Serious question about Jury Duty - Monday, July 24th

Nov 14, 2010
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Thinking hard about bolting for Omaha on Sunday/Monday if all goes as planned.........

I have jury duty in Madison County beginning Monday. It's not a big deal to get out of that is it?

How long is the prison term that'd I would be facing?
 

Lettucexxxx

All-Conference
Oct 16, 2012
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fishwater99

Freshman
Jun 4, 2007
14,072
54
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You should be fine, the CWS will be over in July..

Go to he circuit clerks office and tell them you have a planned work trip or family vacation(your choice) and you need to reschedule jury duty.
 

cowbell88

Senior
Jan 11, 2009
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Didn't you have a death in the family and have to be at funeral cause your grieving (insert family member here) asked you to be pallbearer?
 

NIC.sixpack

Redshirt
Apr 12, 2013
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Here's the statute:

Mississippi Code Annotated section 13-5-34 (Punishment for failure to appear)

(1) A person summoned for jury service who fails to appear or to complete jury service as directed, and who has failed to obtain a postponement in compliance with the provisions for requesting a postponement, or who fails to appear on the date set pursuant to Section 13-5-33, may be ordered by the court to appear and show cause for failure to comply with the summons. If the juror fails to show good cause for noncompliance with the summons, the juror may be held in civil contempt of court and may be fined not more than Five Hundred Dollars ($500.00) or imprisoned not more than three (3) days, or both. The prospective juror may be excused from paying sanctions for good cause shown or in the interest of justice.

(2) In addition to, or in lieu of, the fine or imprisonment provided in subsection (1) of this section, the court may order that the prospective juror complete a period of community service for a period no less than if the prospective juror would have completed jury service, and provide proof of completion of this community service to the court.

As for how likely it is that you would actually have to face some kind of penalty, I have no idea. Courts routinely summon significantly more people than necessary for jury duty because that's the only way they can be sure to fill a jury after some people get excused by the lawyers for one reason or another.

Slightly fun fact: The following people are automatically disqualified for service on a jury...
-anyone convicted of an "infamous" crime
-anyone who has been convicted of the "unlawful sale of intoxicating liquors within a period of five years"
-"common gambler" (I guess uncommon gamblers are ok)
-"habitual drunkard"
 

haildearoldstate

Redshirt
Mar 28, 2013
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Just walk in with a skull/bones t-shirt that says, "Kill'em all, Let God sort

them out". That oughta pretty much do it.
 

patdog

Heisman
May 28, 2007
56,618
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This is the right advice. Call the Circuit Clerk's office and explain that you have a previously scheduled family vacation (technically true as the vacation is to Omaha and the CWS has been scheduled for months) and ask to be excused. Good chance they'll just excuse you (I don't think they reschedule if someone can't come).
 

fishwater99

Freshman
Jun 4, 2007
14,072
54
48
This is the right advice. Call the Circuit Clerk's office and explain that you have a previously scheduled family vacation (technically true as the vacation is to Omaha and the CWS has been scheduled for months) and ask to be excused. Good chance they'll just excuse you (I don't think they reschedule if someone can't come).

Don't call, actually go down there in person(makes a difference). It worked for me last year.