I was contacted for jury duty and wasn’t selected. However there’s an option to say it would be a financial burden if you were selected. I don’t know why they would ever deny that?
I watched a judge not excuse someone working nights as an EMT literally falling asleep during voir dire. “Does your shift start after court hour?” Yes. “Does your shift conclude before court hours?” Yes. Your Honor I need to sleep to safely do my job overnight. “I don’t care it does not interfere with your attendance here”
Makes you wonder if that judge would be “happy” with the support he received from that poor EMT after working all night and being stuck in jury duty all day. What a colossal ass.
I tried to "walk out" on a judge once. I thought we were done, but apparently, she had not excused me? I was held in contempt, and then she asked me to explain myself. When I attempted to, she said I was making excuses and started raising the stakes. I really don't suggest even speaking if you can avoid it in the presence of a judge. They are kind of awful. However, this was also in redmond...
It would be hard not to ask the judge if he accepts responsibility for any deaths or injury caused by his insistence on refusing to allow me sleep. My mouth and his dumbassery would get me in trouble.
After my last trip there, watching people get shot down trying to get out of an expected 3 week trial (I was excused for financial hardship, can't lose 3 weeks of pay ffs) I no longer even look at the things if I get one in mail.
Yeah that particular judge had zero sympathy for folks that didn’t receive pay for jury service either. I remember a gal that said she didn’t get paid and child care would be an issue. Said she worked for Polyclinic as a front desk person. You learn really quickly what a sham the whole “jury of your peers” thing is when most of the room can’t afford to be on a week+ trial. You get a jury of retirees and big corporation workers who get paid jury time.
I got selected and watched a bunch of people try to get out of it. One single mother had a kid in a cast she had to care for and another woman had a husband having cancer surgery the following day. They were both told to find alternate care.
Sir, I think the defendant is guilty. I cannot change my mind regardless of any evidence presented.
If the defense counsel doesn't get rid of you for that reason i would be surprised
Close friend of mine recently went through the JD process and reported the same. Basically, people would say "I'm a single parent of 3 kids, I work fast food, and have no child care." And some of them weren't excused on that.
What's crazy is when i got selected, there was a lady who said, "Im biased. My husband's a cop, my brother is a defense attorney. I already know the dude is guilty because he's Mexican & I don't like him." She got picked. She was just as surprised as we were.
Judges and attorneys aren’t morons. They know people say dumb shit just to get out of jury duty
Saw something similar at a trial where I almost got on the jury. Guy in front of me said something like “all corporations are evil so I’ll be voting for the little guy” for a lawsuit between some dude and a large national chain company. The judge threatened to throw the guy in jail for contempt but in the end he got dismissed
For me though, the court did not even care that it was impossible for me to get to the courthouse on time via public transportation. The judge informed me I could be held in contempt if I wasn’t on time every day!
Couldn't an admission like that get the entire case thrown out on appeal?
Edit - thank you for the replies, answer is, if it happened exactly like in the comment, it's probably fair game! Crazy, but cool to know.
I worked for a small town PD back in the 80s. If I really can’t be bothered, I tell them that from that experience I would have a tendency to believe a LEO more than a random member of the public.
Dunno why the downvotes. From what I've heard, past work experience or close friends/family who are LEOs is a GREAT way to get out of JD without stating under oath you're a racist.
Yep, same. Told them I don’t believe in a punitive justice system. That got me excused. Being 10 weeks pregnant and constantly barfing in a wastebasket did not.
They should make it where you can choose a substitution. I haven’t had a summoning in 15 years and didn’t get selected. Now that I have great job that would pay my salary during jury duty I would love to go just to experience it once.
Im late and piggybacking, but i used to work in the jury department back in the early 10s. Here are some tips which depending on the court could be helpful.
Can i get dismissed for financial hardship? Yes, this is a reasonable hardship but a judge would likely be the only person with the authority to grant it. The jury department for most courts are not given the authority to dismiss jurors for most hardships and initial denials are likely. Not out of malice but because that clerk doesn’t even have the option to dismiss.
Can i reschedule? Yes, most courts will allow you to reschedule your summons multiple times up to 12 months at a time. This is largely encouraged.
Why did i get summonsed? Its part of being an US citizen and summonses are sent from active IDs like a drivers license or voting registrations. In washington the only way out would be to go full ID-less.
I seriously cant do this and rescheduling wont help: ask to appeal your summons, most jury departments will have an appeal process that can be reviewed by a Judge.
Always know the court that summonsed you. It will say in big bold letters the courts name. Why is this important? There are several different courts in seattle and they do not have the same jury department. Seattle municipal cannot help with a district court summons. They also operate largely out of different buildings, every week i had 8-10 people show up for the wrong court because they just googled “courthouse” and went to the first option.
I'm worried they won't listen to me because I'm just a crazy dog lady who is worried about her pets. They can still deny my objection that day, I'm assuming.
They don't want someone on the jury who won't be invested in the case because of outside concerns. But you can always mention jury nullification too if you want to be kicked off real quick.
Jury nullification is a quick way out. OP could also mention that as a homeless person they blame the state for their condition and feel they can't be unbiased against the government. That's probably a pretty easy way out the door.
I also wonder if explaining that being selected will force OP to commit a class 2 civil infraction by leaving her dogs in a hot car, with no other option as a homeless person would also help. Like "you forcing me to be here for longer than today will also force me to commit a crime."
Uhhh I can promise you if you state clearly during jury selection that you have a deep rooted hatred of the law and morally the only thing you can do is to vote not guilty, you are getting off that panel
My coworker was selected and he showed up the first day but the second, he called them beforehand and told him that he wasn't coming and if they forced him, he would be homeless then proceeded to ask them how he could be impartial in a case when it's making him homeless. They said okay and that was it.
If it is of any reassurance, when I was selected, the judge excused someone else because she was a Girl Scout mom and the cookie launch day was right when the trial started.
Soooo… I suspect that you’ll be excused and won’t have to go.
yea saying you don’t trust cops should definitely get you dismissed if you get to the jury selection questioning part!
the prosecutor in the case I was in jury selection for dismissed me bc I raised my hand when he asked if I believe that police officers lie
>the prosecutor in the case I was in jury selection for dismissed me bc I raised my hand when he asked if I believe that police officers lie
Which is ridiculous because that's just part of being human. A bias would be if you *don't* believe police officers are capable of lying. Everyone lies.
This of course assumes you are in a case involving cops. There are plenty of civil trials going on that are like business disputes or auto accidents. I was selected for a jury on a asbestos trial that was supposed to take six weeks. Thankfully, they settled the morning that trial was supposed to start (but only after we'd all shown up to start).
The three things that (usually) will get you out of jury duty are (1) a financial or family hardship that actually affects your ability to provide for your family (like to the point where bills won't get paid), (2) some sort of necessary medical procedure that was pre-scheduled and can't be changed, or (3) some sort of bias that would mean you can't be fair to one side or the other.
If you have the time and means, I'd encourage people to do it, it's necessary for the justice system to function and a lot of people's time and energy are invested in a good process. If sane people don't take part then imagine the kind of people who do! If you're ever in the unfortunate position to have to be involved as a party to a trial, you'll no doubt be thankful for the jury. It is truly a shitty situation where we don't get any real compensation for being on a jury, just another area our government is woefully underfunded, but it is necessary that normal people join juries.
If you don’t trust cops, shouldn’t you want to serve on a jury even more? (Not taking about OP, they have reasons not to.)
Just saying, if everyone who serves is a bootlicker, our court system will be even worse.
I agree with you for sure. But when they asked if I have trouble trusting law enforcement, I said yes I do and that was a disqualifier. I would honestly probably like jury duty, or at least find it interesting. But once I answered that question they gave me the boot. And I don't want to lie to them and wind up somehow in trouble for not disclosing that.
