DC Jury Duty Again? Not This Time!

Having just served jury duty for a week on a criminal case last October, I was in no mood to get another jury summons this week. It was from DC - where we used to live on Capitol Hill for thirteen years. We moved to northern Virginia five years ago, but that didn’t stop the summons from coming. Not only for me, but also for my husband a couple of years ago. When we lived in the district, my husband and I were called to jury duty at least every year it seemed. I had to go in three times and almost was called on a criminal case. Luckily they got enough jurors before my time came around. So I went to the website and filled in the information and completed the questionnaire. As soon as they asked for current address - with proof of current address like a drivers license, I knew the outcome would be in my favor. As soon as the information was submitted I received a notice that I was disqualified. I knew I would be, but I still felt a great deal of satisfaction. I also know that I do not need to serve anymore in Virginia because I just was stuck in the courthouse on a very grueling case, and I have reach the age limit. This is one thing I’m glad I don’t have to get involved with anymore. It’s just very inconvenient - especially when the guilty party gets off Scott free. 

Finally! Jury Duty Payment

Right in the middle of my cataract surgery in August/September, I was so lucky to get a jury summons. Given our history of DC jury duty, I was less than thrilled. Between my husband and I it seemed we were in the courthouse every year. When we moved to northern Virginia I was sent a generic jury duty questionnaire that I knew at the time I would most likely end up getting served. And so it goes. I had to postpone it to October and was even more lucky to get stuck on a criminal case that lasted the whole week. My husband made it all the more nicer by driving me in and staying all day. I would meet him for lunch and we would walk. He would read and observe his surroundings. On the last day he wasn’t able to make it, so I was on my own for the day of deliberations. In the end it seemed like a big waste of time because the defendant was found not guilty for domestic violence, assault and battery and rape because there was just not enough solid evidence. It was a very draining experience both physically and psychologically. After six weeks, the jury duty check finally arrived in the mail for two hundred dollars. It seems there must be a better way of doing things. Considering all the people that are put out by this experience the budget for all of this is astronomical when you consider all of the jury cases going on every day of the year across the country - only to have this kind of end result. I am just so happy that they can’t ask me to serve anymore due to age restrictions. Yes, it was an interesting experience, but I don’t want to have another one like it. 

Jury Duty Revisited

Last week I was on a criminal case jury for domestic violence, assault and battery, and rape. There were five counts that required deliberation. In the end a twice convicted felon was found not guilty because there was insufficient evidence. We knew he did it, but there was nothing we could grab on to beyond a reasonable doubt. I have been thinking about this case and process a lot since then. Though it was an interesting process, it really affected me in a negative way. Some of the people on the jury did not stop talking from the minute we sat together in the small locked jury room. They expressed opinions that should not have been expressed starting on the first day. I took copious notes and didn’t say anything about the victim or defendant until deliberations started on the last day. I raised several items that others had overlooked because they had already made up their minds. There were eight men and four women. Two alternates were women but they were released on the last day. I think having more men made a difference - and their perspective on the details - or lack of details - was disturbing. And for the first time my Apple Watch sent a signal that my resting heart rate rose above 120! And upon review my resting heart rate for the entire week on jury duty was ten points higher than an average week - from 60 to 70. Obviously I was dealing with more stress than usual, was having difficulty sleeping, and my routine was turned upside down. It was mentally and physically exhausting. Now I know why people over seventy are excused from jury duty in Virginia. I didn’t write down names of the victims, accused, lawyers, etc to google later. I didn’t want to think about it any more. The most disgusting thing is that this guy is back out on the street. What a waste of time. I still clearly remember the faces of all the jurors and remain disheartened by the whole thing. 

