Professional Juror, Reporting as Ordered

[hsapiens]

So, is anyone in Harris County getting an unusual number of jury summons?

When I first registered to vote, I think I averaged one summons every 3 years. I've just received what is my 3rd summons in 13 months (it's my 4th in 22 months). I don't mean to whine; unlike a lot of people I don't look to "get out of" jury duty. I don't hold it against the state that I spent 7 long days listening to fascinating mold and renters' insurance testimony just a year ago. Well, not much anyway.

Has the compliance rate dropped precipitously? Have I got "Sucker" tattooed on my forehead? Is this one of those weird, "when it's truly random you get things like this" things? Shall I expect to be getting these things every 4-6 months?

Comments

[ciaracat.livejournal.com]

Hmm.. I haven't gotten any yet, but then it's been less than a year and a half since I moved back down here.

I'm going to go with the "truly random" possibility?

They're all from different courts so far?

[hsapiens.livejournal.com]

Hmmm. In that span of time, I've been on 2 juries and done 1 jury duty. Geez - the last time was Dec. 13. Somehow, this seems...wrong. The last time I was the first person in the pool and avoided jury only because a last minute delay meant they wouldn't be seating a jury that day.

They're all from different courts so far?

Harris County doesn't call by court. They call everyone into one huge jury slush fund and then smaller jury pools are pulled for both criminal and civil courts as they're needed. I've never been called for municipal or federal courts. Just county.

[ciaracat.livejournal.com]

Hm. That's really interesting. I know the jury duty calls I've had before (in Lubbock or Midland counties), there's always a clause that says you are exempted from jury duty if you've been called by that court within a certain time period, which varies by the court. Usually within the last 6 months to a year. I'm really surprised they don't have something similar, even for the kind of jury pool you're talking about. That's nuts!

[hsapiens.livejournal.com]

The last summons I received had something on the back in the exemptions about having served on a jury for (3 or more?) days within the last 6 months. My jury duties of late have been:

(June?) 2004: 4 days of jury duty
April 2005: 7 days of jury duty (called in March 2005 but rescheduled due to illness)
December 2005: Jury pool but not empaneled

I never qualify for exemption. I notice the county website no longer includes the jury duty exemption but haven't checked the back of my summons.

I'm probably one of those weirdos everyone edges away from on the bus but I don't hate jury duty. In fact, it's a nice change of pace. I get to ride the rail to downtown and I invariably learn something new. Actually, if it weren't for the fact that I still have to get reports out on time at work, I probably wouldn't complain. Harris County is remarkably efficient with my time while I'm there.

[ciaracat.livejournal.com]

I'm right there with you! I'm always excited to get a jury summons. I think only once I wasn't; seems like I had an exam scheduled that day or something. :P I haven't ever gotten onto an actual jury yet though. Always makes me a little sad. ;)