 30 people, they had their 12, so they sent the rest home. Those last 20 who never were even called were lucky. And all it cost them was 1 days of work and they had served their jury duty purposes. And the 30-12= 18 people who were rejected all got to go home as well once they were rejected.

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I can only speak for the system around here(NYC). Even if you get sent home, they bring you back the next day until they put you on a panel.

Ummmm,

sideoutshu, question: why does your last quote say posted by fred, when I posted it?

Lol

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Originally Posted by CaptainForest

Ummmm,

sideoutshu, question: why does your last quote say posted by fred, when i posted it?

lol

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Cause I quoted the wrong thread oprignally, and was too lazy to start over, so I cut/pasted it.

I just almost served and had to ask my dad and grandma for a loan to help pay the bills while on duty as my employer won't pay. Not only this, my supervisor is itching to get rid of me and would LOVE to have me gone permanently (this giving her an opportunity).
The only way I got out of it was a personal issue that happened when I was 15 to a family member. I can't believe that my government would rather see me declare bankruptcy instead of not serving and finding another juror! I am a single female trying really hard to put myself through college and support myself, keeping my head just above water with the table scraps my job pays.

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Originally Posted by m593737

i just almost served and had to ask my dad and grandma for a loan to help pay the bills while on duty as my employer won't pay. not only this, my supervisor is itching to get rid of me and would LOVE to have me gone permanently (this giving her an opportunity).
the only way i got out of it was a personal issue that happened when i was 15 to a family member. i can't believe that my government would rather see me declare bankruptcy instead of not serving and finding another juror! i am a single female trying really hard to put myself through college and support myself, keeping my head just above water with the table scraps my job pays.

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What is your question?