Jury Duty Harassment?

[boseefus]

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

I am fed up with my County (Pinal, AZ) right now. I have received 2 Jury Summons in the past month, 5 in the past 5 months, and I think a total of 7 or 8 in 2009. I receive them exactly 7 days before I'm supposed to appear, which is ridiculous by itself. Like most people I have to make arrangements with my employer, adjust vacations, meetings, etc. around these summons. Every single time so far, they have been cancelled at the last minute, 14 hours before I'm scheduled to appear.

I called the Clerk's office a couple of summons ago to try and figure out what's going on, they assured me that the selection process was completely random, and the assistant was nice enough to dismiss me for that particular date. Since then (one month ago) I've received two summons. Either this is not random, or there are only 50 people in the pool they're drawing from. I can't think of any other explanation.

I am so frustrated right now, and don't know what my next steps should be. I have no problem serving my duty, but they keep cancelling. And then they turn right around and re-schedule me only to cancel again.

What are your thoughts? Should I just keep playing their game? Protest? Complain further up the chain of command? I'm told once I actually appear I am removed from the "pool" for two years, but I don't think that's ever going to happen at this point.

 

[>Charlotte<]

This is a wild shot because you don't seem to be, but are you 75 or older?

I'm told once I actually appear I am removed from the "pool" for two years, but I don't think that's ever going to happen at this point.

I thought so too, which is why I checked the Arizona statute to confirm. It said nothing about that. But I'm also assuming it's a state law and not county.

Here's the "Person's Entitled to Be Excused" statute if you want to read it yourself.

http://www.azleg.state.az.us/SearchResults.asp?SearchedFrom=%2FArizonaRevisedStatutes.asp&SearchPhrase=jury+duty&Scope=%2Fars

Sorry I couldn't really help you, but stand by for others.

 

[boseefus]

Thanks, I'll check that link out.

As to your age question, I'm 33.

 

[>Charlotte<]

Actually, I also found this at supreme.state.az.us

A person seeking to be excused from jury service in Arizona must apply to the court that issued the summons. Possible grounds for excuse include:

the person has a mental or physical condition that causes him/her to be incapable of performing jury service
jury service would substantially and materially affect the public interest, adversely
the person does not understand English
jury service would require the person to abandon someone under his/her care, because it is impossible for him/her to obtain substitute care
jury service would cause the person to incur costs that would have a substantial adverse impact on the payment of his/her necessary daily living expenses or on those for whom he/she provides regular employment support
jury service would result in illness or disease
the person is a certified peace officer employed by the state
jury service would cause undue or extreme hardship
the person has served as a juror in this state within the last two years
the person is at least 75 years of age

http://www.supreme.state.az.us/nav2/jury.htm

ETA: Of course, there's a distinction between having actually served, and just having been called and canceled.

 

[boseefus]

Thanks Charlotte, that part certainly wasn't in the first link you posted, but it's consistent with what the County Clerk's office told me.

Unfortunately, according to the clerk's assistant, you have to actually appear in person for that rule to apply.

Again, I'm not really looking to get out of my duties, I'm just starting to go slowly insane from the endless loop that the seem to have me in.

 

[>Charlotte<]

Move to NC. I'm an intelligent, hard-working, tax-paying, voting, driving, various-types-of-license-holding, making a beeline for pillar-of-the-community-type person, and I've never been called in twenty six years.

I have been asked to be a polling place captain four elections in a row, though. I'd rather do the jury duty.

 

[boseefus]

Ha!

Yeah, I guess some people just have all the luck. I think I'd rather do jury duty too. In theory jury duty could be more interesting right? )

 

[boseefus]

Here's an update on my situation to give closure to this thread. Last night I called the County Clerk's office and left a message that I'm sure conveyed my frustration very clearly.

Today I got a call back from the very same assistant I talked to last month. She was very apologetic, especially after reviewing with me all of the summons that I've received in the past 6 months, and all of the subsequent cancellations. Without my asking, she said that she would remove my name from the juror pool for the remainder of the term, which is this year. But, she made no promises for what might happen if I get selected for the pools in future terms.

Keeping my fingers crossed...