Last weekend I received a summons to jury duty in the mail. Among other things it said:
In accordance to the law, Sections 38-5-1 and 38-5-10 NMSA 1978, you have been selected for jury service. Our term of service is December 8, 2023 – February 23, 2024
Yuck! The first thing I checked was that if I had to serve it would be locally, not in federal court like the time years ago… when I had to drive the 100 miles down to Albuquerque for it. I’ll write about that tomorrow.
The two times I served locally was a lot easier. It may be different now, but then I had to phone regularly (once a week?) to see if there was a case the next week that I had to appear for. If the weather was nice it wasn’t that bad. At the time the court was an easy walk from our apartment. It was messier in winter because if we were scheduled to appear we had to check the weather in the morning. If the schools were on a two-hour delay we had to appear at court two hours later. I did that once only to learn the court was canceled for the whole day. I’m guessing now with the internet they would let us know without us have to guess.
Anyway, I’ve decided to be lazy and bow out this time. If you’re 75 years of age or older you can ask for an exemption. I did that when I went on line and filled out the requisite forms, and I received this email yesterday:
Your request to be excused from jury service has been reviewed and granted. You have been excused from the term of service for which you were summoned.
Thank you
I was relieved to have that option, but I also felt a bit guilty for saying no. I handled that by voting in the local off-year election yesterday. Voting here is always friendly and I love to do it. It lets me feel like a responsible citizen.
What’s jury duty like where you are? Have you ever been ordered to participate?
October 25, 2023
I served once, was requested a 2nd time but did not get picked. did not get another one until I was past 70 which is the age to opt out permanently . I did that when i recieved one at age 74.. my reason is I have to pee once and hour and have IBS,.. that doesn’t work for sitting on a jury.
🙂
My first reaction would be to want to be exempted. Then I wonder what I would think if I were the defendant and hoped the jury had members that could think clearly and listen with compassion. There is always the other side, isn’t there.
I know. I felt I was doing my civic duty, even though it wasn’t fun.
SMH about your having to drive to Albuquerque. That’s so wrong!
Like you, I remember the days of having to call a recording once each week to see if they called out my number. The only time I actually had to show up, it turned out I knew the defense attorney — not in a good way. I admitted I might be a teeny bit prejudicial to anything he might say, and was quickly excused, yeay!
Yes, lucky you. 🙂
I have been ordered to be a juror many times! When I was younger, I always wanted to be on a jury. But I was never requested until I was old and had too many health problems. My doctor would write me a note of excuse, and now I decline because of my age.
I’m sorry about your health problems. 🙁
So you have to be available for almost 3 months in case you are called. I’ve gotten quite a few summons over the years. Ours is only for the one day designated unless you are serving on a jury for a trial that last longer than one day. Most times my number has been excused and I don’t have to report. Other times I’ve gone and sat all day only to be sent home. I did serve on one jury and the trial was that day. It was an easy one that was done and over with the same day.
Your system is easier on the potential jurors. 90 days is a long time.
I have never been called even though it was an experience I would like to have had. My health now would not let me serve. And my age lets me be excused. So, it’s an experience I will never have. Oh, well.
🙁
I don’t go anymore. However, I did serve several times over the years.
🙂
It sounds like you have given very good service in the past, and now it is time for this request to be honored. I have only been summoned once, and that was years ago when I was the main caregiver for my ailing mother – I was lucky enough to be dismissed. I don’t mind doing my duty , but that time would have been a tough one to arrange.
They try to be fair. And there’s a good reason to require people to do it if there aren’t situations like yours was.