How Do I Get Out of Going for Jury Duty?

It seems nothing is more dreaded than looking in your mailbox and seeing a summons to jury duty. Many people do not know how to legally get out of jury duty, and end up serving to get it over with. In reality, there are several different and highly effective tactics that can get you out of jury duty. In addition, if you are a member of the active military, over 70 years old, not a U.S. citizen, under 18 years old, or disabled, you are exempt from jury duty and can indicate so on the form and mail it back in the prepaid envelope.

Instructions

1. Check the box on the jury duty summons asking for a change of date. This will delay your jury date, and can be used if you have scheduled a vacation or something important on that specific date. This is only a temporary solution, however, because you will receive another summons in a few months.

2. Cite economic hardship if you own your own business or are self-employed. Indicate on the form that jury duty would cost you a significant loss of wages. You may still be called to court to show documents that demonstrate how much money you would lose. Bring in all relevant financial documents that support your claim and show them to the judge.

3. Act in a smart and intelligent way when being interviewed for jury duty. Lawyers want people who are easily confused or influenced, and will be very unwilling to pick people for jury duty who are well educated.

4. Talk to the lawyer about the jury veto. This tactic will almost always ensure that you are not selected as a juror. The jury veto means you can vote not guilty based on the fact that you do not agree with a particular law, even if you think the suspect is actually guilty. Mentioning the jury veto option will make the lawyer want to excuse you.

Tips & Warnings

• Ignoring a call for jury duty may result in fines, suspension of your driver’s license, or even criminal charges and jail time.

References

• Bargaineering: How to Get Out of Jury Duty