Rete

DH became a USC in 2003. Last night in the mail was his summons to jury duty at the Federal Court in lower Manhattan.

He is happy but not happy when he learned that if he is selected to grand jury that he will have to serve for more than two weeks.

But he is looking forward to the experience. I wonder if the court knows what it is in for.

BTW no cell phones, laptops, blackberries, etc. are allowed.

TracyTN

That's a trip! I've never been called in all my life. Of course now that I said that, I'll get a summons tomorrow.

AmerLisa

My husband and my older daughter got called to jury duty in the past 6 months. My husband couldn't go because he's not a USC and my older daughter lives in the UK.

Rete

I think those are two damn good excuses not to attend.

I'm a USC since birth and have served a number of times on juries in both New York State, Westchester County and the last time in Federal Court in lower Manhattan. Now that was a great place to serve in. Location is good, close to USCIS so I was familiar with the area and places to have lunch, public transportation system, etc.

Trixie_b

I've never been called for jury duty. A friend of mine was called earlier this year and sat for almost 3 months... the trial? it was a whole heap of immegration laywers faking asylum applications and immegration circumstances.

Englishtart

Hubby was called a couple of years ago, the trial was about 3 weeks long and he loved every minute of it, I have never been called, but would like to be.

paddingtongreen

I've been called, empaneled but never selected. The trial lawyers here in Delaware County all think they win by how well they "spin" the evidence, so scientists and engineers and other critical thinkers get booted, that way the facts of the case don't interfere.

Noorah101

I'm a USC and I've been called several times, and selected once. The time I got selected, I served 4 days, and the case was SO boring I had trouble staying awake through it all. But it was an easy one, and it didn't take us long to come to a unanimous decision.

I wonder how long it will take my recently naturalized hubby to get called? His English is nowhere near good enough to serve.

Rene

Bill_S

How about 3-wolf tshirts?

Bluegrass Lass

As a native USC, I've been sent a summons 3 times. Two of those times was while I was still in school. So I got out of it by saying that I could not miss school for several weeks. The third time, I was unemployed and asked to postpone because I needed to attend job interviews. By the time they wanted to reschedule, I had moved out of state.

lansbury

Been called twice. September 2007 and September 2009 of course not being a citizen I politely declined. September 2011 should be interesting.

Burn1911

Within the first 3 years of living here I got called twice, but couldn't attend as I wasn't a US citizen since we have moved to another city we haven't been called upon at all, but then we still couldn't participate!

chartreuse

So how do they select people to call? Is it from the electoral roll (like in England) - which I guess would be feasible, if the non-USCs who were called live in areas where you can register for local elections. Or is it from property tax records? Or what?

I imagine it may vary by state, also.

Burn1911

Well we are definately not enrolled on any electoral list, and at the time we were renting property so not paying property tax, I would have no idea how they would have got my details.

Maybe it was because we paid our utilities like water and garbage etc to the city, it was weird though as most of our bills were in hubby's name as when we moved in I had no SSN. I can't remember if I got called before getting my SSN??

Curious isn't it!

lansbury

DMV records here so I'm told. Why they use those and not the electoral roll who knows. Wonder if they think people might not register to vote but need a driving license.