Avoid Jury Duty The Legal Way
This site will show you legal ways to avoid jury duty. It is not intended to be a how to or a guarantee to avoiding jury duty, but just a guide on what has worked for others in the past. We recommend that you serve when summons to do so. Jury duty is your civic duty and is important part of our legal system.
Common Reason To Be Excused From Jury Duty
- Come to court looking unclean, unshaving and not dressed for court.
- When asked if you have been a victim of a violent crime, answer yes if it is the truth.
- Let them know you have ADD or any other illnesses that would affect your ability to serve.
- Mention that you are never able to keep a secret. Many times the court will ask you to not talk to anybody about the case until it is over.
- Let the Judge know if you have family members that are in law enforcement. Having a family memeber part of law enforcement can show bias to the state.
- If you work a grave yard or night shift let them know. A tired juror is a bad juror.
- Financial hardship can be another reason to be excused from jury duty.
- Request a date change. Ask for an earlier date because you are unable to server at the requested time. It shows your intent to server, but usually the court is unable to make accomidations to make your time requirements and they will excuse you from service.
- Do not register to vote. In some states the jury pool is selected from the voter rolls. If you are not a voter then you will never be called. This is not recommend because it is important for everybody to participate in our democracy and most states are now using drivers licenses as the pool for jury duty.
- If you are a journalist or blogger.
- Let the court know if you are a convicted felon.
- If you are a doctor, registered nurse or dentist you may be excused.
- If english is your second language or you are illiterate.
Questions, comments and sugestions can be submitted here.