JURY DUTY

We have all received that notice that we have to report for jury duty.  But we all want to get out of it.  If you are summoned to jury duty, do you have to respond?

If you are summoned for jury duty you have to respond. If you fail to respond to a jury summons, you can be held in contempt of court, you can be fined or imprisoned or both. If you cannot serve on the summons date, however, ask for a postponement to a more convenient time. You are entitled to one postponement. You might be excused from jury duty if such service would cause “undue hardship” for you. Also, if you do not meet the eligibility requirements for jury service or you are a peace officer or under a conservatorship, contact your local jury office - you might be disqualified or temporarily excused from service. Whatever your circumstances, however, do not ignore the jury summons.

Why would a judge excuse some people from jury duty and not others?

Judges have the right to excuse prospective jurors for a variety of reasons. The prospective juror may have:

• An immediate family members related to someone involved in the case.
• A financial interest in the case.
• A felony conviction, prejudice or bias or an opinion regarding the outcome of the case.
• The judge may also excuse a potential juror if service on the jury would cause undue hardship.

Judges may use their discretion.

And remember an employer is required to give an employee time off for jury duty. It is against the law for an employer to fire or harass you for reporting to jury duty as long as you have given the employer reasonable notice. If this occurs, notify your local jury office or the judge assigned to your trial. There are also laws allowing students to be excused from classes to fulfill their jury service.

I'm Attorney Eric Rudolph, with Your Legal Buzz!