Squirrel

In the UK they select jury from the electoral roll, do they have something similar in states in the US? I didn't think they did but DH was called up before (although he wasn't selected).

Now DH lives in the UK I'm wondering what would happen if he got called for US jury service again? Afterall, whatever list they go by, he probably hasn't been removed from it.

AmerLisa

Does he have a driver's license from here?

rpjs

Because registering to vote is not compulsory in the US as it is in the UK, most places use other sources such as the DMV to compile their potential jurors pool. My wife was called to jury service in Rhode Island several years after moving to the UK (her mum forwarded the letter to her). She just contacted them and said she'd moved to the UK and heard nothing more.

Ironically, last year, as we were making plans to move to the US, she got called for jury service in the UK, as she qualifies as she is also an Irish citizen. I am miffed, as I've always wanted to do jury service and have never been called myself.

Jerseygirl

Both hubby and I were called to serve just a few weeks after becoming USCs...within 12 months our daughter was also notified. At the courthouse we were told they get the names from several different sources...new US citizens, DMV, local councils etc.

Squirrel

I think I understand now. They could have got his name from when he got his Mass ID card or registered for selective service. He never had a driver's licence as public transport is good in the Boston 'burbs and he also had 'Mom's Taxi Service' to rely on lol.

Anian

As a plain old Resident, is it possible that I would be called up for jury service even though I'm not allowed to do it?

Bob

Yes it's possible.

You just reply saying you aren't a US citizen and can't do it and then that's that.

meauxna

+1.
Jury rolls come from the DMV here. DH got tagged when he was still a PR.
He's also done his duty now that he's a USC.
I have a Federal questionnaire hanging over my head tho.

Mummy in the foothills

I was called a few times before becoming a USC They had me prove I wasn't a USC Seemed backwards somehow.

S Folinsky

Not exactly on point -- see McDonald v Gonzales. This case is often misunderstood -- the court actually made a very narrow decision based upon Hawaii law. What is overlooked is that it was the former INS that defined the issue as one of a violation of Hawaii law.

The reason I post this is that Mrs. McDonald was registered to vote as part of the process of obtaining a drivers license pursuant to "Motor Voter" legislation. What Congress did was, in 1994 make it very easy to register to vote and in 1996 put a heavy penalty in place for an alien who voted in violation of the law.

[BTW, the former INS was abolished in 2003 and its functions transferred to various agencies in the newly created Department of Homeland Security. For reasons I do not fathom, the legacy agencies of the former INS call the former INS the "Legacy INS." Go figure.]