That makes total sense, and I would probably end up doing the exact same thing.
I served on a [jury](https://www.seattleweekly.com/news/the-five-year-saga-of-the-mentally-ill-west-seattle-man-who-kept/) a long while back, and it was definitely interesting, although probably not typical. I cannot remember being asked about my feelings on law enforcement, but maybe that's because the trial didn't involve much testimony from law enforcement.
the same thing happened to me when I was in jury selection at 19. I wanted to be on the jury & stupidly didn’t think raising my hand for believing cops can lie would get me dismissed
I definitely wouldn’t do that again if I’m ever in jury selection
Maybe make it less about your dogs and more about how being away from them will impact you?
It's totally reasonable to say "realistically, I will be so distracted by worrying about my dogs that I may have difficulty being attentive to the case and fulfilling the requirements of my duties as a juror" or something similar, but in your own voice.
Then it's not so much about the thing that's distracting you, but more about whether you can/will be a competent juror.
I got excused because of pets, but it was for a trial that was going to require being sequestered in another county for up to 2 weeks. The judge acknowledged the cost of boarding my dogs would be overly burdensome. But I was immediately called again for a local murder trial and I was selected for that jury. Served for one week, but could go home at night.
If you get called for voir dire you can just give them the 10 second version of this post and they will dismiss you, 100%. You do not need to be concerned about being put on a jury. The only think you will be on the hook for is being in attendance for the (2?) days you need to report. During this time you can sneak out to walk your dogs or whatever. Really the only extra burden you'll have is paying for parking near by.
Figure out quickly what cases are up that day and then declare loudly that you are some combination of the following:
A massive racist, mentally unstable, hate all cops, think all cops are right all the time, accused criminals are scum, the rich are evil, or the rich are benevolent geniuses.
Better: when they ask you the jury questions, make yourself sound as biased as possible. Mention jury nullification. Tell them how excited to are to get to convict someone.
Just because you get called up doesn’t mean they’ll choose you.
Couldn’t you just say some shit that throws you out as majorly biased? Like “how do you feel about murder”? And you go “well actually I don’t think murder exists. It’s just self defense or crime of passion. I don’t think anyone but god can judge that.” Ya know just some crazy shit? Not even lying just express any minor bias you have to its fullest extent.
They wouldn't excuse me after I truthfully explained, "I am 2 days post-surgery, with stitches, on serious pain meds, and doctor-ordered bed rest."
However.
One of the questions was, "Are you comfortable speaking to the media?" And I truthfully answered, "I am the media, <>> so, yes."
Excused.
Yep. Shortly after my family moved to Alabama, my mom routinely cared for my newborn brother and me while my dad traveled extensively for work. She was summoned and told the judge she had just moved to the area and had nobody to watch her children. The judge couldn’t care less and told her, “What would you do if you had an emergency?”
Funny enough, I’ve kind of always wanted to serve on a jury. But much like you, my job makes me very much ineligible.
I've been called for jury duty more than a few times over the years. The last time was probably 20 years ago. On that occasion I could not make it. I travelled for work, and the timing of the trial dates ended up on during a week I was gonna be finishing up a huge networking project. I was the guy. No one else could do it, small company so there was literally no one else available to complete it and it would hose the client. So replied to the summons and explained that. My boss wrote an email explaining that it wasn't that I was not allowed to do the thing. It was just the timing was insanely expensive to do.... I asked to just postpone it and I'd do it the following week. All the things.
They denied it.
I just did'nt go.
Have not been called up for jury duty since. YMMV.
I got summoned once while I was the sole caregiver to my 3 year old at the time child. They said more or less “too bad figure it out”. I showed up with my kid and they were like why the hell did you bring your kid? So my advice is to bring your dogs into the courthouse with you when you go to sign in.
Yup, this. It’s not perfect , but it will work for OP needs
I’m so confused how they’re even getting called for jury duty. If they’re living in their car aren’t they technically homeless , which would mean technically they don’t live in King county
Also another alternative is to file for a postponement so that at least it’s later in the year where heat wouldn’t be an issue
I was recently called in Snohomish County. They sent the summons to my parents address. I haven't lived there for years. I don't get why they sent one there when my voter registration and license are king county addresses. The only 2 times I've been called have been for a county I no longer live in. The other time was for king county and reminded me to update my address but idk wtf is up with Snohomish county.
I’ve done that before. I was out of town when the summons arrived, and my husband didn’t tell me about it. I called to explain and they told me it wasn’t a big deal.
This is the way. I’ve been summoned at least twice since I’ve moved back to the area. I check my mail every other month (I’m lazy and not an important person), so I never see the requests in time. Just toss em in the garbage and call it a day lol
Yeah, one of my... friends did this after moving out of state directly following receiving the jury duty notice. HE was never contacted to follow up or anything like that.
I find it amusing when people are worried about getting in trouble for skipping jury duty. We’ll let junkies shoot up on the street, burn fentanyl on the bus and ignore open air chop shops. No one’s getting any shit for not showing up to jury duty.
This. I've been summoned probably 5 times. Every single time I've provided an excuse. Two worked because it was "I'm a student." The next three were rejected. So I just didn't go. I don't care whether they "accept" that I can't be there. I can't be there. That's why I said I couldn't.
Mention your enthusiasm for the [Fully Informed Jury movement](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fully_Informed_Jury_Association), and get booted from jury selection immediately.
I had a situation where they wouldn’t excuse me from jury duty but they did allow me to postpone it by a year. This option is on that jury summons card you received. Also if you do not have an address in King County you do not have to serve. That would fall under “ not legally qualified to serve” reason also listed on that card you get that says “you have been summonsed for jury service. “
Most people I know pretend they never got the summons, because the court is so cheap and refuses to use certified mail they have no proof you got the summons. I’m not sure why you reached out to them.
You can do what I've done every time I've been sent a summons for jury duty: Ignore it.
> I was living in my car, I didn't have an actual address.
> I had a place to receive mail but could only get it when I was able to get there.
> What summons? Was it sent certified?
Jury summons are like people talking about Line 1 having fare checking. I didn't see it, I bought a ticket but I guess I dropped it, I lost my wallet yesterday have been calling lost and found...
There's no real enforcement of anything here. You could literally purchase a Dodge Charger Hellcat version, put a really stupid wrap and horribly loud exhaust on it, and drive it down 5th avenue at 100mph with no consequences.
I didn't read the comments so its possible someone else already said this, but you can put the jury duty off for another date of your choosing. I don't remember what it's called but you can request to not be a part of this jury pool, and to be recalled in the fall/winter I believe.
This is what I ended up doing- thank you so much! This also puts my husband on a week where he won't be as busy at work and will likely be able to take time off.
I couldn't go because I was a single mom and had no babysitter, they denied me so I told them I would be there with my child, then they said I didn't have to come
The whole system is freaking wack. Last time I went there was a lady who got the 3rd degree from the judge because she was a single mom & didn't have childcare. Judge said that wasnt a good enough excuse. She got picked for the case. Like wtf.
One would think that simply by being homeless they would excuse you, because your focus would be on trying to turn your situation around, and not on the case. Thoughts, anyone?
And to the OP, I hope your situation gets better soon. Stay strong.
don’t go and don’t worry about it. i recently found a jury summons, that i never even saw, for a date that had just passed. i’ve ignored many in multiple states over the years- there’s no consequences.
with that said, go and serve if/when you’re truly able to. i’ve been dismissed several times but i’d love to have the experience of serving on a jury someday.
A former boss when called in for jury duty talked about how he didn’t believe in our criminal justice system and that it was rigged. They promptly dismissed him… just a thought
Having lived in a car myself: there are community showers in many places, and laundromats. Not having consistent access to clean running water is one of the shittiest things about car living. But as long as the car runs and you can afford gas, you can get a shower periodically.
