I humbly request pardon from...
By AmberLynn
@ScribbledAdNauseum (104615)
United States
November 4, 2015 5:08am CST
I contacted my local county a few days ago to ask for pardon from jury duty at this time. I wasn't sure that it would be granted
as I didn't give the allotted ten days notice. Of course I didn't know about the allotted ten day notice until I went to ask pardon.
I emailed them and politely, professionally asked for a pardon at this time.
My reasoning? Well I work tonight and tomorrow would have been the potential date of summons. Had I been called to serve, I would have
had to come home from work, shower, and get to the court house. I don't drive though so I would have had to call a cab. I explained as much
to them, and the request was granted.
I kept a copy in my email archive to make sure I had record of such in case something comes up in the future about it. This isn't the first time
I have been summoned. The first time, however, I was still a resident of another County and just called and let them know of that fact. They merely
thanked me and I went about my business.
**I want to make a side note that says I try to get to everyone that I feel I can respond to, or converse with, but I have to
use the notepad feature on my computer to be able to do so. It takes entirely too long to type responses on mylot otherwise.
With all of this being said, you can understand that I get frustrated with the method.
3 people like this
6 responses
@WorDazza (15826)
• Manchester, England
4 Nov 15
I have a bit of an issue with jury duty. Quite often, average, normal, everyday people are exposed, due to being on a jury, to some quite horrific things during the course of their service and then just thrown back out onto the street to get on with their lives. How does someone casually return to everyday life not carrying some sort of baggage as a result?
Many judges in the UK are so far removed from ordinary life that they can make ridiculous decisions regarding requests to be excused from serving on a particular jury. I know of someone who was chosen for a jury where the case was expected to last 3 months. A woman requested to be excused from this on the grounds that she had a severely disabled daughter who she cared for, the case was during the winter months and her route from home to the court crossed the Pennine hills in the UK, which are notorious for being blocked with snow.
The judges response? "Don't bother me with trivialities" or words to that effect!!!
1 person likes this
@ScribbledAdNauseum (104615)
• United States
4 Nov 15
That is just awful! I hope the woman was able to appeal it somehow and get out of the jury service because that judge
has no heart! I do not particularly agree with the idea of having to serve on a jury myself. I am, however, glad that my
request was granted. I am a sensitive person, so I do not think I could ever serve on a jury convicting a murderer, or
rapist.
1 person likes this
@WorDazza (15826)
• Manchester, England
5 Nov 15
@ScribbledAdNauseum I honestly believe that ordinary members of the public shouldn't have to be exposed to some of the evidence that is used in court cases. Whether that means a move towards professional jurors, I don't know!!!
@ScribbledAdNauseum (104615)
• United States
8 Nov 15
@WorDazza Dare I say there are people demented enough to be happy to serve the role of professional juror? I suppose demented is a bit of a
crude, and judgemental, word though.
1 person likes this
@katsmeow1213 (28716)
• United States
4 Nov 15
I've been summoned twice, and hubby's been summoned once. The first time I served, and sat around all day never to be called in, so at the end of the day I'd fulfilled my summons and they let me go and I was good for 4 years.
4 years later they summoned me again. This time I was 38 weeks pregnant and called to tell them I might not make it as I could be in the hospital having a baby. They let me out of it.
Fingers crossed I don't get another one.
1 person likes this
@ScribbledAdNauseum (104615)
• United States
4 Nov 15
I guess I have always been under the impression that once you served, you won't be summoned again. I hope I won't get summoned
again as I do not want to have to sit in a courthouse all day.
@katsmeow1213 (28716)
• United States
4 Nov 15
@ScribbledAdNauseum As far as I know you can be called on once every 4 years. Sometimes if you ask for a pardon they won't give you that 4 years, they'll just take you out of that one and put your name back in to be pulled again.
@TiarasOceanView (70020)
• United States
4 Nov 15
I hope they will grant your request.
I once had jury duty and they cancelled it.
1 person likes this
@ScribbledAdNauseum (104615)
• United States
4 Nov 15
The request has already been granted. It would have been a heck of a day off for me tomorrow had I had to serve. Tomorrow is my
only day off this work week.
1 person likes this
@ScribbledAdNauseum (104615)
• United States
4 Nov 15
I would say! That's quite a distance to trek just for a few hours of sitting around, listening and then making a decision.
1 person likes this
@JESSY3236 (22244)
• United States
5 Nov 15
I had been summoned before too. I let my uncle explain to them that I don't drive so I was pardoned.
1 person likes this
@ScribbledAdNauseum (104615)
• United States
8 Nov 15
I am sure that was the overall reason for me being pardoned from jury duty as well. Though I did throw in there that I'd have been
at work, hoping that would weigh the vote for me to be pardoned.
1 person likes this
@Auntylou (4262)
• Oxford, England
10 Nov 15
Is "pardoned" the word they use for being exempted from jury service?
@Auntylou (4262)
• Oxford, England
10 Nov 15
I have never been called for jury duty though I have lived here for 36 years. Had they made you do it you would surely have fallen asleep!
