Get around California jury duty

[riclag]

How do I get away from serving California jury duty while living in Thailand.

My kid occasionally gets a official jury summons addressed to me at his house ! 

[FritsSikkink]

Why does he get the summons, are you registered there? If so change your address registration to your Thailand one

[sqwakvfr]

In my case it was Los Angeles County Juror Services (twice in the last 4 years.)  There should be a section on the form they send you where you can request to be excused.  I checked the box for not in the county (more like not even in the country).  I then submitted proof.  I submitted copy of my passport stamps showing my presence in Thailand, a copy of my Bangkok Life Accident Insurance Policy (it was all in Thai except for my name), I also submitted a copy of my rental agreement (it was mostly in Thai but my name is clearly in English).  I sent these forms back to Los Angeles through Thai Post with tracking.  So far so good.  I expect another Jury Duty summons sometimes this year.  I plan on doing the same thing as in the past.  

[sqwakvfr]

Just now, FritsSikkink said:

Why does he get the summons, are you registered there? If so change your address registration to your Thailand one

Some counties in California use the address on your Drivers License.  In the past only those people who registered to vote were only called upon. This is my case and I plan on keeping an active Drivers License because one never knows how quickly I might have to return to the US on a permanent basis.  I have learned to "never say never".    

[riclag]

7 minutes ago, FritsSikkink said:

Why does he get the summons, are you registered there? If so change your address registration to your Thailand one

Probably because and im just guessing I have a Cal drivers license with the same address ! Its addressed to my name.

[MrJ2U]

I called the city where I do jury duty and explained I'm (Santa Cruz,CA.) currently living in Thailand.

 

The pleasant lady noted and took me off the list.

 

I have Magic Jack so the call was free from Thailand to the US. 

[sqwakvfr]

17 minutes ago, MrJ2U said:

I called the city where I do jury duty and explained I'm (Santa Cruz,CA.) currently living in Thailand.

 

The pleasant lady noted and took me off the list.

 

I have Magic Jack so the call was free from Thailand to the US. 

Your lucky it is not that easy in Los Angeles County.  First of all no answer when I called and they insist on a written response to prove that I am not in the county.  

[Sandboxer]

If it's a criminal case and not civil and the defendant is black (which in CA would be statistically roughly a 67% chance), sending a copy of your Aryan Brotherhood membership card to the defendant's public defender usually works wonders to have him auto strike you as a juror.

Edited June 5, 2023 by Sandboxer

[EVENKEEL]

1 hour ago, riclag said:

Probably because and im just guessing I have a Cal drivers license with the same address ! Its addressed to my name.

I'll bet you voted, right? I stopped to help not to get these notices. It would suck to get pulled over for speeding and have a warrant for arrest issued.

[sqwakvfr]

46 minutes ago, Sandboxer said:

If it's a criminal case and not civil and the defendant is black (which in CA would be statistically roughly a 67% chance), sending a copy of your Aryan Brotherhood membership card to the defendant's public defender usually works wonders to have him auto strike you as a juror.

A potential juror does not know what type of trial he or she will be called to serve on.  The first few days are mostly sitting around and staring at the wall.  A randomly selected pool(allegedly)  of juror candidate are then sent to a court room to be voir dired (to see if they are selected or dismissed).  All this for $15 dollars a day which only starts on day 2 and in some places one has to pay for parking.  Many years ago I was called for jury duty and spent three days looking at walls and was dismissed by the defense on a criminal jury because I was a retired police officer.  For 3 days I got a grand total of $30 dollars minus $16 for parking.  

 

 

Edited June 5, 2023 by sqwakvfr

[sqwakvfr]

21 minutes ago, EVENKEEL said:

I'll bet you voted, right? I stopped to help not to get these notices. It would suck to get pulled over for speeding and have a warrant for arrest issued.

They do not issue arrest warrants for missing jury duty in California.  Remember it is a very liberal state.  Florida or Texas, maybe.  Presently shoplifting is almost not a crime anymore.  

[bkk6060]

Excuse me, it is a state Civil Code violation to not respond or not show to a jury summons in California.  With this, it is up to the county where the summons is issued to determine penalties.   One could in fact be subject to jail and or a fine for violations.  I personally would respond and figure out a possible excuse to get out of it.

[MrJ2U]

2 hours ago, sqwakvfr said:

Your lucky it is not that easy in Los Angeles County.  First of all no answer when I called and they insist on a written response to prove that I am not in the county.  

Unfortunately that's what you may have to do.

 

They seemed pretty laid back in Santa Cruz.

 

Much smaller city. 

[sqwakvfr]

1 hour ago, bkk6060 said:

Excuse me, it is a state Civil Code violation to not respond or not show to a jury summons in California.  With this, it is up to the county where the summons is issued to determine penalties.   One could in fact be subject to jail and or a fine for violations.  I personally would respond and figure out a possible excuse to get out of it.

Ok.  It all depends on the county.  In Los Angeles County not enough space in jail to detain people just for intentionally missing jury duty.  A civil fine up to $1500 is possible in Los Angeles County but highly unlikely.  What are they going do arrest me for not paying the fine?  In the past I have seen people with thousands of dollars in traffic fines released by judges for various reasons.  Some plead poverty but it was mostly the cost of housing people for nonviolent offenses.  Catching jury duty violators is very, very low priority for California law enforcement. 

[MrJ2U]

2 hours ago, Darksidedude said:

Absolute no way

 

My daughter is 7, she will not ever be getting that load of BS vaccine in her body.

 

Only reason why me and my wife got it was we couldn't travel or do anything if unvaccinated, biggest scam the world has ever been introduced to

Unfortunate for your kids.

 

Most schools require the mandatory vaccinations.  

 

What an odd and irrisponsible parent or parents. 

[riclag]

So i called the jury service and had to upload a copy of my Thai license and a signed  jury duty summons writing, I live in another country.

Ill have to do this every year , they said.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

On 6/5/2023 at 3:26 PM, sqwakvfr said:

Texas, maybe. 

I've had a couple rounds with jury duty notices from Texas now.

 

In both cases, about 4-5 years apart, I called the county jury duty office that mailed me the notice well prior to the summons date, and explained that I was out of the country for an indefinite period, and they agreed to cancel my notices. No documentation required, just my call.

 

I got the impression if I had said I was merely in a different US state (out of state), the answer might have been different. Perhaps a request to reschedule instead of cancel.