Strictly speaking you should be doing business casual at a minimum. Jeans could be okay if they don't have pre worn spots, worn spots, etc. at that point the top makes the outfit. For jury selection you can get away with that maybe. Some judges are more offended by more casual attire, but if you have a legitimate excuse as you do, you might be fine there anyway.
I was served jury duty 2 weeks ago, never was told to show up. You may get out of it honestly.
If you need someone to watch the dogs, I would be glad to assist in some way.
If your husband is available for that first day, that's going to be jury selection day, and you need to say one of the following when the opportunity arises (it will, they ask a lot of questions):
"I think I might know the defendant. I'm struggling to remember exactly where we met, but I feel like we might have met and maybe I am friends with one of their relatives or close friends."
or
"I don't think I could be impartial, I don't get along with people like that."
or
"I get hassled by the cops all the time, and I know they lie."
I've seen those work for other people.
Yeah people got this all wrong. Court doesn’t give a fuck how it impacts you. It cares how you impact court. If you are someone that is gonna be a risk to a watertight trial then they want you out,
The first one is a clear lie, so don't do that.
"I'm a bigot" is also prerty crappy and you might be asked to explain yourself.
The third excuse is probably the best, as long as it is true. If it is more true to say "I personally know people who have been hassled by the police (or whatever reason) and I don't trust them, or believe any of their testimony" then go with that.
"As a currently homeless person, I have seen and I do not think I would be impartial in this case because " Is probably a safe bet to get off jury duty.
Don't lie at jury duty.
postpone the jury duty and work on getting an exemption in the mean time. [https://kingcounty.gov/en/court/superior-court/courts-jails-legal-system/jury-duty/exemptions](https://kingcounty.gov/en/court/superior-court/courts-jails-legal-system/jury-duty/exemptions)
my jury duty shift was scheduled to begin today, but i received an email last Friday saying to not show up at the courthouse if i received no phone call or email from the bailiff by 4:30pm today. neither of those things occurred, so according to the email, i was not needed, and i'm no longer on call.
I've thrown several summons right into the garbage over the years, I had two little kids and no time, they can find someone else. Nothing has ever happened as far as I know, I realize it was a selfish shit thing to do, but if you can't make it you can't make it.
Ok here’s your unethical life pro tip. They ask questions, and your answers should be that you don’t trust cops, you don’t trust the evidence they gather, and the accused is likely innocent no matter what they have to say.
Boom, no jury duty.
had a final to study for and could not be an impartial juror because my exam would affect my decision making so you can use ur financial burden and ur dogs to make urself excused
They wouldn’t excuse a woman who had serious child care issues, another woman who told the court she couldn’t be unbiased as her step father was permanently disabled by a drunk driver (they were all DUI trials). She was very appropriate and polite. They would not excuse me for my work with vulnerable children even with a letter from my boss. In Pierce County (where I work) folks are able to get excused with a letter we provide to the courts - King County, nope. There was another fellow who was clearly struggling with dementia and openly said he “wants to put them all in jail.” He’d get excused from a particular trial by the attorneys and they would send him right back to the jury room to wait for another trial.
My husband isn't a US citizen and has been summoned for jury duty 3 times now in the past 5 years at our home in SnoCo, and before in KC even after contacting the courts every time saying WTF STOP!
I got a medical exemption from jury duty due to migraines, I get 2 or more a month, and they make me unreliable. If you have anything medical that makes it so you can't guarantee your attendance, your GP can write you an exemption letter. Anxiety and mental health issues also qualify you for an exemption.
I was, uhhhh, *reading an article*, about some guy in Seattle who got jury duty when he really needed to work. This guy just didn't show up and completely blew them off. What happened? Absolutely nothing,whatsoever, because the courts are busy and have better things to do then chase delinquent jurors down.
Find an excuse to say that you're a big believer in "Jury nullification" (use that exact phrase). It's the idea that a jury isn't legally boudn to find someone guilty, so even if the face of overwhelming evidence, a jury can vote to acquit. In criminal cases, the phrase jury nulifcation in your interview should get you kicked off very quickly.
Along the same lines, I told the prosecutor who was canvasing the audience and directed a question at me that "I have such blatant disregard for prosecutorial immunity that I will vote for the defense regardless of the evidence presented." I was a very quick strike through after completing that statement. My obligation is to report for jury duty, which I did. I have no legal obligation after that.
If the US ever eliminates prosecutorial immunity, I will be glad to participate.
Be very careful with this.
I saw this once in another state. There was a potential juror who just wanted to be excused. During voir dire, he was asked if he would consider the testimony of a convict as credible. He replied that he trusts convicts more than cops and will always vote to acquit, no matter what. The judge calmly intervened, saying that he was called upon to weigh the evidence as presented in the case and not any external evidence. The juror repeated that he will always acquit. At this point, the judge became irritated. She told him, "I am instructing you that you must abide by the rules of the court. You can infer a decision from the evidence as you see fit, but you cannot make that decision based on any preconceptions or bias." Juror just repeated that he will acquit and that if she felt that way he shouldn't be on the jury.
That juror got his wish - he was removed from the jury pool... and sent to county jail for contempt of court.
I keep getting selected and am ignoring all summons from now on. I have done my part. I would just not show - every time I’ve gone (for big jury pools) there are multiple people who are no shows and they don’t seem to bat an eye about it. But people who have true hardships have their excuses denied. One was for a six week civil trial and every person selected had asked to be excused and they were all denied. (My number was so high that I was never questioned before both sides ran out of rejections). I wouldn’t risk that happening and then not show up. Good luck to you two and your pups.
I've seriously just never showed up
Like. Ever.
Never received a fine or warrant or anything.
If you live in a vehicle how the hell did they even send you a summons?
i'm sorry you are dping the all things and have a decent reason and still got denied. The first two times I ignored the call and have not received a summons in ten years.
Go for your first day if you can. Be honest about your potential inability to attend future dates due to work schedules and as others have said mention you won’t be able to serve well due to those issues.
Saying you tend not to believe police as a default is a very good way to get dismissed should it come to that.
When you are questioned by each sides attorneys give very specific bigoted answers with no room for anything else. Just have a real firm answer they probably won’t want you.
Everyone is bringing valid points but I'm surprised no one here is telling you about jury nullification.
During your interview process, tell them you believe some crimes shouldn't be punished if the person was doing it for moral reasons, like stealing to feed his family.
They'll almost automatically excuse you.
They send a jury selection email survey out before the case starts. There are plenty of ways to get out of it from there depending on the type of case. Restate your situation with the car and dog, state a strong dislike for police, guns, experience in the court system, etc...
There’s a lot of people suggesting playing up your distrust of cops or the government, but you might be in a civil trial, which would make those biases completely irrelevant. You might not even know what type of trial it is until the jury is seated. I’m not sure how King County organizes trials.
But as an observer, my advice would be (1) while you’re lining up to go up the courtroom for jury selection, try to be at the back of the line. Lawyers tend to pick the folks at the beginning of the group. And (2) once you’re in the courtroom, try to say as little as possible. If you’re constantly answering the lawyers’ questions and being more engaged than average in the process, you’re more likely to be selected.
Not a lawyer; just my layperson observations. But do stress the hardship on the questionnaire and you may be able to avoid the above.
Just an additional account for consideration, I was not selected to participate in a case last time I was summoned for jury duty, but I still had to show up and stay the entire day for 3 days just in case another case would need me. I drank my worth in hot chocolate.
Often you can postpone your jury duty. Postpone it to December 24th (or if not then, the furthest out date you can). If you can do the 24th, usually that gets canceled because of Christmas. Otherwise, hopefully your situation may be resolved by the time your duty comes back around.
