Jury Duty Problem

[Dr.Midnight]

I got a notice in the mail saying I was selected for jury duty for the month of November in Monroe County. When I told my supervisor this, he got a little bent out of shape. We're so short staffed at the moment, and we have so many people already out in the month of November, he says he has no idea how he could cover my absence since it's him that covers for anyone not working.

If I were to write a letter to the coordinator, would this get me excused from jury duty? Right now, I'm going to be in a heck of a bind if I can't avoid it.

 

[HoughMade]

I would go there in person to talk face-to-face, if I were you.

 

[Dr.Midnight]

I would go there in person to talk face-to-face, if I were you.

I'll make some time to get there next week.

 

[KittySlayer]

I would go there in person to talk face-to-face, if I were you.

And when you go to talk face-to-face take a letter from your boss explaining the dilemma caused by your extended absence. I got called in February one year and explained that with everyone working 60-70 hours a week there was no one available to cover my workload. I was excused from serving. I did serve for a three day trial at a less busy time.

 

[jagee]

You can essentially "reschedule" sometimes too. I was going on vacation at one point when I was called. Had to do the call in think a month or 2 later after we got back from vacation.

 

[Cameramonkey]

You can essentially "reschedule" sometimes too. I was going on vacation at one point when I was called. Had to do the call in think a month or 2 later after we got back from vacation.

This. My wife did so. She asked for a deferral, not an excused absence. They happily just put her on the list for later in the year. You are more likely to get them to reschedule you than to excuse you.

 

[MCgrease08]

By law, your employer has to allow you to serve, so really, it's not your problem to worry about who will cover your shifts. But as others have said, see about trying to get it rescheduled.

If all else fails, getting out of jury duty is actually pretty easy.

[video=youtube_share;GmgcbsFFY1A]http://youtu.be/GmgcbsFFY1A[/video]

 

[Dr.Midnight]

I'll see what they say when I get to the justice building next week. This thing has me in a bind. As a company, we are poorly designed to handle multiple or short notice absences. We run on short staffing by design to help keep expenses low and not pass any increased costs on to the customers. When I took this job four years ago, I hoped something like this would never come up because I knew the kind of dilemma I would have.

 

[fullmetaljesus]

Y'all so lucky I've never had to do jury duty. I once got a questionnaire I had to send back but I've never been selected.

I'm a bit jealous.

 

[Alamo]

Definitely work on this upfront, the closer you get to a trial the less inclined they are to let you go. I sat on a civil jury with a guy who was a one-man computer tech repair company - no work, no pay. He told the judge he was his own sole employee and would lose big $ every day he was on the jury. The judge didn't care, kept him anyway, stretched one day's worth of trial over three days. Mr. Computer Repair was NOT happy, and pretty much would have voted or awarded anything to hurry the jury deliberation.

 

[BiscuitsandGravy]

I got called earlier this year... Went, told them I thought it was a break from work and looked forward to it. The defendant's council bounced me.

 

[9mmfan]

I received a questionnaire from the local Federal Court about jury duty. Filled it out and sent it back. They had a number to call the night before I had to report and was told I did not have to serve.

I was bummed out.

 

[femurphy77]

I've gotten called and served multiple times but know several who have never received the call. When I've submitted that info I've managed to avoid service since then.

 

[Tactically Fat]

To whomever reads this:

Be the type of juror that you would like to have at your trial.

 

[bwframe]

I'd sure like to have as many as possible of us on the jury for my trial. Please...

 

[KMaC]

I'd be happy to serve on a jury but I hate the system wasting my time and money. I've been called for jury duty 4 times. I have to schedule off work, drive downtown Indy, find a garage that isn't full and still within 1/2 mile of the City County Building and then .......... WAIT.
You have to arrive by 8am, can't leave the room and I've never been released before 12pm and never seen a court room. Last minute plea bargain every time. The system wastes the time of 80% of the jurors by allowing plea bargains on the day of the trial. You have had a year or two to reach an agreement before trial day. DON'T WASTE MY TIME!

 

[Dr.Midnight]

I'd be happy to serve on a jury but I hate the system wasting my time and money. I've been called for jury duty 4 times. I have to schedule off work, drive downtown Indy, find a garage that isn't full and still within 1/2 mile of the City County Building and then .......... WAIT.
You have to arrive by 8am, can't leave the room and I've never been released before 12pm and never seen a court room. Last minute plea bargain every time. The system wastes the time of 80% of the jurors by allowing plea bargains on the day of the trial. You have had a year or two to reach an agreement before trial day. DON'T WASTE MY TIME!

I went through this the first time I had jury duty. I was dismissed at four o'clock the day I reported, but my whole day was shot. It didn't hurt me too badly then because I had a job with a great deal of flexibility. Now though, I don't know what I'm going to do. It sounds like we don't have a lot of options at work to get this thing covered, so it's going to be hell trying to do jury duty and take care of customers in the same day.

 

[tv1217]

I always get rejected from the questionnaires lol

 

[Dr.Midnight]

I've got a house remodel going at the moment along with a legal issue against one of the contractors that did some of the work, so missing days on the job would be disastrous financially. We're also so short staffed at work I don't know how we can cover an absence that isn't preplanned and comes up on a short notice. We're in such a bind at the moment, one of my coworkers had heart stents put in on a Friday, and was back to work on Monday. I tried explaining this situation to the jury coordinator, but was basically told, "tough ****." Thanks for the help Monroe County. I wish I could put into words how much stress this is causing me.

 

[Cameramonkey]

I've got a house remodel going at the moment along with a legal issue against one of the contractors that did some of the work, so missing days on the job would be disastrous financially. We're also so short staffed at work I don't know how we can cover an absence that isn't preplanned and comes up on a short notice. We're in such a bind at the moment, one of my coworkers had heart stents put in on a Friday, and was back to work on Monday. I tried explaining this situation to the jury coordinator, but was basically told, "tough ****." Thanks for the help Monroe County. I wish I could put into words how much stress this is causing me.

They wouldnt even let you defer until later? Thats typically a slam dunk. (at least up here in the big city) Getting OUT of it is hard, doing it later is usually easy. Wife has done it several times.

The last thing counsel wants is somebody in the box mentally saying "wrap this bish up so I can just vote and go home. I dont have time for this crap."