Called for Jury Duty in the US

I've wanted to be called for jury duty since I became eligible to vote.  Now it has finally happened, but clearly I can't go.  The only reason I know about it is because I was staying with my mom for a few months before applying for my spousal visa, and I used her address to register to vote in 2008.  So what am I supposed to do?  Is there a way of letting them know that I don't live there any more?  Does anyone know what exactly my obligations are here? 

TIA! 

What city or state?  Are there no instructions on the summons about how to contact them?  (I'm sure if there was you'd have seen them, but it seems weird if there aren't.)

It probably even varies by jurisdiction.  I had to fill out the questionnaire and provide proof that I was living outside the county. I could not call them.  For some reason, this was the second one they sent in the period of a couple of years.  The first one I was living across the state, and I just filled it out, sent it back with a photo copy of my lease and a bank statement (with all numbers crossed out).  The second time, I copied my spouse visa.  I also said that they needed to stop bothering me about jury duty and that I hadn't lived in their county for years and had no plans to return there as a resident.  I expect another summons any time now.

But like you, I would have loved to serve if I could have.

My grandmother was perusing the newspaper the other day to find a jury summons for my GREAT grandma who has been dead for at least 11 years!  You'd think they would update their records

On the other hand, I've only ever gotten called to serve while at Uni or in Japan..Never got the opportunity to actually participate though I wish I had! 

My PA county lets me call.  I always just say I live overseas and then "remove" me from the list.

Then I get called again in a few years.   

It's Santa Barbara County, California.  I don't know if there are any forms or anything, my mom just e-mailed me very briefly this morning saying I'd been called.  I've asked her for details, but no response yet.  I hope it won't be too much of a PIA to deal with.  I'm going to Wisconsin in a few weeks, but can't afford a trip to CA!

Looks like there's a section of the form to fill out and send back:

http://www.sbcourts.org/jury_info/jury_p_p.htm#excuses

I was lucky enough to be called to jury duty both in the states before i moved here to Scotland and then after i was naturalised here in Scotland too. I've got friends and relatives in both places that would love to be called in their respective countries and i get to do both. lololol.

Thanks, Camoscato, I'll have a look at that.  It's funny people's attitudes to jury duty.  Most people I know who got called would whinge and moan to no end about it, and there I was keen as mustard getting no love at all.  Until I'm six thousand miles away, that is  .  Ah, well. 

Thanks, Camoscato, I'll have a look at that.  It's funny people's attitudes to jury duty.  Most people I know who got called would whinge and moan to no end about it, and there I was keen as mustard getting no love at all.  Until I'm six thousand miles away, that is  .  Ah, well. 

Count me into the people who would love to serve! I've been called, twice, but never had to go. In my county, they assign you a number and you call the night before to see if your number has to go in. Both times I've had a really high number and only numbers 50 or below had to go or something. I was fairly bummed, to be honest.

I'm in the "keen to go" camp, too.  I got to sit on a New York City grand jury.  Grand juries, for those of you unfamiliar (I only had a hazy understanding of it), decide if someone accused of a crime will face a trial.  If the grand jury indicts you, you're going to have a trial.  I learned everyone gets indicted - because only the prosecution presents evidence - and also had my eyes opened to a wide variety of points of view concerning the justice system.

There were 23 people on the grand jury, but it only took 12 to vote to indict someone for them to be indicted and have to go to a trial.  Some people were hard a££es about it and voted to indict everyone, and on the other end there were a couple that wouldn't vote to indict anyone.

One suspect had been pulled over after running a red light in Manhattan at 3:00am.  According to the arresting officer, the driver had 3 guns and a bullet proof vest on the passenger seat in plain view.  One of the jury members said she wouldn't vote to indict the suspect because, "What were they looking in his car for anyway?"  (He got indicted anyway.)

We also got to hear about a police shooting, and decide whether the police officers who had fired their weapons were justified (we decided they were).  That was very cool, as we heard from different people involved in the incident over a few days each week (the jury lasted a month), so it was like following a really good cop show.   

I got picked to sit on a military court martial when I was in the Air Force, but I was the supervisor of the wife of the accused, so I was excused.  Bummer.

Good on you guys who'd love it.  Unfortunately, I have to admit that I'm one of the whingers when it comes to jury duty.  I've been summoned three times (twice in Boston and once in LA) and only once did I have to serve (in Boston).  I have to say that I wasn't looking forward to being in a court room for four days, but it was interesting nonetheless.  It was a civil case where a patient was suing her surgeon.  I did learn a lot of gall bladder surgery.   

I was called for Jury Duty shortly after I left the US in 2008, my mother received the summons and she just called the Court and advised them that I had moved out of the country and wouldn't be able to appear. They accepted her statement and I've not heard anything from it. I know that they must have taken me off the list because my employer ran a background check (I work for the local County government) when they hired me back and I had no bench warrants or anything of like like relating to the non-appearance.

I wouldn't worry about it and just notify them you're not a resident of the US.

I served on the jury for a not very nice case, statutory rape case.     Despite how very hard going that case was, it was a very interesting experience and I was proud to have been on the jury.  I would serve again given the chance. 

I finally had my first call about a year ago. But ironically, due to a trip to the UK, I got out of a pool for what they estimated to be a 6 week trial.

The thing that amazed me while in the waiting room were the amount of people complaining. I completely respect the fact people have lives and responsibilities. But the US legal system is one of the benefits of being a citizen. I'm guessing those are the same jerks who don't vote and complain about politicians. It's a democracy folks. Let's be happy we have it.

OK. Let me step off my soapbox. Good question historyenne.