What To Expect From Jury Duty - 1

By Author: Bob Schuster
Total Articles: 3
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Let's face it, no one likes getting a jury duty request. The first sign that you will heading down the bureaucratic path is when you receive a letter in the mail regarding a trial date and time that you're expected to arrive. Your name can end up on the prospective juror list if it's in one or more databases, including voter registrations, utility bills, driver's licenses and property tax rolls. Regardless of your situation and how you ended up getting called for jury duty, there are certain criteria that must be met and answers that must be filed with the court clerk before you arrive in the courtroom.

When you get your letter, there will be a set of instructions with it. It really will pay you in the long run to (a) keep this letter, (b) read it carefully and (c) do what it tells you. There are now fines and other civil penalties that can be meted out if you ignore the letter, which is, in point of fact, a legal summons. Be sure to check the due date on the card, and note that (in many locales) the first thing you must do is call a specified phone number and check in. If there is no reason that you cannot serve, you ...
... will be told to show at the appointed time and place.

Exemptions and exclusions

If, after reading the instructions, you see that you are not required to serve, you will have to fill a form and mail it in. There is a section to fill out for individuals that have legitimate excuses to miss jury duty. Of course, there are no longer very many reasons that the court will accept. All of the exemption options available to you will be listed on the letter's questionnaire.

If you have been convicted of a felony, are a sworn peace officer currently on active duty, are in the military (with certain exceptions) or are the sole support and care for an elderly or disabled person, you will be disqualified from service in most states. Again, if you have determined that you are not eligible for an excused absence, you are normally expected to call a phone number on the letter to confirm the specific time and place of your jury duty.

Going to court

If you are selected to be in a pool of potential jurors, you will need to arrive on time, without fail. Being a little bit early never hurts, but being even a bit late can get you in hot water. Missing the appointment entirely will result in a bench warrant being issued in some states and counties. When you finally do get to the right place, there will typically be a court officer (bailiff, sheriff, clerk) that will hand you a form to complete with your name and various other types of information that the court needs.

This information you supply will be combined with other data and used to help select the final panel of jurors that will be seated for the trial. Once the officer has collected each form, the judge is then informed that the potential jurors have been prepped and they will then be taken into the courtroom.

Robert P. Schuster, P.C., has achieved its reputation as a law firm by winning big cases---in jury trials and in settlements. He has a national reputation for success in representing his clients in cases including intellectual property http://www.bobschuster.com/ , business torts, brain injury http://www.bobschuster.com/bif/structures/ and commercial litigation