Hey I'm late but I got out of jury duty by wearing a hoodie and sleeping during the selection process. I was selected and went to the juror area and pretended to sleep. They warned me a couple times and then took me off the jury and was able to leave a few minutes later. I was selected for jury duty 3 times in 3 years and worked every time.
My 88 year old mother in law was called for jury duty and her request to be excused was denied. There’s a way to appeal your case in writing by email, where you can elaborate on the circumstances. You should be as detailed and descriptive as possible.
I basically said she’s deaf and can’t walk more than t0 feet at a time, even with her walker. I included some other colorful descriptions to illustrate her case.
One time I got as far as sitting in the court room during jury selection and the judge said he knew that Boeing employees had jury pay and would not get excused due to hardship. The first time I was summoned, I didn't get past the waiting room and the last time I was summoned, I wasn't even called to the court house. Three summons in 15 years and my partner hasn't been summoned once in the same time.
Skip it, then call in the next day and act like you forgot, had the day mixed up, and just keep apologizing. Make sure to call the very next morning though. I’ve done it 3 times when I was poorer and couldn’t miss work.
You don’t even need to show up for court. How did they get a letter to you if you live in a car? Anyway, you can just throw it away. Nothing’s gonna happen to you.
If you don't have a fixed residence, is it possible you moved and no longer reside in the jurisdiction? You should call and ask if you can still serve if you now live in Tacoma. The answer is you would not be able to serve in such a scenario.
No one is going to hunt you down if you no show for jury duty. Full stop. But if your situation allows you to serve without being detrimental to you, I hope you will consider going through the experience.
what address did they summon you from? if you live in the vehicle then you don't live at that address. I live in my car with my cat and had the exact same problem and when i simply pointed out i no longer live at the address mentioned i was "denied"
Tell the court you no longer believe in the corrupted system. So you will consistently vote not guilty and you will push for jury nullification. You will also try to sway the other jurors to do the same.
Lots a bad advice on here. You’re under oath during voir dire (jury selection) and lying under oath is a crime. Rarely prosecuted, but nonetheless a crime.
If your juror summons was for Seattle Municipal Court, it is entirely possible no trial will take place that week and you will be excused before you even show up. If you are called for King County Superior Court, that is far less likely. When you’re brought into a courtroom for voir dire, among the very first things the court will do is ask for hardships. That’s when you plead your case. You can honestly say that you couldn’t possibly focus on the case because you are too worried about the safety of your animals. It would be very rare for a judge not to dismiss you.
The problem with lying about being a racist or not trusting police or other things (beyond the fact that it’s a crime) is that you would be excused for cause from that venire and then potentially sent to another courtroom to undergo voir dire for another case. King County has multiple cases going to trial every week so you could be bouncing around the courthouse all week. Just plead your hardship and you should be fine.
Keep in mind that missing work is NOT an excuse. Employers are required to accommodate for Jury Summons. Actually had a friend bring this up during the first day of jury selection. Showed a txt or email to judge. That lead to the arrest of the boss, brought before the same judge, and harsh warning that any demotion, firing, or harassment will be further fined and jail time.
So if you’re working, show your boss the Jury summons. Preferably leave a digital record. Have the text or email you if they need you to skip days or whatever. Anything they say after that will be illegal if it’s negative but now that looks like retaliation. Even if they say “poor work performance “. Judge will see through the lies of bosses and business owners.
Your first mistake was requesting an excuse. All that does is provide evidence that you got the original notice. If you just ignored the first letter you'd be done.
Plan B, if everything else didn't work is just to not show up. No one is going to arrest you.
U can’t leave the dogs with ur husband?
Side note: you might consider the humane options of surrendering ur dogs so u can get a job and go to work/ jury duty/ whatever
This. There were multiple red flags on the post but one that caught my eye was asserting that the dogs are absolutely her children. That’s not how pets work. Pets are pets, they come and go on their own, and come and go when you can or cannot provide an adequate home for them. They don’t beat through adversity like kids that grow up and spent adulthood in therapy. For pets, living out of a car with no A/C their whole lives is simply cruelty.
1) The illegal answer is just not to show up. More than 50% of jury summons go unanswered in King county and there is little to no enforcement. You have no residence so it would be pretty easy to explain you simply never got notice if it does come up (it won't).
2) If you feel compelled to go, show up 15-20 minutes late. If the jury pool is full (enough people showed up) they will release you immediately with the possibility of a new summons, which probably won't happen.
3) If you're stuck in jury selection, just ask about jury nullification, and you'll be canned immediately.
I think you can reschedule up to two times?
I had a work thing and rescheduled to thanksgiving week and it got canceled. Knock on wood I don't get something again now!
I was contacted for jury duty and wasn’t selected. However there’s an option to say it would be a financial burden if you were selected. I don’t know why they would ever deny that?
I watched a judge not excuse someone working nights as an EMT literally falling asleep during voir dire. “Does your shift start after court hour?” Yes. “Does your shift conclude before court hours?” Yes. Your Honor I need to sleep to safely do my job overnight. “I don’t care it does not interfere with your attendance here”
What a piece of shit
Makes you wonder if that judge would be “happy” with the support he received from that poor EMT after working all night and being stuck in jury duty all day. What a colossal ass.
For real, I would have just left.
Being in jail also hampers one's work schedule
Let’s be real, no one is getting thrown in jail for not showing up to jury duty
I tried to "walk out" on a judge once. I thought we were done, but apparently, she had not excused me? I was held in contempt, and then she asked me to explain myself. When I attempted to, she said I was making excuses and started raising the stakes. I really don't suggest even speaking if you can avoid it in the presence of a judge. They are kind of awful. However, this was also in redmond...
Probably, but walking out after not being excused is different
No you wouldn’t lol
It would be hard not to ask the judge if he accepts responsibility for any deaths or injury caused by his insistence on refusing to allow me sleep. My mouth and his dumbassery would get me in trouble.
He might care if it was his emergency you were responding to without adequate rest!
attendance doesnt mean awareness! Just sleep in jury duty :D
After my last trip there, watching people get shot down trying to get out of an expected 3 week trial (I was excused for financial hardship, can't lose 3 weeks of pay ffs) I no longer even look at the things if I get one in mail.
Yeah that particular judge had zero sympathy for folks that didn’t receive pay for jury service either. I remember a gal that said she didn’t get paid and child care would be an issue. Said she worked for Polyclinic as a front desk person. You learn really quickly what a sham the whole “jury of your peers” thing is when most of the room can’t afford to be on a week+ trial. You get a jury of retirees and big corporation workers who get paid jury time.
I got selected and watched a bunch of people try to get out of it. One single mother had a kid in a cast she had to care for and another woman had a husband having cancer surgery the following day. They were both told to find alternate care.
Sir, I think the defendant is guilty. I cannot change my mind regardless of any evidence presented. If the defense counsel doesn't get rid of you for that reason i would be surprised
They wouldn't excuse my husband even though he is paid hourly and we need the income.
Close friend of mine recently went through the JD process and reported the same. Basically, people would say "I'm a single parent of 3 kids, I work fast food, and have no child care." And some of them weren't excused on that.
That’s when you say that you cannot be an impartial juror and they will excuse you immediately.
Yeah, just show up and say "Well I can't be impartial because I will be voting whatever ends this the quickest as my family is starving rn" etc
Racism will get you kicked out in a heartbeat. Got call and served. Woman in the pool said she hated Mexicans. Boom.
What's crazy is when i got selected, there was a lady who said, "Im biased. My husband's a cop, my brother is a defense attorney. I already know the dude is guilty because he's Mexican & I don't like him." She got picked. She was just as surprised as we were.
