Just don’t show up one day during deliberations. But be sure and bring a toothbrush with you when you get back from vacation.
A Denver woman, who had a vacation scheduled while the jury was going through deliberations no-showed one morning. When she reported back in, the judge was not amused.
“I left town,” she told the judge. “I went on my vacation.”
“Why?” he asked.
“Because I already had planned to,” she replied, adding that she had informed the court of her vacation plans during jury selection.
McGahey reminded her that he told her she would have to complete her jury service before taking off on vacation.
“And I told you I would be gone,” she replied.
The judge decided find her in contempt of court. He fined her $250 — the amount she was paid as a juror — and sentenced her to six hours in a holding cell, the amount of time the rest of the jurors deliberated the day she took off.
It’s a story worth reading, as are the judge’s comments to the slacker in question.
(I just had to use that headline, given the number of Google hits I get here on just that subject.)
I cannot imagine doing that. No one likes jury duty, but it IS a civic duty and the price we pay for our citizenship. It’s a sign of the times, though, as shirking responsibility seems to be the thing to do these days…
I’m waiting for someone to whom this happens to sue because of some disruption of personal convenience or something. Jerks.
The problem of suing is that your decision rests in the hands of a jury. Who might find your behavior less than amusing since they are all doing jury duty…
I’m really surprised the judge didn’t slap her harder.
I don’t think this punishment will deter the next idiot that wants to take a vacation instead.
If your employer pays you during jury duty then jury duty *is* a vacation.
I have been called to jury duty 3 times in the last 5 years. I know for a fact that there are more people living in this county than me. I recognize my duty as a citizen but this is a bit much. I expect that any judge would interrupt his vacation plans to serve on jury duty. Right!!!!! Give up the ole golf clubs to listen to courtroom comments! You are only a citizen in this country when they want you to be one,like when they needed me for Vietnam!.
Unfortunately, the way folks in some jurisdictions are selected for jury duty does tend to select some people more than others.
And, yes, I would expect a judge to interrupt a vacation to serve. Imagine the scandel if it was found that one had ducked such duty.