Thursday, June 17, 2021

Avoided

Picture has nothing to do with today's post

About three weeks before the end of the school year, I got a piece of mail that had me groaning out loud. Jury duty summons. And sadly, it had my name on it. (Which was totally unfair as I had just gone in 2019.)

The date on the thing was for the Monday after the last day of school. Sigh. So, I had no reason to postpone it. (There's no getting out of these things. The only thing I can do is postpone to a more opportune date.) 

So, Friday before I checked in as soon as I could. Nope, I didn't have to report on Monday. 

Our jury service is one day/one trial. The one day we have to go in could be any day during the week we're summoned for. We have to check nightly to find out if we have to report the next day. (I don't know if other states do this differently. It used to vary county by county, but now state-wide it's pretty consistent from what I understand.) 

I made no plans for the week as I didn't know what day I'd have to report. I don't think I've ever reported on a Monday or a Tuesday. Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, sure. So, when I didn't have to report Tuesday either, I wasn't shocked. 

The thing about reporting later in the week means that a trial could go on to the next week. This did happen to me. So, by Thursday I was straight up jittery. Would I have to report on Friday? (Wednesday was a no. Thursday was a no.) 

Then, Thursday night. I went online early. There was no button to click for reporting instructions. (It was there but grayed out.) So, I dutifully waited until after 7 PM. 

And the reporting instructions button was still grayed out. Huh? That's when I noticed the announcement next to it. I had been ignoring that box because it said the same thing day after day. But no. This time it said I had completed my jury service, etc. I did not have to report on Friday, and I was officially done. 

Whew. 

Now my summer can officially begin.

15 comments:

  1. Kind of confusing as to why the letter came, but at least you dodged it. I'm not sure whether, in the UK, you can do jury duty more than once. I haven't been summoned yet.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Here in New York, jurors have to make a telephone call each night to see if they are required to report. They remain on standby for two weeks. We also have a limit, the state can call you to jury duty only once every six years. Of course, the federal courts also require jurors, and they use a different system.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It used to be just a telephone call, and one can still call in, but CA has gotten with the times and there's an online check as well. I prefer online when that's a choice.

      Delete
  3. I get one of those notices about once a year, they seem to really pick on me compared to everyone else in the family. Luckily I haven't had to actually report for several years now and have never been selected as a juror.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Now that's the way to do jury duty - not at all!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Only two years since the last one? They must really want you as a jurist.

    ReplyDelete
  6. I'm in the jury duty summons boat and we'll see what happens. What Songbird said applies to me, too, as I live in New York State. Hoping I don't have to report but we'll see. Alana ramblinwitham.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete
  7. Our county jury duty is for 3 months and every two years. Don't mean you will get called. But it disadvantage living in small town.
    Coffee is on and stay safe

    ReplyDelete
  8. thank goodness you dodged a bullet!

    ReplyDelete
  9. Looks like you are on jury duty quite often! Enjoy your holidays now ;)

    ReplyDelete
  10. I've been there. ~sigh~ I'm glad you're enjoying holiday time.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I don't know if "enjoying" is the right word ;)

      Delete

I appreciate your comments.

I respond to comments* via email, unless your profile email is not enabled. Then, I'll reply in the comment thread. Eventually. Probably.

*Exception: I do not respond to "what if?" comments, but I do read them all. Those questions are open to your interpretation, and I don't wish to limit your imagination by what I thought the question was supposed to be.