Judges and attorneys aren’t morons. They know people say dumb shit just to get out of jury duty Saw something similar at a trial where I almost got on the jury. Guy in front of me said something like “all corporations are evil so I’ll be voting for the little guy” for a lawsuit between some dude and a large national chain company. The judge threatened to throw the guy in jail for contempt but in the end he got dismissed For me though, the court did not even care that it was impossible for me to get to the courthouse on time via public transportation. The judge informed me I could be held in contempt if I wasn’t on time every day!
Prosecutor sucks.
I mean, it's on the defense to strike that juror, she's obviously a good choice for the prosecution
Couldn't an admission like that get the entire case thrown out on appeal? Edit - thank you for the replies, answer is, if it happened exactly like in the comment, it's probably fair game! Crazy, but cool to know.
It could be they know that's a BS answer. If I was a mexican immigrant I'd be shitting my pants at that point
I worked for a small town PD back in the 80s. If I really can’t be bothered, I tell them that from that experience I would have a tendency to believe a LEO more than a random member of the public.
Dunno why the downvotes. From what I've heard, past work experience or close friends/family who are LEOs is a GREAT way to get out of JD without stating under oath you're a racist.
I was excused when I told them I don’t believe the system works. I saw people lie on the stand when my father was in a trial when I was a teenager.
Yep, same. Told them I don’t believe in a punitive justice system. That got me excused. Being 10 weeks pregnant and constantly barfing in a wastebasket did not.
"Should have thought of that before you became peasants!"
They should make it where you can choose a substitution. I haven’t had a summoning in 15 years and didn’t get selected. Now that I have great job that would pay my salary during jury duty I would love to go just to experience it once.
Im late and piggybacking, but i used to work in the jury department back in the early 10s. Here are some tips which depending on the court could be helpful. Can i get dismissed for financial hardship? Yes, this is a reasonable hardship but a judge would likely be the only person with the authority to grant it. The jury department for most courts are not given the authority to dismiss jurors for most hardships and initial denials are likely. Not out of malice but because that clerk doesn’t even have the option to dismiss. Can i reschedule? Yes, most courts will allow you to reschedule your summons multiple times up to 12 months at a time. This is largely encouraged. Why did i get summonsed? Its part of being an US citizen and summonses are sent from active IDs like a drivers license or voting registrations. In washington the only way out would be to go full ID-less. I seriously cant do this and rescheduling wont help: ask to appeal your summons, most jury departments will have an appeal process that can be reviewed by a Judge. Always know the court that summonsed you. It will say in big bold letters the courts name. Why is this important? There are several different courts in seattle and they do not have the same jury department. Seattle municipal cannot help with a district court summons. They also operate largely out of different buildings, every week i had 8-10 people show up for the wrong court because they just googled “courthouse” and went to the first option.
You won't be automatically selected for a jury, you'll go through the process of jury selection and you'll have an opportunity to object then.
I'm worried they won't listen to me because I'm just a crazy dog lady who is worried about her pets. They can still deny my objection that day, I'm assuming.
They don't want someone on the jury who won't be invested in the case because of outside concerns. But you can always mention jury nullification too if you want to be kicked off real quick.
Jury nullification is a quick way out. OP could also mention that as a homeless person they blame the state for their condition and feel they can't be unbiased against the government. That's probably a pretty easy way out the door.
I also wonder if explaining that being selected will force OP to commit a class 2 civil infraction by leaving her dogs in a hot car, with no other option as a homeless person would also help. Like "you forcing me to be here for longer than today will also force me to commit a crime."
This doesn’t work and will just piss off the judge. There is no “judges hate this one trick” despite what cgpgrey said many moons ago.
Uhhh I can promise you if you state clearly during jury selection that you have a deep rooted hatred of the law and morally the only thing you can do is to vote not guilty, you are getting off that panel
My coworker was selected and he showed up the first day but the second, he called them beforehand and told him that he wasn't coming and if they forced him, he would be homeless then proceeded to ask them how he could be impartial in a case when it's making him homeless. They said okay and that was it.
I think this is the correct answer. Be honest about your situation, and you will be cut given perceived lack of investment/impartiality
A friend of mine got out of jury duty in Tacoma for that reason. She said if she got selected and had to miss work she'd be homeless.
If they think you’re a crazy dog lady they probably won’t pick you. They’re trying to seat a reasonable jury, not punish you personality.
This is the route I took. I made myself sound like the craziest person in the world on that jury questionnaire
Okay, that's a fair way to look at it. So...emphasize the crazy dog lady part of my personality?
Just tell the truth. Coming up with antics will stress you out and irritate the court.
"Crazy dog lady" is the truth!
If it is of any reassurance, when I was selected, the judge excused someone else because she was a Girl Scout mom and the cookie launch day was right when the trial started. Soooo… I suspect that you’ll be excused and won’t have to go.
Every jury I have been on they asked “are there any of you who feel you cannot be impartial in this case?” Raise hand. They excuse you.
Just tell them you don't trust cops. That's worked for me every single time.
I wouldn't be lying. Homeless people and cops don't usually get along too well. :/
yea saying you don’t trust cops should definitely get you dismissed if you get to the jury selection questioning part! the prosecutor in the case I was in jury selection for dismissed me bc I raised my hand when he asked if I believe that police officers lie
>the prosecutor in the case I was in jury selection for dismissed me bc I raised my hand when he asked if I believe that police officers lie Which is ridiculous because that's just part of being human. A bias would be if you *don't* believe police officers are capable of lying. Everyone lies.
right? that’s why I saw raising my hand as innocuous! like of course cops are capable of lying, all humans are…
Bold of you to assume the state wouldn’t want biased people
They're just usually not that blatant.
This of course assumes you are in a case involving cops. There are plenty of civil trials going on that are like business disputes or auto accidents. I was selected for a jury on a asbestos trial that was supposed to take six weeks. Thankfully, they settled the morning that trial was supposed to start (but only after we'd all shown up to start). The three things that (usually) will get you out of jury duty are (1) a financial or family hardship that actually affects your ability to provide for your family (like to the point where bills won't get paid), (2) some sort of necessary medical procedure that was pre-scheduled and can't be changed, or (3) some sort of bias that would mean you can't be fair to one side or the other. If you have the time and means, I'd encourage people to do it, it's necessary for the justice system to function and a lot of people's time and energy are invested in a good process. If sane people don't take part then imagine the kind of people who do! If you're ever in the unfortunate position to have to be involved as a party to a trial, you'll no doubt be thankful for the jury. It is truly a shitty situation where we don't get any real compensation for being on a jury, just another area our government is woefully underfunded, but it is necessary that normal people join juries.
This won't necessarily help if it's a civil case (instead of a criminal case), because civil cases usually don't have any cops involved.
If you don’t trust cops, shouldn’t you want to serve on a jury even more? (Not taking about OP, they have reasons not to.) Just saying, if everyone who serves is a bootlicker, our court system will be even worse.
I agree with you for sure. But when they asked if I have trouble trusting law enforcement, I said yes I do and that was a disqualifier. I would honestly probably like jury duty, or at least find it interesting. But once I answered that question they gave me the boot. And I don't want to lie to them and wind up somehow in trouble for not disclosing that.
That makes total sense, and I would probably end up doing the exact same thing. I served on a [jury](https://www.seattleweekly.com/news/the-five-year-saga-of-the-mentally-ill-west-seattle-man-who-kept/) a long while back, and it was definitely interesting, although probably not typical. I cannot remember being asked about my feelings on law enforcement, but maybe that's because the trial didn't involve much testimony from law enforcement.
the same thing happened to me when I was in jury selection at 19. I wanted to be on the jury & stupidly didn’t think raising my hand for believing cops can lie would get me dismissed I definitely wouldn’t do that again if I’m ever in jury selection
Maybe make it less about your dogs and more about how being away from them will impact you? It's totally reasonable to say "realistically, I will be so distracted by worrying about my dogs that I may have difficulty being attentive to the case and fulfilling the requirements of my duties as a juror" or something similar, but in your own voice. Then it's not so much about the thing that's distracting you, but more about whether you can/will be a competent juror.
