Jury duty

[UCLAstudent]

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So, when I checked my mail today, I was pleasantly surprised by a jury duty summons. Unfortunately, my reporting date is during the first week of school. The form says that being a full-time student is not a valid reason for getting out of jury duty --- but does anyone know if being a medical student is a valid reason? Attendance is required at my school because we learn primarily in small-group sessions. Please help!

 

[NonTradMed]

Being a fulltime student isn't a valid reason to get out of jury duty? Can you defer? I called and deferred my jury duty until summer vacation. And after my stint, I won't be eligible for another two years.

 

[lakersfan]

hey uclastudent, i got it earlier this year too from la county. i just called them and deferred it to when i didnt have school. they were pretty nice about it. if you have AMA membership, i think you can call lacma and they apparently do something to get you out of it (i have no idea how but they always report that as one of the benefits of joining ama/cma/lacma???)

 

[Miami_med]

There are a bunch of other exemptions for jury duty that vary from region to region. When I was blessed with a jury duty summons, I was pleased to discover I qualified for a different exemption. Go that route first.

 

[DrKitty]

What type of jury duty is it? Grand jury or trial jury? I just served as a Grand juror for a month in New York county. On our first day, when they picked panels of people, they gave 10 "excuses" that could be valid (you had to discuss it with the judge individually). Being a full-time student WAS a valid reason to be excused from the jury service. I am not sure if that applies only to the acadmic year time and excludes summer time.

 

[musiclink213]

I'm not a med student, but I got summoned when I was in undergrad. I defered until my winter break, and when they interviewed me, they ask if there's any reason you can't serve. I said I was a full time student, and they let me go, along with all the other students and people having surgery.

 

[t33sg1rl]

If all of the above doesn't work, simply loudly comment to the nearest potential juror, "I really don't even see why we're here... if he wasn't guilty, the cops wouldn't have arrested him."
You'll probably be able to make your afternoon classes.

 

[nosugrefneb]

If all of the above doesn't work, simply loudly comment to the nearest potential juror, "I really don't even see why we're here... if he wasn't guilty, the cops wouldn't have arrested him."

Haha, when I read that, all I could picture in my head was Will Ferrell with voice immodulation. AND A LITTLE BIT SOFTER NOW...AND A LITTLE BIT SOFTER NOW...

It seems like a great waste of time and money to even send these things to students. Why don't they just...not summon students?

 

[Law2Doc]

So, when I checked my mail today, I was pleasantly surprised by a jury duty summons. Unfortunately, my reporting date is during the first week of school. The form says that being a full-time student is not a valid reason for getting out of jury duty --- but does anyone know if being a medical student is a valid reason? Attendance is required at my school because we learn primarily in small-group sessions. Please help!

In a lot of jurisdictions, being a med student is not an exception to jury duty. Sometimes, if you give them dates in the not too distant future that you would be available to serve (eg. during a vacation), they might be amenable to rescheduling.

 

[MossPoh]

I got summoned at age 19 and was kind of bummed I didn't get to do it.lol Something seemed kind of exciting about jury duty for an accused rapist.....

 

[sentrosi]

Hmm... I remember getting a jury summons while in undergrad. But since it was for a court in California and I was in school in Massachusetts, they let it go or like deferred it...but haven't been called back since.

 

[vtucci]

Being a medical student is not a reason to be let out of jury duty. That being said, it is unlikely that you will make it on a jury and will probably be excused the first day of voir dire (the process of selecting the jury) and someone reads the answers to your questionnaire. As most cases are civil and involve some type of injury, the last thing lawyers want is anyone in the medical field on the jury. The natural inclination of the other jurors is to defer to that person's opinion. So that is something to generally be avoided. Criminal law, now that is a little different.

I was a lawyer and am now a medical student. It is safe to say that I will never be on a jury of any kind.

 

[Law2Doc]

I was a lawyer and am now a medical student. It is safe to say that I will never be on a jury of any kind.

I wouldn't totally count on it. I was on a jury twice as a lawyer. Rudy Giuliani was impannelled on a jury in a landlord tenant issue when he was sitting mayor of NYC. Different places have different rules, and every case cuts differently in terms of biases and who a lawyer is willing to have on a particular jury.

 

[UserNameNeeded]

I thought you could be exempt from jury duty if you were a full time student? I guess that must be another Texan perk.

 

[UCLAstudent]

Thanks guys. I looked more thoroughly at the website and it says that full-time students living in LA County can reschedule the date to be during a break, so that's good.

 

[OSUdoc08]

I thought you could be exempt from jury duty if you were a full time student? I guess that must be another Texan perk.