Jury Duty for a Domestic Violence Criminal Trial

I was called to jury duty in the middle of my cataract surgery. So it was rescheduled to last week - the final day of two months of eye drops. As luck would have it I was selected for a criminal domestic violence case. I wasn’t happy because we had planned a weekend trip to visit our family in central Virginia and I knew this would disrupt our typical retired lifestyle. After spending a day selecting a jury, the case started that afternoon and lasted all week. This was my first jury trial, although I was almost called to two other trials. It would be interesting to witness and be a part of the process, but it was very exhausting both physically and mentally. I really didn’t know what to expect. The subject matter was disgusting and the outcome was even worse. It’s awful when you know that a twice convicted felon certainly did the violence, assault, battery, and rape - but we couldn’t convict beyond a reasonable doubt due to a lack of objective evidence. Aside from that, both parties were lying about so many things. We ended up deliberating for five hours or more in a small jury room. I took a lot of notes and reminded people about key details. So many had already made up their minds without thinking through the details. My husband drove me to and from the courthouse every day and stayed there for three days to keep me company for lunch. He had a doctors appointment on Friday so I was on my own. When the trial ended the prosecutor asked us what she could have done differently. We found out things we wish we had known that they were not able to provide to us by law. We just didn’t have hard evidence. Now the convicted felon is back out on the streets. And it will start all over again. At least the next time I won’t need to serve at least for three years. And I’ll be over seventy years old - a qualified reason to be excused. 

DC Jury Duty Summons

We are just so lucky! I got a summons - in the mail - for jury duty in August but I had to change the date because I was having cataract surgery. But I’m still stuck having to go next week. It is the first time either I or my husband have been called after moving to northern Virginia over four years ago. When we lived on Capitol Hill it wasn’t unusual to get jury summons almost every year - and both my husband and I spent more time in the court house then we care to talk about. We never ended up on a trial, but I almost did twice. At least in DC we could actually walk to the courthouse from home. It was so much easier. Yesterday my husband got a summons over email to report to the DC courthouse next month. This is the second time he has received a summons from DC since we moved. So we filled out the questionnaire and were eager to get a disqualified stamp of approval once we entered our Virginia address. That’s what happened the last time and it happened again this time. But this time we had to upload a copy of his drivers license to verify that he actually did live in Virginia. Thank goodness he isn’t stuck doing jury duty there or here. I was hoping they would quit sending summons to people after a certain age. I hope this is the last time I get called. But I have my doubts. 

Jury Duty Questionnaire

When we lived in the Midwest for thirty years I remember being called to jury duty one time. When we lived on Capitol Hill both my husband and I were called to jury duty just about every year. It was a royal pain. I almost got stuck on a trial but lucked out. The only thing good about it was that we could easily walk to the courtrooms. We have lived in northern Virginia for over three years now. I haven’t really thought about jury duty until today - when I received a letter that contained a juror questionnaire. I haven’t been called to serve - yet. But I have a feeling my luck will run out some time over the next year. Since I am not yet seventy I won’t have a choice to opt out. And since I now have hearing aids I have no excuse. So I need to complete the questionnaire on line and hope it never surfaces. If I do get called the courthouse is no where near where we live and there’s enough crime to keep the courts busy. I’m sure it would be a good experience but I’m just not in to it. I never cared for being in a room with a bunch of strangers before the pandemic. I dislike it even more now.  

Escape from Jury Duty

It wasn’t uncommon to get a jury duty summons at least every other year when we lived on Capitol Hill. Both my husband and myself had to show up for jury duty more times than what seemed “normal.” We lived in the Midwest for thirty years and I was called one time. Luckily for us, we didn’t get as far as actually serving, although I had a close call twice. The last time I got a summons it was not even a year since I had last served and I finally got a reprieve. So it was a surprise when my husband got a jury summons in the mail last week. It was forwarded via the post office to our new address in northern Virginia. I knew he wouldn’t need to serve, but he would definitely need to notify someone that we no longer lived in DC. So we checked the website and as soon as we updated the residential address, the pop up screen said he was disqualified because he was no longer a resident. That was followed up by an email that the disqualification was approved. We had mixed feelings about moving from Capitol Hill, but they become less and less intense when we get reminders like this one. We can still go visit whenever there’s a good reason. Every time we drive in to the old neighborhood - it’s only ten miles away - I am reminded of a lot of the more unpleasant issues we had to deal with. It’s taking my husband longer to feel the way I do, but I’m sure he’ll come around sooner than later. This is one of them. 

