Jury Duty

[SamSpade]

What's a typical experience for Jury Duty at St Mary's Circuit Court? Got the letter.

I've had to do jury duty in PG, Calvert and for a short time many years back, St Mary's.
I've also been required for Grand Jury duty up in Greenbelt before.

Every experience was different. First time in PG, showed up every day for a couple weeks -
by noon we were dismissed, most of us not selected. Second time, had to call in to hear who was coming in.
Sat on one jury as an alternate. Two days. Then done.

Calvert, called up, seated on one jury. First day, we stayed until very late.

St Mary's first time, duration was very short. Docket seemed mostly empty, was not selected -
I think after the first week they said, don't bother, you're all done.

That I think was ten years ago.

What's typical NOW?

 

[stgislander]

I've never done Petit Jury in SMC. Seems like I'm only ever picked for Grand Jury.

 

[vraiblonde]

I've been called to jury duty several times. Mostly it was checking the schedule to find that I didn't need to show up; a couple of times it was showing up and sitting in the room until they told us all cases had been settled or dismissed, and telling us to go home; once I actually got as far as the jury selection process and the person right before me was the last juror selected, so I went back home.

 

[SamSpade]

I guess what I'd really like to know is how long it's likely to last - they're telling me the whole month of June - and that - well it ticks me off.
My job is up in DC - if I'm dismissed at noon, my job says, take the rest of the day off with LEAVE.
Because it's too damned far and the bus ain't running, so it's a waste of gas.

Will I likely have to show up every day for a month? Or like, the first day and if not picked, done for the week?

 

[terbear1225]

I just finished my month. Had to check the website each day to find out if I had to report the next day. it was a relatively painless process, never got called in and frequently the message would cover 2 days at a time.

 

[JenniferCNJR]

I was called last year for a month. Checked by phone each night to see if my juror number was called in. In my case, they never cycled back to my number which was something like 135 out of 600 jurors. I was only called in once during the month and reported for duty. We sat in the basement and watched a video and then went to the courtroom for jury selection. The judge asked the jurors generally certain questions and if they applied, you got in line and spoke to the judge directly. I was dismissed and to work by 10:30 a.m. and my number never came up again.

 

[Peepaw95]

My job is up in DC - if I'm dismissed at noon, my job says, take the rest of the day off with LEAVE.

It works just like Jennifer said. As far as taking leave, unless you are very honest, there is no way for them to know what time you are dismissed.

 

[1stGenSMIB]

I just finished my month. Had to check the website each day to find out if I had to report the next day. it was a relatively painless process, never got called in and frequently the message would cover 2 days at a time.

+1, I am gonna guess TerBear and I were in the same jury pool. I had to push mine back a month due to travel, and the nice lady I talked to on the phone was very accommodating with the re-schedule. I put the jury line phone number in my mobile phone so I would not forget to call the hotline and check. It was nice on a Wed night when they would say there are no jury trials for Thursday or Friday, which allowed a little planning for a long weekend.

 

[catlingirl]

+1, I am gonna guess TerBear and I were in the same jury pool. I had to push mine back a month due to travel, and the nice lady I talked to on the phone was very accommodating with the re-schedule. I put the jury line phone number in my mobile phone so I would not forget to call the hotline and check. It was nice on a Wed night when they would say there are no jury trials for Thursday or Friday, which allowed a little planning for a long weekend.

Hi im just wondering if they ask specifically what kind of travel that you were able to postpone for? Im going to be gone 3 days in July and im just afraid that I will get picked for jury duty at that time.

 

[PeoplesElbow]

Typical experience, you go sit in the waiting room for at least an hour, usually longer staring at the walls, listening to people whine about why they can't do jury duty. Then you all get to go upstairs for jury selection and listen to them whine to the judge while the defense and prosecution pick jurors.

You can tell them you have plans for XX-XXX and they will excuse you for those times. Then as a juror you will sit in the jury room for a long time, go into court for an hour or two, then back to the jury room for a long time, over and over. Then its all over, but hey you get $15/day!

 

[PeoplesElbow]

I guess what I'd really like to know is how long it's likely to last - they're telling me the whole month of June - and that - well it ticks me off.
My job is up in DC - if I'm dismissed at noon, my job says, take the rest of the day off with LEAVE.
Because it's too damned far and the bus ain't running, so it's a waste of gas.

Will I likely have to show up every day for a month? Or like, the first day and if not picked, done for the week?

As a federal employee you are excused for the day, not hours during the day. When you get your slip showing when you had jury duty it only shows the dates.

 

[JenniferCNJR]

Hi im just wondering if they ask specifically what kind of travel that you were able to postpone for? Im going to be gone 3 days in July and im just afraid that I will get picked for jury duty at that time.

I had a vacation planned during my term and simply faxed a letter explaining that I was out of town for "x" days. The lady called me and said she had noted my excuse and should my number come up during my vacation to simply ignore it.

 

[catlingirl]

I had a vacation planned during my term and simply faxed a letter explaining that I was out of town for "x" days. The lady called me and said she had noted my excuse and should my number come up during my vacation to simply ignore it.

Ok cool thanks

 

[SamSpade]

As a federal employee you are excused for the day, not hours during the day. When you get your slip showing when you had jury duty it only shows the dates.

Thanks, that's what my boss told me - any day I go in is Court Duty - if I am dismissed before the end of my normal work day, it still counts as a full day.

On the other hand, my CWS days don't excuse me from jury duty, so I have to re-schedule everything I schedule on those days.

 

[1stGenSMIB]

Hi im just wondering if they ask specifically what kind of travel that you were able to postpone for? Im going to be gone 3 days in July and im just afraid that I will get picked for jury duty at that time.

In my case, it was work travel, but vacation counts too as others like JennCNJR noted.. I think you are allowed to skip up to 5 days. My work travel ended up being something like 7 days. For me, they just shifted me to the next cycle for jury duty (basically the next month).