Yup. We never have to do jury duty EVER since both students AND physicians are exempt.

 

[edmadison]

I was a lawyer and am now a medical student. It is safe to say that I will never be on a jury of any kind.

Or so you think, my father is an OB/GYN with a son who was, at that time, an FBI agent. He was selected to on a Jury in a Rape Case 😱

Ed

 

[BAM!]

Or you can do what I do and round file your jury duty slips. Works every time.

 

[Law2Doc]

Or you can do what I do and round file your jury duty slips. Works every time.

LOL. until some judge issues a warrant and you get pulled over for a traffic violation. Then let's see how many days of class you miss for court. 😱

 

[oldbearprofessor]

Yup. We never have to do jury duty EVER since both students AND physicians are exempt.

Can you provide a reference (government website will do) that all physicians are exempt from all forms of jury duty everywhere in the state

Thanks

 

[OSUdoc08]

Can you provide a reference (government website will do) that all physicians are exempt from all forms of jury duty everywhere in the state

Thanks

It was on a jury duty summons that I recieved. I wrote "exempt" on it and returned it.

 

[pillowhead]

It was on a jury duty summons that I recieved. I wrote "exempt" on it and returned it.

you can't seriously think that legally exempts you from jury duty. better pray you never get pulled over.

i had to get a letter from my dean's office explaining that serving on a jury would interrupt my education and it wasn't a problem.

 

[Vox Animo]

I said this in another thread, just say in the interview that you are racist. And use enough slurs to blatantly demonstrate that. they won't pick you.

😀




disclaimer: use advice with caution, i know not the consequences of what i say.

 

[Law2Doc]

I said this in another thread, just say in the interview that you are racist. And use enough slurs to blatantly demonstrate that. they won't pick you.

😀




disclaimer: use advice with caution, i know not the consequences of what i say.

That may get you off the jury, but lots of luck getting out to your car without getting beat up. 🙄

 

[OSUdoc08]

you can't seriously think that legally exempts you from jury duty. better pray you never get pulled over.

i had to get a letter from my dean's office explaining that serving on a jury would interrupt my education and it wasn't a problem.

It said on the form that if you are a student, all you have to do is write "exempt" on the form. This was for Dallas County. It may not work the same where you live.

P.S. I've been pulled over a few times since then.

 

[dynx]

So, when I checked my mail today, I was pleasantly surprised by a jury duty summons. Unfortunately, my reporting date is during the first week of school. The form says that being a full-time student is not a valid reason for getting out of jury duty --- but does anyone know if being a medical student is a valid reason? Attendance is required at my school because we learn primarily in small-group sessions. Please help!

Did you just move to your new school? If you recently changed adresses and this was forwarded or you recieved it at your old adress...toss it. You never got it. At least in california this is a valid excuss not to report. Ive gotten jury duty twice luckily right when I moved both times, never reported. Was contacted once and explained my recent change of address and was excused as it was to late to reschedule. I also did this when summond to testify...not sure if thats legal.

 

[Law2Doc]

Did you just move to your new school? If you recently changed adresses and this was forwarded or you recieved it at your old adress...toss it. You never got it. At least in california this is a valid excuss not to report. Ive gotten jury duty twice luckily right when I moved both times, never reported. Was contacted once and explained my recent change of address and was excused as it was to late to reschedule. I also did this when summond to testify...not sure if thas legal.

If you are excused that is fine. Tossing a summons is really not. You may have warrants or contempt orders out on you. You will find out next time you get pulled over.

 

[DropkickMurphy]

Or show up wearing an executioner's hood and carrying a plastic battleaxe. Works great (particularly if the judge has a sense of humor). Trust me.

 

[alesdu1]

you can always make really politically incorrect remarks if you get interviewed....

 

[2Sexy4MedSchool]

you can always make really politically incorrect remarks if you get interviewed....

I know this is going to sound kind of crazy, so bear with me, but if all else fails you could just buck up, be a mensch (in a gender-neutral sort of way) and JUST SERVE YOUR FREAKING JURY DUTY!

I know I'm no expert or anything, but isn't it called Jury "Duty" and not "Happy Fun Time" for a reason? I've been called for jury duty several times and actually made it into the box for voir dire; all but one of those occurred during my last job, when I was self-employed, so taking time away from work was kind of a big deal. Don't you think it may be a touch arrogant to suggest that just by virtue of going to medical school we are all touched by god and too good to do our civic duty? How did our time magically become more important than the other jurors who have jobs and families?

I'm sorry, but given the fact you can schedule duty during a school break and you can request not to serve on any trials that would run too long, I don't see the major hardship here. If Rudy did it, we can do it too!