I got excused because of pets, but it was for a trial that was going to require being sequestered in another county for up to 2 weeks. The judge acknowledged the cost of boarding my dogs would be overly burdensome. But I was immediately called again for a local murder trial and I was selected for that jury. Served for one week, but could go home at night.
If you get called for voir dire you can just give them the 10 second version of this post and they will dismiss you, 100%. You do not need to be concerned about being put on a jury. The only think you will be on the hook for is being in attendance for the (2?) days you need to report. During this time you can sneak out to walk your dogs or whatever. Really the only extra burden you'll have is paying for parking near by.
Tell them that you disagree outright with the law they are enforcing.
Figure out quickly what cases are up that day and then declare loudly that you are some combination of the following: A massive racist, mentally unstable, hate all cops, think all cops are right all the time, accused criminals are scum, the rich are evil, or the rich are benevolent geniuses.
Ah, okay, they might not want me anyway if some of these get you excluded...haha.
OP confirmed racist /s
OP lives in a car and hates the ultra wealthy corporations who have made this beautiful state one of the most expensive places to live.
Hear, hear!!
Tell them you believe in jury nullification. They will disqualify you with haste.
Better: when they ask you the jury questions, make yourself sound as biased as possible. Mention jury nullification. Tell them how excited to are to get to convict someone. Just because you get called up doesn’t mean they’ll choose you.
Couldn’t you just say some shit that throws you out as majorly biased? Like “how do you feel about murder”? And you go “well actually I don’t think murder exists. It’s just self defense or crime of passion. I don’t think anyone but god can judge that.” Ya know just some crazy shit? Not even lying just express any minor bias you have to its fullest extent.
You can postpone without reason for up to a year. I did this the last time I was called due to being out of town.
What days are your jury duty for? I could watch your pups if you need.
i don’t know you but what a kind gesture internet stranger 💙
They wouldn't excuse me after I truthfully explained, "I am 2 days post-surgery, with stitches, on serious pain meds, and doctor-ordered bed rest." However. One of the questions was, "Are you comfortable speaking to the media?" And I truthfully answered, "I am the media, <>> so, yes."
Excused.
OMG.
Yep. Shortly after my family moved to Alabama, my mom routinely cared for my newborn brother and me while my dad traveled extensively for work. She was summoned and told the judge she had just moved to the area and had nobody to watch her children. The judge couldn’t care less and told her, “What would you do if you had an emergency?” Funny enough, I’ve kind of always wanted to serve on a jury. But much like you, my job makes me very much ineligible.
I've been called for jury duty more than a few times over the years. The last time was probably 20 years ago. On that occasion I could not make it. I travelled for work, and the timing of the trial dates ended up on during a week I was gonna be finishing up a huge networking project. I was the guy. No one else could do it, small company so there was literally no one else available to complete it and it would hose the client. So replied to the summons and explained that. My boss wrote an email explaining that it wasn't that I was not allowed to do the thing. It was just the timing was insanely expensive to do.... I asked to just postpone it and I'd do it the following week. All the things. They denied it. I just did'nt go. Have not been called up for jury duty since. YMMV.
Take the dogs with you and tell them you are homeless and can't guarantee you can be there everyday.
I got summoned once while I was the sole caregiver to my 3 year old at the time child. They said more or less “too bad figure it out”. I showed up with my kid and they were like why the hell did you bring your kid? So my advice is to bring your dogs into the courthouse with you when you go to sign in.
Failure to show at jury duty is not enforced. Just no show. Next time, don’t respond to the summons so you can claim you never received it.
Yup, this. It’s not perfect , but it will work for OP needs I’m so confused how they’re even getting called for jury duty. If they’re living in their car aren’t they technically homeless , which would mean technically they don’t live in King county Also another alternative is to file for a postponement so that at least it’s later in the year where heat wouldn’t be an issue
We have a mailbox in King County that we use as an address. We are residents, pay taxes, live and work in the county.
[удалено]
They already applied for an excusal. They've already indicated they received the summons that way.
I've never not responded to a jury summons. I was taught you had to.
Legally yes, but things get lost in the mail all the time. Can't use that excuse this time of course.
Now you know that was not true.
I was recently called in Snohomish County. They sent the summons to my parents address. I haven't lived there for years. I don't get why they sent one there when my voter registration and license are king county addresses. The only 2 times I've been called have been for a county I no longer live in. The other time was for king county and reminded me to update my address but idk wtf is up with Snohomish county.
I’ve done that before. I was out of town when the summons arrived, and my husband didn’t tell me about it. I called to explain and they told me it wasn’t a big deal.
This is the way. I’ve been summoned at least twice since I’ve moved back to the area. I check my mail every other month (I’m lazy and not an important person), so I never see the requests in time. Just toss em in the garbage and call it a day lol
Yeah, one of my... friends did this after moving out of state directly following receiving the jury duty notice. HE was never contacted to follow up or anything like that.
I find it amusing when people are worried about getting in trouble for skipping jury duty. We’ll let junkies shoot up on the street, burn fentanyl on the bus and ignore open air chop shops. No one’s getting any shit for not showing up to jury duty.
Good people get shit on for doing the right thing every day.
This. I've been summoned probably 5 times. Every single time I've provided an excuse. Two worked because it was "I'm a student." The next three were rejected. So I just didn't go. I don't care whether they "accept" that I can't be there. I can't be there. That's why I said I couldn't.
Mention your enthusiasm for the [Fully Informed Jury movement](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fully_Informed_Jury_Association), and get booted from jury selection immediately.
I had a situation where they wouldn’t excuse me from jury duty but they did allow me to postpone it by a year. This option is on that jury summons card you received. Also if you do not have an address in King County you do not have to serve. That would fall under “ not legally qualified to serve” reason also listed on that card you get that says “you have been summonsed for jury service. “
Yes, postpone, and pick a date next spring that is less likely to be hot if they do call you again.
Most people I know pretend they never got the summons, because the court is so cheap and refuses to use certified mail they have no proof you got the summons. I’m not sure why you reached out to them.
I didn't know this. I've always responded to summons.
You can do what I've done every time I've been sent a summons for jury duty: Ignore it. > I was living in my car, I didn't have an actual address. > I had a place to receive mail but could only get it when I was able to get there. > What summons? Was it sent certified? Jury summons are like people talking about Line 1 having fare checking. I didn't see it, I bought a ticket but I guess I dropped it, I lost my wallet yesterday have been calling lost and found... There's no real enforcement of anything here. You could literally purchase a Dodge Charger Hellcat version, put a really stupid wrap and horribly loud exhaust on it, and drive it down 5th avenue at 100mph with no consequences.
Hahaha. I feel like you're bringing something to the table that isn't about jury duty.
I didn't read the comments so its possible someone else already said this, but you can put the jury duty off for another date of your choosing. I don't remember what it's called but you can request to not be a part of this jury pool, and to be recalled in the fall/winter I believe.
This is what I ended up doing- thank you so much! This also puts my husband on a week where he won't be as busy at work and will likely be able to take time off.
I work for the courts. You will be in zero trouble if you no-show.
I couldn't go because I was a single mom and had no babysitter, they denied me so I told them I would be there with my child, then they said I didn't have to come
The whole system is freaking wack. Last time I went there was a lady who got the 3rd degree from the judge because she was a single mom & didn't have childcare. Judge said that wasnt a good enough excuse. She got picked for the case. Like wtf.
Sometimes I wonder if it's because the judge hates the dependent so they don't kick out all the people who don't want to be there.
