Saturday, April 04, 2009

Jury Worry

Have you ever been "summoned" for jury duty?  It's really a wonderful cog in the mighty works that make up our republic, but it is SO inconvenient, isn't it?

Hubby got a summons last month, instructing him that he was "on call" for April.  He was not enthused.  Just getting back to work full-time, and service calls really starting to pick up as farmers go out to check their fields and pivots.  One day off eliminates all overtime pay for the week, and that's no small thing.  Especially right now.

The only "excuses" they accept are if you're a felon on parole (he's not), don't speak English (he does), aren't a citizen (he is), has recently served as a juror (he hasn't), or has a "doctor's note" to excuse him for medical reasons.  We didn't figure out how to make that one work.  His brother-in-law recently became a police officer, so he was able to mark "yes" to whether he was related to any law enforcement, so perhaps that will bode well.

He wasn't called this first week, anyway.

But the silly questionnaire asks about your spouse.  And wouldn't you know it, *I* got a summons for May!  Random, I bet!

After returning the questionnaire, you have to call a message machine each weekend prior to any dates in your month.  You are to "follow the instructions of the message machine" and "report for duty if the message machine decrees it so."  Well, that's not an exact quote, but that's the gist of it.  I suppose it's so they can pass the buck...  "Hey, don't blame me!  The machine told you to show up, right?"

Really I've always thought fondly of the chance to participate in providing a piece of justice as a civic duty.  Of course, that was before I had three young children to raise, educate, and otherwise look after.

If I understand it right, if your number is called, you have to show up to be selected or not.  I'm not sure how long that process takes, and it doesn't say anything about children not being allowed to accompany their parent.  I've thought this through, and have decided that I will have to do so - IF my number comes up.  Aside from calling for help from someone hours distant, there is really no option for me but to take them along.

Do you suppose they'll find me more or less suitable with my three extra appendages? :)

3 comments:

Meghann said...

My husband just recently had to do his duty as well a few months ago, thankfully he was not chosen!

In TX if you are the sole caretaker of children then you can be excused, you just have to mail in the form (or do it online as I did). I was thankful for that as I was not about to find a babysitter! Is that not an option in your state?

Now off to make some whey for the first time...don't even know what I'll do with it once it is made...but going to figure it out!

EllaJac said...

I wrote about what I do with whey a little bit under your grocery budget comment...

No, according to the form, anyway, the only excuses are legal (felony, parole, non-citizen, etc) and medical (IF you have a dr.'s note). Oh, and if you're 70+.

Sadly, hubby has to go for selection on Tuesday morning. :( This makes me very sad, because we're really working to gather some $$ for something (see tomorrow's post), and that might do away with overtime ($200 or more) for the whole check. And if he's actually picked for duty, or has to go again next week, well, find me in a puddle of tears... :[

MamaJ said...

Hm, no chance you're still nursing Organique is there? If you were picked you could use that maybe...

He might be able to let them know he feels very strongly about "murder, theft, car jackings, etc. etc." At least to the defense attorney that is. Hehe. Praying he doesn't get picked!