Monday, January 18, 2010

Enough already.....

Damn, damn, damn. I got called for Jury Duty...again! I've already served in District, Circuit and Federal Court....what's the deal. It can't be because I'm so freakin' gorgeous. I believe its a good thing to serve on jury duty.....but come ON! I've done my share. More than my share. This is such a major inconvenience for me. I guess after you reach the age of 70, they will finally leave you alone if you request it.

I have a doctor's appointment on Thursday and I'm going to ask him for a letter to see if I can get out of it....but I've been told by others that its next to impossible to get out of it. So here I am....having a hard enough time getting around in all these slippery conditions and now I'm expected to walk from a parking lot to the courthouse, which is a good distance according to Homeland Security standards....then once inside I have all kinds of more walking to do. This on a bad knee and bad hip and I'm not even taking the bad back into consideration. I've served there before and know what I'm in store for. I think if you've served more than once before, they should toss your name back and pick someone else who has never done it. (how's that for a colossal WHINE......but I'm mad....damn damn damnit)

I may be able to get an extension and serve in 6 months during warm weather rather than now. I remember I did that last time because night driving is so hard on me and court sometimes doesn't let out until after 5:30, depending on the judge and the type of case. So I at least wouldn't have to worry about night blindness OR falling on my ample azz because of ice and snow. I'm telling you, this getting old is the pits!

I know so many people who have NEVER served and here I am going for number 4....or maybe number 5.....not sure. They need to get another method of choosing their jurors. I can't help but think, if this were a drawing for the Lottery or some other prize, no matter how trivial, my name would NEVER come up! Sigh......its always SOMETHING.

23 comments:

Lee said...

All I can say is BLECH to jury duty!

Savannah said...

That does seem awfully excessive Val. Can't you get out of it on medical grounds?

Holly said...

my gripe about JD is this.

they will never let me sit in on a trial so this is a HUGE imposition on my time. Either call me and let me in on a trial or don't flippin' call me. Either make me part of the process or leave me outta it.

so I hear ya sista, I hear ya.

Betty said...

Your doctor ought to be able to give you a letter getting you out of it. Think of all the lame reasons other people use and are excused. Yours is legitimate.

Rae said...

That is so unfair. I really feel sorry for you. I know I would have to find some way around it if it were me. Hope you are able to find an excuse.

Nancy/BLissed-Out Grandma said...

I agree they might spread it around a little better! I've never been called. Sounds like you have a good case for AT LEAST delaying until better weather!

Smocha said...

This is embarrassing to admit, but as soon as we moved to Chicagoland ...all of a sudden they were picking us for jusry duty. I think they wnet by "who drove through the damn toll booth " or something. But any how...back then, I was a widow with NO insurance, I had no doctor, but I WAS paying cash payments to my dentist. I was also a lot more socially phobic than I am now.
I actually got one of the office girls from my DENTISTs office to write me a letter ,saying "I was too crazy/phobic for jury duty."

It worked.

On the other hand , my spouse wasted two days when HE got called , and of course he was not picked for a jury.Hmmmmm...I wonder if he ever told me the details of those days, or if I just forgot them.

Well, oh... where was I? :)

Oh , you don't have to go through that ordeal, have your doctor send them a note ( or your dentist ,if you're really desperate ) :)))

boneman said...

just ask if you can be afforded a cab, too.
That way, you get chauffeured to and from, and they pay you, too!

hmmmm.

Jamie said...

I'll bet a letter from your dr would do it, and with any luck, your dr will write it for you. I have always WANTED to be called, but never, ever....until I moved from small town Iowa to The City, and then of course, small town Iowa called me. I didn't have to though, because I lived two hours away. It would hurt financially, though...before I could have managed.

Let us know how it all turns out...

I owe you an email and it SHOULD be on the way tomorrow am.

Hugs. Lots and lots of hugs. Calm down and have a good evening. I already had a couple of MONDAY-CALMING beers...maybe you should do the same?

:)

Coffeypot said...

Here you can be exempt at 70 with a medical condition. I would raise hell when you go into court to test for being chosen. Tell them you are biased and know the SOB is guilty and deserves the death penalty for his parking ticket.

happyone said...

I'm one of those who have never been called.
If I could go for you I would. :-)

Forsythia said...

My husband, like you, has been called many times. The last time he was called, he was hoping that he wouldn't be needed and would get to go home. No such luck. When my husband heard the announcement, he said, "Shucks!" The judge asked, "Who said 'Shucks'?" My husband raised his hand. The judge said, "You can be foreman."

boneman said...

OK, there IS the other way...
Go dressed in goth (black lipstick, black nails, black wig, black cloths) and bring a rope with a noose...
Tell the judge you can't wait to hang somebody...
"But, mam? This is a civil hearing,"
"I DON'T CARE!" you holler back, "If I got to come down here, I want to see SOMEBODY HANG!~"

maybe
d=))

Anonymous said...

I have to agree with the commentors that should have you say, "I believe whole-heartedly that this fellow/girl is GUILTY as hell!"...That would take you off most lists..lol...
It IS an annoyance for sure...I did get out of one Jury Duty when I was moving out of state...what could they do?...They excused my butt!!!....
Well...keep us up on the seating, and for goodness sakes, be careful with the walking to and from...!!
GOOD LUCK, Val~!!

Christine said...

Our jury summons let you write and excuse and mail it in without a doctor's note. If they need anything further, they contact you. I guess Michigan doesn't make it that easy. I get called about once a year but have never had to go. The instructions say to call the night before and my number has never been on the list. I shouldn't brag about this because I won't be so lucky next time.

Anonymous said...

I have never been called and not sure why. I would ask if I was you to be able to serve in the spring and have a doctors letter too so that perhaps they will let you out of it at least till spring or perhaps with the doctors letter that they might let you not serve. liz

Anonymous said...

The first time I was called, I worked for the city and the Chief got me off by saying my presence was "necessary". It was. For HIM, not ME. The second time, I couldn't believe how easy it was to get off. I called and said "I don't wanna".

Cheryl said...

What a pain in the neck. It sounds like it's easy for some people to get out of serving. I hope the doctor's note works for you. I've never been called.

Joy Des Jardins said...

I was getting Jury Duty notices for a while too, but only had to go once Val. Most of them I didn't get called to go. Honestly, they are a pain in the butt. I'm sorry you are being hassled. ~Joy

Joy Des Jardins said...

Oh Val, I just gave you an award on my blog. Come and read my post and check it out sweetie. ~Joy

Holly said...

"Bring the GUILTY man in!" is what the guys here have told me to say!

gayle said...

I have never be called to jury duty and my husband who is the same age as me has been call 4 or 5 times but I Want to Go to Jury Duty to bad ..just to see what it is like!!

Mama Llama said...

Wow...yeah, how on Earth have you gotten so lucky so many times? I remember my father was finally called a year after he died. Apparently those records travel slow.

Or it's that you have proven yourself to be the stellar citizen you are, fulfilling a duty that makes our nation unique.

Hopefully it will all boil over and you won't have to serve yet again. I agree--someone else's turn!

Be well, Val.