 

[45408]

That may get you off the jury, but lots of luck getting out to your car without getting beat up. 🙄

oh, now that I see this guy, obviously he's guilty! :mad dash:

 

[BAM!]

Don't you think it may be a touch arrogant to suggest that just by virtue of going to medical school we are all touched by god and too good to do our civic duty? How did our time magically become more important than the other jurors who have jobs and families?

I'm sorry, but given the fact you can schedule duty during a school break and you can request not to serve on any trials that would run too long, I don't see the major hardship here. If Rudy did it, we can do it too!

They're not saying they're too good for jury duty because they're in med school. Theyr'e saying med school is demanding, and there is little time for jury duty. And serving jury duty during breaks means that you might not be able to spend time with your family.

It can be much easier for others to serve on a jury, even with a full time job (yes I know, some jobs are more time consuming and important than others).

Everyone thinks jury duty is a pain in the butt. But for some (ie med students), it can cause a serious inconvenience.

 

[Miami_med]

I know this is going to sound kind of crazy, so bear with me, but if all else fails you could just buck up, be a mensch (in a gender-neutral sort of way) and JUST SERVE YOUR FREAKING JURY DUTY!

I know I'm no expert or anything, but isn't it called Jury "Duty" and not "Happy Fun Time" for a reason? I've been called for jury duty several times and actually made it into the box for voir dire; all but one of those occurred during my last job, when I was self-employed, so taking time away from work was kind of a big deal. Don't you think it may be a touch arrogant to suggest that just by virtue of going to medical school we are all touched by god and too good to do our civic duty? How did our time magically become more important than the other jurors who have jobs and families?

I'm sorry, but given the fact you can schedule duty during a school break and you can request not to serve on any trials that would run too long, I don't see the major hardship here. If Rudy did it, we can do it too!

Many medical students have other duties over breaks and opportunities that will affect the rest of their lives. Having to serve doing school would cost thousands of dollars if too much school was missed, and a student getting put back a year due to missed schooling could potentially cost hundreds of thousands of dollars in a year's lost income. There are many excuses to miss jury duty, which is arbitrarily and inconsistently assigned anyway. Medical school is better than most of them. Most full time employees are required to be paid their salaries while they serve and kept on the job (atleast in many places). This makes it FAR less inconvenient for them.

 

[Vox Animo]

I know this is going to sound kind of crazy, so bear with me, but if all else fails you could just buck up, be a mensch (in a gender-neutral sort of way) and JUST SERVE YOUR FREAKING JURY DUTY!

I know I'm no expert or anything, but isn't it called Jury "Duty" and not "Happy Fun Time" for a reason? I've been called for jury duty several times and actually made it into the box for voir dire; all but one of those occurred during my last job, when I was self-employed, so taking time away from work was kind of a big deal. Don't you think it may be a touch arrogant to suggest that just by virtue of going to medical school we are all touched by god and too good to do our civic duty? How did our time magically become more important than the other jurors who have jobs and families?

I'm sorry, but given the fact you can schedule duty during a school break and you can request not to serve on any trials that would run too long, I don't see the major hardship here. If Rudy did it, we can do it too!

Nothing against jury duty, just something against serving it and missing class when I am paying 60K a year in loans. Get me in my 30s when i'm a doctor and can afford the time off.

 

[jocg27]

They're not saying they're too good for jury duty because they're in med school. Theyr'e saying med school is demanding, and there is little time for jury duty. And serving jury duty during breaks means that you might not be able to spend time with your family.

It can be much easier for others to serve on a jury, even with a full time job (yes I know, some jobs are more time consuming and important than others).

Everyone thinks jury duty is a pain in the butt. But for some (ie med students), it can cause a serious inconvenience.

Agreed..I'd even expand it though...It has nothing to do with med students being too good for jury duty...I just think being any full time student is a valid reason.

 

[Law2Doc]

How do you know you will never be on a jury again? Are former lawyers exempt from jury duty?

In some states lawyers are exempt, as they unduly influence juries as they are thought to know the law and how it is supposed to be applied. Other states make them serve, although they are often struck at voire dire and never make it onto a jury panel . The prior poster may still be paying her dues, in which case she is not necessarilly a "former" lawyer.

 

[jocg27]

how much is voir dire like the jury selection of a grisham book, ie runaway jury? kinda seems like itd be fun trying to pick up peoples biases, even those unknown to the people themselves 😎

 

[2Sexy4MedSchool]

how much is voir dire like the jury selection of a grisham book, ie runaway jury? kinda seems like itd be fun trying to pick up peoples biases, even those unknown to the people themselves 😎

The ratio is about twenty minutes of fun for every seven hours of tedium.