Chase Jury Card Prepaid Card Account

About a month or so ago I received a summons for jury duty and was miraculously excused because it was exactly a year to the date I last served. I knew that because I marked it on the calendar and I’m sure they hoped I would have forgotten - even though it’s probably noted in their records that I have served at least four times since we moved here. Yesterday I was reminded of it when I received a letter from Chase prepaid card services with an enclosed check for $4.00. The letter said the check represents a settlement payment in connection with the Scott v JPMorgan Chase Settlement. It meant the “balance in my Chase Jury Card prepaid card account has been closed.” All I remember is that instead of getting a check for jury duty service last time, we received a debit card. I also remember I wasn’t able to cash it out and pretty much forgot about it. It sounds like a lot of other people had trouble cashing out their cards too - or perhaps were charged fees on the huge sum of $4.00. It says you can cash the check out at any Chase branch without incurring a fee. I’m not doing that because I prefer using my mobile app to deposit checks. Let’s hope it goes through. I’m not sure whose idea it was to use debit cards for such small amounts. Sometimes it’s better not to fiddle with something that works for most. It’s irritating enough to go to jury duty so often. But having difficulty getting paid for it is nuts. 

Jury Duty - Good News!

Since we moved to DC twelve years ago from the Midwest I have been called to jury duty every two years. My husband has also been called as often. On September first I received another summons - exactly two years from the last time - September 1, 2016. The only reason I knew that date was because it was marked in my calendar. So I filled in the required juror information on the website and completed the section of my last date of service. It said in the general information that you “could get disqualified” from the summons if you served within the last two years. So my information was submitted online and a notice said that it would take a few business days to review and consider the request, and to check the website later for the verdict. So yesterday I checked in thinking it would obviously be denied. To my utter amazement, it said I had been disqualified and I was not required to appear. I haven’t been that surprised since we moved here. Perhaps they noticed I have reported at least five times without making any fuss, but I still can’t believe it. My husband received  his summons a week after I got mine last time. If it happens to him, we will try the same maneuver. In the meantime I still can’t believe it, but I have a feeling I’ll be seeing another summons in short order. Stay tuned. 

DC Jury Duty AGAIN

We moved here twelve years ago from the Midwest. I think I was called to jury duty one time in the thirty years we lived there. Without a doubt, you can depend on having jury duty in DC at least every two years. The last time I was summoned was September 1, 2016. And guess what? I got a summons yesterday in the mail - September 1, 2018. Isn’t that just a coincidence? Of course, the date for this summons is for October - just a few days more than the two year opt out option. So I filled in all the required information on line, including the section for the date you last served. When I logged out, it said the court will review the dates of my last service and determine if I am eligible to get excused. I highly doubt it but it’s worth the try - especially since this is the FIFTH time I have to go. Being retired doesn’t make it any easier - in fact it’s more inconvenient because we were just planning some trip options but that’s now on hold. And if it’s anything like the last time, my husband got his summons about a week after I got mine. This is definitely another reason we wouldn’t mind living elsewhere. This is the kind of lottery I don’t like winning. 

The Jury Duty Chase Debit Card Saga Continues

Not a lot of people would go to so much trouble to get $4.00, and I'm certain that is just what the government is counting on. But since we are retired, and I find this whole situation laughable as well as totally inconvenient and nonsensical, I will pursue it to the end. For the privilege of being summoned to jury duty four times in the last ten years, one gets a $4.00 transportation reimbursement. We used to get a check in the mail. Now, a Chase debit card is distributed but you cannot access it until after 5 PM on the day you attend. Both my husband and I were summoned within one week of each other, so we had two debit cards to cash in. After reading through all the documentation, which in itself is mindboggling, we stopped at our Bank of America to collect our dues. After about twenty minutes of back and forth and holding up the teller line and signing our lives away, we were able to cash my husband's card because he had his ID on him. I didn't have my ID because we stopped in after our morning walk and I don't carry that stuff on me. So I found where the ATM's are located in the neighborhood for this card. There are no Chase ATM's anywhere near us, so I checked where Allpoint ATM's are located - one in the Walgreens at union station, where we walk when it is blazing hot outside. We ventured out that way today, found the ATM, and tried it. Are you kidding? The machine doesn't even register that low of an amount to cash in. All it would tell me is that I have $4.00 on the card. All I want to do is cash this thing in. I think we will wait until we take another trip to our bank. They certainly weren't happy about this transaction to begin with and I don't blame them. What on earth do other people do? I'm guessing they just don't have the time for all this nonsense.