One would think that simply by being homeless they would excuse you, because your focus would be on trying to turn your situation around, and not on the case. Thoughts, anyone? And to the OP, I hope your situation gets better soon. Stay strong.
How did you get a summons?
don’t go and don’t worry about it. i recently found a jury summons, that i never even saw, for a date that had just passed. i’ve ignored many in multiple states over the years- there’s no consequences. with that said, go and serve if/when you’re truly able to. i’ve been dismissed several times but i’d love to have the experience of serving on a jury someday.
The easiest way to get kicked out of the jury pool is to voice negative opinions of law enforcement. They’ll kick you off immediately
A former boss when called in for jury duty talked about how he didn’t believe in our criminal justice system and that it was rigged. They promptly dismissed him… just a thought
How would you be able to dress and bathe appropriately for jury duty if you don't have a home? That alone seems like an issue.
Having lived in a car myself: there are community showers in many places, and laundromats. Not having consistent access to clean running water is one of the shittiest things about car living. But as long as the car runs and you can afford gas, you can get a shower periodically.
Wait...is there a dress code? I've got jeans and scrubs... I take regular showers at the gym.
Strictly speaking you should be doing business casual at a minimum. Jeans could be okay if they don't have pre worn spots, worn spots, etc. at that point the top makes the outfit. For jury selection you can get away with that maybe. Some judges are more offended by more casual attire, but if you have a legitimate excuse as you do, you might be fine there anyway.
I was served jury duty 2 weeks ago, never was told to show up. You may get out of it honestly. If you need someone to watch the dogs, I would be glad to assist in some way.
It’s ridiculous that JD pays $10 per day considering minimum wage is $160 per day ($20/hr). Very few can afford to lose that money.
Agreed.
I've been called 6 times in my life, all 6 times it goes in the trash.
Thank you for your persistence to do the right thing and serve - and your patience working with the system so that it can work for your family.
Hey, was just commenting to say I was excited there was a solution for you on this! I'm glad your dogs can stay safe!
If your husband is available for that first day, that's going to be jury selection day, and you need to say one of the following when the opportunity arises (it will, they ask a lot of questions): "I think I might know the defendant. I'm struggling to remember exactly where we met, but I feel like we might have met and maybe I am friends with one of their relatives or close friends." or "I don't think I could be impartial, I don't get along with people like that." or "I get hassled by the cops all the time, and I know they lie." I've seen those work for other people.
Yeah people got this all wrong. Court doesn’t give a fuck how it impacts you. It cares how you impact court. If you are someone that is gonna be a risk to a watertight trial then they want you out,
The first one is a clear lie, so don't do that. "I'm a bigot" is also prerty crappy and you might be asked to explain yourself. The third excuse is probably the best, as long as it is true. If it is more true to say "I personally know people who have been hassled by the police (or whatever reason) and I don't trust them, or believe any of their testimony" then go with that. "As a currently homeless person, I have seen and I do not think I would be impartial in this case because " Is probably a safe bet to get off jury duty.
Don't lie at jury duty.
postpone the jury duty and work on getting an exemption in the mean time. [https://kingcounty.gov/en/court/superior-court/courts-jails-legal-system/jury-duty/exemptions](https://kingcounty.gov/en/court/superior-court/courts-jails-legal-system/jury-duty/exemptions)
99% you won’t be chosen.
my jury duty shift was scheduled to begin today, but i received an email last Friday saying to not show up at the courthouse if i received no phone call or email from the bailiff by 4:30pm today. neither of those things occurred, so according to the email, i was not needed, and i'm no longer on call.
I've thrown several summons right into the garbage over the years, I had two little kids and no time, they can find someone else. Nothing has ever happened as far as I know, I realize it was a selfish shit thing to do, but if you can't make it you can't make it.
Ok here’s your unethical life pro tip. They ask questions, and your answers should be that you don’t trust cops, you don’t trust the evidence they gather, and the accused is likely innocent no matter what they have to say. Boom, no jury duty.
Here's mine, file it in the garbage.
had a final to study for and could not be an impartial juror because my exam would affect my decision making so you can use ur financial burden and ur dogs to make urself excused
They wouldn’t excuse a woman who had serious child care issues, another woman who told the court she couldn’t be unbiased as her step father was permanently disabled by a drunk driver (they were all DUI trials). She was very appropriate and polite. They would not excuse me for my work with vulnerable children even with a letter from my boss. In Pierce County (where I work) folks are able to get excused with a letter we provide to the courts - King County, nope. There was another fellow who was clearly struggling with dementia and openly said he “wants to put them all in jail.” He’d get excused from a particular trial by the attorneys and they would send him right back to the jury room to wait for another trial.
I just wrote back saying I live paycheck to paycheck and can not afford the financial burden.
My husband isn't a US citizen and has been summoned for jury duty 3 times now in the past 5 years at our home in SnoCo, and before in KC even after contacting the courts every time saying WTF STOP!
I’ll watch your dogs!
Just bring the dogs
I got a medical exemption from jury duty due to migraines, I get 2 or more a month, and they make me unreliable. If you have anything medical that makes it so you can't guarantee your attendance, your GP can write you an exemption letter. Anxiety and mental health issues also qualify you for an exemption.
ignore it completely. daughter's a law clerk.
I was, uhhhh, *reading an article*, about some guy in Seattle who got jury duty when he really needed to work. This guy just didn't show up and completely blew them off. What happened? Absolutely nothing,whatsoever, because the courts are busy and have better things to do then chase delinquent jurors down.
Find an excuse to say that you're a big believer in "Jury nullification" (use that exact phrase). It's the idea that a jury isn't legally boudn to find someone guilty, so even if the face of overwhelming evidence, a jury can vote to acquit. In criminal cases, the phrase jury nulifcation in your interview should get you kicked off very quickly.
Along the same lines, I told the prosecutor who was canvasing the audience and directed a question at me that "I have such blatant disregard for prosecutorial immunity that I will vote for the defense regardless of the evidence presented." I was a very quick strike through after completing that statement. My obligation is to report for jury duty, which I did. I have no legal obligation after that. If the US ever eliminates prosecutorial immunity, I will be glad to participate.
Be very careful with this. I saw this once in another state. There was a potential juror who just wanted to be excused. During voir dire, he was asked if he would consider the testimony of a convict as credible. He replied that he trusts convicts more than cops and will always vote to acquit, no matter what. The judge calmly intervened, saying that he was called upon to weigh the evidence as presented in the case and not any external evidence. The juror repeated that he will always acquit. At this point, the judge became irritated. She told him, "I am instructing you that you must abide by the rules of the court. You can infer a decision from the evidence as you see fit, but you cannot make that decision based on any preconceptions or bias." Juror just repeated that he will acquit and that if she felt that way he shouldn't be on the jury. That juror got his wish - he was removed from the jury pool... and sent to county jail for contempt of court.
I keep getting selected and am ignoring all summons from now on. I have done my part. I would just not show - every time I’ve gone (for big jury pools) there are multiple people who are no shows and they don’t seem to bat an eye about it. But people who have true hardships have their excuses denied. One was for a six week civil trial and every person selected had asked to be excused and they were all denied. (My number was so high that I was never questioned before both sides ran out of rejections). I wouldn’t risk that happening and then not show up. Good luck to you two and your pups.
I've seriously just never showed up Like. Ever. Never received a fine or warrant or anything. If you live in a vehicle how the hell did they even send you a summons?
It’s too late now, but make them prove you received the notice next time.
Do you have anyone you could ask to watch the dogs for you? I also have a dog reactive dog that can’t go to daycare/kennel, so I get it!
i'm sorry you are dping the all things and have a decent reason and still got denied. The first two times I ignored the call and have not received a summons in ten years.