 

[starwisher]

I'd actually really like to have the experience of being on a jury, I think it would be really interesting. I've never been summond for jury duty though. I think it is really unfortunate that so many people see it as something they have to get out of in any way possible, I understand wanting to be deferred if you are in school, I would also have to defer if I got chosen now so I'd be really disappointed to get summoned at this point in my life. Several of my family memebers have had to serve on juries in the past and they think I'm crazy for wanting to be on one.

 

[DrZee]

how do they find your address for jury duty? is it form voter registration, car registration, or some other database? I am just turning 18 and moving out of my home state to NY, so how can I avoid being listed in the "to call up for jury duty" list??

 

[Law2Doc]

how do they find your address for jury duty? is it form voter registration, car registration, or some other database? I am just turning 18 and moving out of my home state to NY, so how can I avoid being listed in the "to call up for jury duty" list??

Varies from state to state but usually from voter registration or drivers license databases. Any filing or registration with your state could get you on the rolls. Some people never get called. The homeless and people who move frequently are the least likely to have to serve.

 

[DropkickMurphy]

would be more funny if you actually got selected despite the attire...

If I were in Texas, it probably would happen.

*hops up and down* "Can I start the IV?!!! PUHhhhhhhhLEASSSSSSSSE!"

 

[MossPoh]

If Rudy did it, we can do it too!

Yes...but after meeting Rudy I am pretty convinced he is a tool. 😛

 

[fpr85]

...

Ohio Man Jonesin’ to Get Out of Jury Duty
Monday, June 26, 2006

Some people will do anything to get out of jury duty.

An Ohio man spent a night in jail after claiming to be a heroin addict and a killer to avoid being chosen for jury duty in a death penalty case, the Associated Press reports.

Benjamin Ratliffe stated he had a "bad jonesin' for heroin" in a questionnaire given to potential jurors. In response to whether he’d ever fired a weapon, Ratliffe wrote: "Yes. I killed someone with it, of course. Right."

Ratliffe, 21, of Columbus was charged with contempt of court and obstruction of justice. On Thursday he apologized to Franklin County Common Pleas Judge Julie M. Lynch.

"He didn't try to defend his responses, and he lied under oath and he was insubordinate," said Lynch, who removed Ratliffe from the jury pool and dismissed the charges against him.

"You do not make a mockery of the process."

 

[DrZee]

Well, I guess I will just have to never get a drivers license or vote or buy a house or pay taxes?...and keep moving around frequently. Hey, that sounds a lot like Robin Hood! I bet he would have never been called up 🙂

Varies from state to state but usually from voter registration or drivers license databases. Any filing or registration with your state could get you on the rolls. Some people never get called. The homeless and people who move frequently are the least likely to have to serve.

Edit: I dont know about not paying taxes, but the rest seem like legal options, right?

 

[thinknofu3]

This thread is funny, considering I just served my jury duty last week. I'm starting M1 in September, so I really have nothing to do now, so it wasn't a big deal - in fact, I was disappointed when I didn't even get called into a single voir dire session (there weren't any the day I went). That being said, I'm really lucky that in my county, you're exempt for 4 years from the time you serve (and thus won't conflict with medical school). Of course, techinically my permanent residence just switched counties, so I might have this problem again, who knows.

 

[YouDontKnowJack]

So, when I checked my mail today, I was pleasantly surprised by a jury duty summons. Unfortunately, my reporting date is during the first week of school. The form says that being a full-time student is not a valid reason for getting out of jury duty --- but does anyone know if being a medical student is a valid reason? Attendance is required at my school because we learn primarily in small-group sessions. Please help!

I love los anjeles jury summons 🙄 . you have no choice but to go, otherwise they put you on the "bug-every-week" list. they will keep sending and sending summons to your house.

just go, and act biased. say extreme stuff when they question you, and you'll be let off. half the time, your group won't be called anyway.


actually, on my most recent summons, i just crossed out the address in the front and wrote "no longer at this residence", and put it back in the mailbox.

 

[fewchewrmd]

A few days before I had to move across country for med school I recieved a jury summons. I just wrote "person does not live at this address anymore" sent it back, and that was it. If they take me off the list I have no idea how they're gonna find me later.

 

[SeventhSon]

So, when I checked my mail today, I was pleasantly surprised by a jury duty summons. Unfortunately, my reporting date is during the first week of school. The form says that being a full-time student is not a valid reason for getting out of jury duty --- but does anyone know if being a medical student is a valid reason? Attendance is required at my school because we learn primarily in small-group sessions. Please help!

an administrator for my school told me that I can get out of jury duty. they will write me a letter. I believe med school can get out of it.