Jury duty problem

[Mycroft]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)?
Massachusetts


I received a summons for juror service but it was directed to a fake name which I created when I ordered some items online on a few occasions. I find it rather odd considering there's no legal record, bank account, ssn attached to that name. Now my question is how do I explain this to the court? I would rather settle this by mail or online but what would be the best way to do it? should I just come clean or make up an excuse? after all, the person doesn't exist at all.

 

[applecruncher]

Jury pools are generated randomly from lists of registered voters, and (sometimes) fromdriver's licenses, and state ID cards - not from ordering products online. Suggest you call and explain what's going on with your other identity and not lie to the court about anything.

 

[cbg]

How jury pools are generated is state specific....

 

[davidmcbeth3]

Jury pools are generated randomly from lists of registered voters, and (sometimes) fromdriver's licenses, and state ID cards - not from ordering products online. Suggest you call and explain what's going on with your other identity and not lie to the court about anything.

Ha ha ... this will get you one the other side of a jury ... just ignore the jury duty summons .. it aint for you.

Don't do anything ...

 

[CreativeBlock]

Ha ha ... this will get you one the other side of a jury

Um ... care to cite a source for that?!

AFAIK, one can purchase ANYTHING (excepting uranium, child pornography, etc) online, using an alias as long as one doesn't provide forged ID in the course of the sale.

Scenario: I can, using one of those money-load VISAs, buy clothing at Aeropostale.com under the name I.P Freely if I so choose. There is (AFAIK) no law against that.

Further, you do know that you can enter a 7-11, buy a Big Gulp with cash, tell the clerk your name is Ima Jerk, and not be charged with a crime, right?

 

[CdwJava]

Towns appear to create these lists based upon lists of residents:

http://www.malegislature.gov/Laws/GeneralLaws/PartIII/TitleII/Chapter234/Section4

 

[Zigner]

OP has not been called to Jury Duty - I'm really not seeing the issue with ignoring this.

 

[cbg]

Well, one reason might be that Massachusetts is diligent about following up with names in the jury pool who don't respond, and I've approved time off for jury duty for employees who showed me notices that they will be found in contempt of court if they do not appear on such and such a date because they ignored a jury notice three years previously. There was a widely publicized story here not long ago, which was NOT an urban legend, about a cat that was assigned to jury duty and even calling the jury commission couldn't get the cat off; the owners had to show up in court with the cat. I can promise you that the MA jury commission will not ignore the poster even if he ignores them. He will continue to get notices about it. He may or may not have to actually serve, but he will be much better off if he takes steps to explain the situation to them because I promise you, this will not go away.

 

[Zigner]

Well, one reason might be that Massachusetts is diligent about following up with names in the jury pool who don't respond, and I've approved time off for jury duty for employees who showed me notices that they will be found in contempt of court if they do not appear on such and such a date because they ignored a jury notice three years previously. There was a widely publicized story here not long ago, which was NOT an urban legend, about a cat that was assigned to jury duty and even calling the jury commission couldn't get the cat off; the owners had to show up in court with the cat. I can promise you that the MA jury commission will not ignore the poster even if he ignores them. He will continue to get notices about it. He may or may not have to actually serve, but he will be much better off if he takes steps to explain the situation to them because I promise you, this will not go away.

Again, OP has NOT been summoned to Jury Duty. OP can realistically return the summons marked "Return to Sender, Addressee Unknown"

 

[CdwJava]

Again, OP has NOT been summoned to Jury Duty. OP can realistically return the summons marked "Return to Sender, Addressee Unknown"

Then he could potentially run into some other legal problems as cbg explains.

If they somehow have this alias listed as a resident, there could be some other issues above and beyond an alias used to make some purchase.

I would never encourage anyone to make what is factually a false declaration. The OP DOES know the addressee - he IS the addressee ... just by an alias. And, in some instances (not sure about this one) he might be just as responsible to reply to mail sent to his alias as to his name as listed on voter roles, with the DMV, etc.

 

[Mycroft]

Would it be a good idea to mail the form back and give non-citizenship as reason because it's a fictitious character and specify that the person doesn't have a ssn, any kind of id or bank account?

 

[cbg]

As I told you on the other board where you have posted this, the problem is that I don't think the juror commission will agree that it's a fictitious character. I think it's more likely that they will decide it's an alias for you.