Jury duty?

[FarscapeGirl]

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So I got called for jury duty in Seattle in May. I'm finishing up a pre-req class this quarter, and I'm hoping to frantically finish my PhD this summer (I may finish at the beginning, but I have yet to meet with my committee, who will probably want me to do a lot more with my project). Meanwhile, I start pharmacy school in the fall.

Seattle will let you reschedule once within a year. I'm hoping they'll let me out of jury duty for this year (especially since I seriously just spent two days in downtown Seattle for jury duty exactly a year ago). But, since they didn't last year, they may not. Have any of you been called while in pharmacy school? When did you serve?

 

[Fuzzychickens]

What sucks about jury duty in Washington, there's nothing you can do to avoid selection apparently.

One of my in-laws literally said straight up during selection process that she didn't understand why they just couldn't lock the guy up right now and throw away the key because he looked guilty to her.

Yup, she got selected anyways.

 

[FarscapeGirl]

Actually, last year, I was going to be the 5th juror in a trial, but it was for a guy charged with marijuana dealing. As I have very liberal views about marijuana, I ended up being the first juror they didn't want.

I'm sure if I have to serve, I won't be put on a trial that lasts longer than the official breaks from pharmacy school. But it does seem to me that pharmacy students do occasionally have things to do during the normal college breaks. That's why I wanted to see if anyone had served during pharmacy school.

 

[fenixtnlfan]

The two times I've been selected I rescheduled for Christmas time because I don't live in the same city as my permanent address. They usually shut down the court that week so I've never had to do it.

 

[powertoold]

I was recently selected for jury duty, but it fell on my finals week, so I was able to suspend it for a few months.

I've never actually done jury duty, so I'm interested in experiencing our justice system 🙂yawn).

 

[ffpickle]

OK, first, sidebar (pun intended): You have a PhD and you're starting Pharm School? WHAT? Why? Umm, wow.

2) Write a letter to the Attorney General or whatever, explaining your situation, you may be able to get out of it. Do you have to reschedule? Can't you just reschedule for a much later date?

 

[FarscapeGirl]

I know; it's a bit strange to be getting a PhD and then deciding to get a PharmD as well. I teasingly say it's because ten years of post-secondary education aren't nearly enough. The real reason is that I realized early on in grad school research wasn't for me; while I was there, I looked at many job options for people with molecular biology PhDs and nothing really fit. I'd rather spend my time doing four more years of school than hating my career.

I'm trying to reschedule; I guess if worse comes to worse, I can reschedule for right before pharmacy school starts or during spring break. I just don't know if I'll have anything else going on, either finishing my PhD or stuff for pharmacy school.

 

[ItsOverZyvox]

Don't register to vote.

 

[FarscapeGirl]

Don't register to vote.

Nice idea, but it's a bit late now. Besides, they'll still get you through drivers' licenses or state IDs (trust me; when I was in college, I got called for jury duty both at my permanent address, which was on my driver's license, and at my college address, which is where I voted).

I like voting, driving, and being able to drink alcohol, even though I've been called for jury duty five times now. I guess it's worth it. ;-)

 

[ItsOverZyvox]

hmmmm. I received jury duty once. I registered to vote in Orange County as a democrat. And that was 20 years ago. I have never received another jury duty. And I drive and I can buy alcohol.

Since driver license is issued to non-citizens also, I would think whichever state that uses the driver license ID is very inefficient in selecting jurors.

You must be in West Coast.

 

[confettiflyer]

Yeah I maintain an address/DL/absentee registration in CA but live out in PA and am not having anything to do with this state save for an intern license. My old roommates will probably just intercept summons and say I don't live there. I don't think I'll have jury duty problems, or at least i hope not!

Can you just claim to be out of the area? Or is that not plausible in WA?

 

[rjk]

a few years ago (in PA) i just wrote back saying I was a full stime student, and could not attend.

I have not been summoned since

 

[Sparda29]

I don't mind jury duty when I don't have something else in the way.

 

[genesis09]

In Illinois, they use driver's license/state ID list for juror selection. At my school, they told us if you ever get a juror summons during the school year to contact Office of Student Affairs and they'll write a letter for you.

 

[pharmacyanalyst]

I just finished jury duty on a capital murder case- it was awesome! (Not that people died, that is NOT awesome)

Anyway, the judge did let quite a few people off for being in school. I am sure you can squeeze out of it.

ETA: You can get picked in KY if you 1. vote, 2. pay taxes or 3. have a drivers license.

 

[diastole]

I have jury duty tomorrow. Then the next day I have a test, a lab I can't make up and my half of a group report due. I will not be attending court on Thursday whether I'm required to go or not. Hopefully, the judge will let me out of it because I can't afford another $500 fine.

 

[FarscapeGirl]

I have jury duty tomorrow. Then the next day I have a test, a lab I can't make up and my half of a group report due. I will not be attending court on Thursday whether I'm required to go or not. Hopefully, the judge will let me out of it because I can't afford another $500 fine.

Ouch. Did you not show up the first time? Even when they made me go, they let me go over spring break, and I was excused for the trial that lasted three weeks.

This time, I ended up being excused. Some places don't have full time students serve at all, some places expect you to come on breaks (and then serve on short trials), and apparently wherever diastole is, you still serve no matter what. Sorry about that, diastole. Hopefully you'll be excused.

 

[jawnly211]

Don't register to vote.

EXACTLY!!!!!

someone please LOCK this thread 👍

 

[Sparda29]

I've heard that sometimes jurors get de-selected if they show an interest in the case.

 

[diastole]

Ouch. Did you not show up the first time? Even when they made me go, they let me go over spring break, and I was excused for the trial that lasted three weeks.

This time, I ended up being excused. Some places don't have full time students serve at all, some places expect you to come on breaks (and then serve on short trials), and apparently wherever diastole is, you still serve no matter what. Sorry about that, diastole. Hopefully you'll be excused.

My state is a one day, one trial state. I could have had it postponed but I requested it too late. I had the day off so I decided to go and talk to the judge if I got picked. Fortunately, I didn't get picked. I said that I could be a fair juror on a child molestation case. However, when I got in the court and heard the charges, I was ready to convict the guy without even hearing the evidence. If I couldn't get out of the trial, I didn't want to be a biased juror so I told the judge that I wasn't sure that I could be fair and they sent me off. I had to wait around for a few more hours to see if they needed me elsewhere but they didn't. Now I'm off the hook for 18 months but I'm moving to a new state to attend pharmacy school.

 

[FarscapeGirl]

Diastole, if I were you, I'd make sure to keep a record that you served for jury duty. If you are so lucky as to be called again soon, you may be able to be excused because you just served in your old state. That is, if you're not excused due to being in pharmacy school!