Called for Jury service - can't go - consequences?

Hi Wishbone Thanks a million for this you have given me hope. I have just received the summons and was trying to figure out what to do for the possible 10 days that i could be called up. I have 4 kids, 2 schoolgoing and the youngest is only 3 months and as i am not working i don't have any childcare in place. If i need to go somewhere i usually rely on family and i usually only get away for a few hours. But i will definitely ring now and see if i can be excused.

Glad to have been of service - ho ho - btw, the breastfeeding was the trump card...if you can prove it!! :D
 
Believe it or not, this is true. Defence counsel are permitted to object to a certain number of potential jurors. So, if you wear really conservative clothes they will think you are one of the "hang 'em and flog 'em" brigade and won't want you on the jury. It works, i did it successfully. Only thing, i had to attend for each day, was called three times and rejected each time, so went straight back to work.

perhaps wear a t-shirt printed with 'Hang Them All!!!'
 
Thanks Wishbone, never thought of using my little one as my "excuse"!! - form gone off in post now.

Thanks for all advice posted,
wrappo
 
Redstar, in an ideal world that would be the solution but the reality is that work can't be re-arranged and no-one else can do it either. Obviously that is ridiculous from a contingency/risk perspective for my employer but that is the way of things at the moment.
What would happen in work if you smashed your car and ended up in hospital for months?

The graveyards are full of people who thought they were indispensible.
 
It is not true that work excuses are not acceptable. Your employer can write a letter saying that you can't be released at that time, but can be at another time.

This is not guaranteed to work, but should be your first step.
A fine will apply and you will get called back quite soon, if you ignore the letter.

I attended last year - work is not an acceptable excuse and the material that came with the notification states this - my employer referred me to it when I requested that they prepare a letter. I got out of it 5 or so years ago with a letter from employer but they have obviously changed since then.
 
I attended last year - work is not an acceptable excuse and the material that came with the notification states this - my employer referred me to it when I requested that they prepare a letter. I got out of it 5 or so years ago with a letter from employer but they have obviously changed since then.
As I understand it, an employer cannot apply to have an employee excused from jury service. However, a person called for jury service may apply to be excused and they may enclose documentation in support of their request. This can include a letter from an employer stating that the loss of the employee will cause them particular difficulties.

The OP may be interested to know that the section of courts.ie on Jury Service says that while the courts do not provide childcare facilities, primary carers of young children may apply to be excused from jury service.
 
the youngest is only 3 months
btw, the breastfeeding was the trump card...if you can prove it!! :D

Agree....worked for us (was true & no need/request to prove) and know of 2 other women who had kids (a 4 mth old & an 11 mth old) whom it work for also (can't be certain, but don't think they had to prove anything...what could they do? Sit mum & babe down to nurse?

OP - are you doing any courses as I think students are exempt?
 
Complainer
I never said I thought I was indispensible - employer does obviously and would be rightly up the creek if that scerario you painted materialised but that's another issue.
 
I got notice of Jury Duty in the post today. Problem is I am due to be away on a course (personal not work) that week. This was booked some time ago and I have the written confirmation of that.

Am I likely to be excused by the registrar because of this? It's in Ireland but residential and outside Dublin.
 
I have been called twice. The first time I couldn't go because I was doing my College exams (2 years ago) then a few months ago I got called again but it was sent to my parents address and I was in the States. They didn't open the post and when I came back the date had passed. I rang them straight away in a panic but the clerk just told me not to worry. Didn't hear anything since!
 
If the letter from your employer doesn't do the trick (which it should do) book the cheapest flight you can find to anywhere in the world for the time of your jury service then write in and say you will be away. send in a photocopy of the tickets as proof. ;)
 
Yep as far as I know you do. tell you what worked for me I showed up on the first day and wore a suit and carried a copy of the Irish Times and my name was called out, was challenged straight away by the defense as I walked up as they want the more 'casual looking' person that will be more likely to sympathise with hte defendant. One of my friends told his doctor he suffered from anxiety and got him to write a note...
 
I was called a few years ago and a neighbour of mine was also called. His name came out and he told the judge he was self employed and was excused. So perhaps if you show up initially, the excuse is plausible?

As per Evi3's story, the majority of people who attended the first day were dressed in 'smart casual' clothes and a few wore suits. Those who wore suits were challenged. On the second day everyone wore suits :)
 
If you are self-employed you can write to the registrar and ask to be excused. They will write back and tell you that you do not need to attend. (This info is given in the leaflet that arrives with the note asking you to atend to jury duty).

The poster who has a course booked should write to the registrar including details of the course. They may be excused.
 
Was recently called to Circuit Court Jury service.

160 turned up out of 200 on list., a lot of waiting around
Roll of those present was took.
Names drawn out of a hat, 12 picked, one of those picked, just prior to swearing in, stated it had took her 3 hours to get there, and 3 hours home again, and was instantly excused by judge, another was objected to by the defence, as living close to the accused.

After the jury was sworn in and sent out to a room, the rest of us were thanked, and excused for 5 years as jurors. There where no other jury cases that week. Those who hadn’t turned, their names where sent to local Chief Superintendent by the judge.

Been outside Dublin, the list seemed to be very local, most of the 160 there knew many people in the group and all seem to be from same 1/3 of the county.

Self employed where very relived, employees less so! The mix was young, old ,professional looking, retired, casual, formal,even a few non natives.

Was an anticlimax!
 
If the letter from your employer doesn't do the trick (which it should do) book the cheapest flight you can find to anywhere in the world for the time of your jury service then write in and say you will be away. send in a photocopy of the tickets as proof. ;)
Is it possible that the clerk might look at the booking date vs the notification of jury service date before deciding whether to excuse you?
 
Friend of mine , has received letter for Jury duty , and he would rather do time , or pay the € 500 fine , before going to the court-house .

What are the reasonable excuses ?

No mention above of a doctors certificate - would one of them do the trick ?

If this employee does not want to ask his employer for a letter ( which may not work anyway ) .... what other viable excuses are there ?
 
A friend of mine received letter to go for Jury Service (she didn't want to go) - so she phoned up the number on the back of the docket - and said that she'd be delighted to attend for Jury Service and would they kindly give her directions to the Courts creche so she could drop her children off in plenty of time. The Clerk said that she'd be excused on those grounds.....
 
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