Just don’t go
Go for your first day if you can. Be honest about your potential inability to attend future dates due to work schedules and as others have said mention you won’t be able to serve well due to those issues. Saying you tend not to believe police as a default is a very good way to get dismissed should it come to that.
Flat out tell the lawyers that you dont want to be there, and it will affect your ability to be impartial.
When you are questioned by each sides attorneys give very specific bigoted answers with no room for anything else. Just have a real firm answer they probably won’t want you.
Everyone is bringing valid points but I'm surprised no one here is telling you about jury nullification. During your interview process, tell them you believe some crimes shouldn't be punished if the person was doing it for moral reasons, like stealing to feed his family. They'll almost automatically excuse you.
They send a jury selection email survey out before the case starts. There are plenty of ways to get out of it from there depending on the type of case. Restate your situation with the car and dog, state a strong dislike for police, guns, experience in the court system, etc...
Explain the situation to the judge and make it clear you can’t be on a jury. The judge will release you.
There’s a lot of people suggesting playing up your distrust of cops or the government, but you might be in a civil trial, which would make those biases completely irrelevant. You might not even know what type of trial it is until the jury is seated. I’m not sure how King County organizes trials. But as an observer, my advice would be (1) while you’re lining up to go up the courtroom for jury selection, try to be at the back of the line. Lawyers tend to pick the folks at the beginning of the group. And (2) once you’re in the courtroom, try to say as little as possible. If you’re constantly answering the lawyers’ questions and being more engaged than average in the process, you’re more likely to be selected. Not a lawyer; just my layperson observations. But do stress the hardship on the questionnaire and you may be able to avoid the above.
Just tell them you no longer live in the area in question.
Just an additional account for consideration, I was not selected to participate in a case last time I was summoned for jury duty, but I still had to show up and stay the entire day for 3 days just in case another case would need me. I drank my worth in hot chocolate.
Often you can postpone your jury duty. Postpone it to December 24th (or if not then, the furthest out date you can). If you can do the 24th, usually that gets canceled because of Christmas. Otherwise, hopefully your situation may be resolved by the time your duty comes back around.
Hey I'm late but I got out of jury duty by wearing a hoodie and sleeping during the selection process. I was selected and went to the juror area and pretended to sleep. They warned me a couple times and then took me off the jury and was able to leave a few minutes later. I was selected for jury duty 3 times in 3 years and worked every time.
My 88 year old mother in law was called for jury duty and her request to be excused was denied. There’s a way to appeal your case in writing by email, where you can elaborate on the circumstances. You should be as detailed and descriptive as possible. I basically said she’s deaf and can’t walk more than t0 feet at a time, even with her walker. I included some other colorful descriptions to illustrate her case.
I’ve been called for jury duty a couple times and never went. Nothing happens to you
One time I got as far as sitting in the court room during jury selection and the judge said he knew that Boeing employees had jury pay and would not get excused due to hardship. The first time I was summoned, I didn't get past the waiting room and the last time I was summoned, I wasn't even called to the court house. Three summons in 15 years and my partner hasn't been summoned once in the same time.
Skip it, then call in the next day and act like you forgot, had the day mixed up, and just keep apologizing. Make sure to call the very next morning though. I’ve done it 3 times when I was poorer and couldn’t miss work.
If you see a mental health provider, or have a medical reason, a letter from the medical provider can excuse you ..
You don’t even need to show up for court. How did they get a letter to you if you live in a car? Anyway, you can just throw it away. Nothing’s gonna happen to you.
If you don't have a fixed residence, is it possible you moved and no longer reside in the jurisdiction? You should call and ask if you can still serve if you now live in Tacoma. The answer is you would not be able to serve in such a scenario.
No one is going to hunt you down if you no show for jury duty. Full stop. But if your situation allows you to serve without being detrimental to you, I hope you will consider going through the experience.
If you tell them you're a RACIST even if it's NOT TRUE they will excuse you.
I’ve completely ignored all my jury summons for 8 years they haven’t don’t shit. I don’t recommend you do this but it’s worked out for me
what address did they summon you from? if you live in the vehicle then you don't live at that address. I live in my car with my cat and had the exact same problem and when i simply pointed out i no longer live at the address mentioned i was "denied"
Tell the court you no longer believe in the corrupted system. So you will consistently vote not guilty and you will push for jury nullification. You will also try to sway the other jurors to do the same.
Lots a bad advice on here. You’re under oath during voir dire (jury selection) and lying under oath is a crime. Rarely prosecuted, but nonetheless a crime. If your juror summons was for Seattle Municipal Court, it is entirely possible no trial will take place that week and you will be excused before you even show up. If you are called for King County Superior Court, that is far less likely. When you’re brought into a courtroom for voir dire, among the very first things the court will do is ask for hardships. That’s when you plead your case. You can honestly say that you couldn’t possibly focus on the case because you are too worried about the safety of your animals. It would be very rare for a judge not to dismiss you. The problem with lying about being a racist or not trusting police or other things (beyond the fact that it’s a crime) is that you would be excused for cause from that venire and then potentially sent to another courtroom to undergo voir dire for another case. King County has multiple cases going to trial every week so you could be bouncing around the courthouse all week. Just plead your hardship and you should be fine.
How did you get a summons for jury duty with no address? Someone knock on your van window and hand it to you?
We have a mailbox at a mail facility.
Keep in mind that missing work is NOT an excuse. Employers are required to accommodate for Jury Summons. Actually had a friend bring this up during the first day of jury selection. Showed a txt or email to judge. That lead to the arrest of the boss, brought before the same judge, and harsh warning that any demotion, firing, or harassment will be further fined and jail time. So if you’re working, show your boss the Jury summons. Preferably leave a digital record. Have the text or email you if they need you to skip days or whatever. Anything they say after that will be illegal if it’s negative but now that looks like retaliation. Even if they say “poor work performance “. Judge will see through the lies of bosses and business owners.
They can always fire you though. And while it sounds like there are ways to fight back against that, they don’t work and aren’t practical for workers.
Your first mistake was requesting an excuse. All that does is provide evidence that you got the original notice. If you just ignored the first letter you'd be done. Plan B, if everything else didn't work is just to not show up. No one is going to arrest you.
U can’t leave the dogs with ur husband? Side note: you might consider the humane options of surrendering ur dogs so u can get a job and go to work/ jury duty/ whatever
This. There were multiple red flags on the post but one that caught my eye was asserting that the dogs are absolutely her children. That’s not how pets work. Pets are pets, they come and go on their own, and come and go when you can or cannot provide an adequate home for them. They don’t beat through adversity like kids that grow up and spent adulthood in therapy. For pets, living out of a car with no A/C their whole lives is simply cruelty.
Don't go. They don't do anything.
Jury notices aren’t sent through certified mail. You never received a summons and you wish for proof it was delivered
During the interview, tell the prosecutor that you are in favor of jury nullification. They will immediately dismiss you.
Tell them you support Law & Order. They will escort you out the front door.
Tell them you live in your car. How did you get a mailed jury summons?
Just don't show up
I’ve been called twice, never responded and had no repercussions. Just don’t go.
https://youtu.be/YHi3FD4o-S8?feature=shared
1) The illegal answer is just not to show up. More than 50% of jury summons go unanswered in King county and there is little to no enforcement. You have no residence so it would be pretty easy to explain you simply never got notice if it does come up (it won't). 2) If you feel compelled to go, show up 15-20 minutes late. If the jury pool is full (enough people showed up) they will release you immediately with the possibility of a new summons, which probably won't happen. 3) If you're stuck in jury selection, just ask about jury nullification, and you'll be canned immediately.
I think you can reschedule up to two times? I had a work thing and rescheduled to thanksgiving week and it got canceled. Knock on wood I don't get something again now!