Don't worry I am nearly 18 and don't drive either, I take public transport. Anyway on the actual topic. In Australia anyway if you get a jury duty slip you have to go for this interview and they choose a number of people from that, so this doesn't mean you will have to attended the court case. You won't get thrown in jail, you get a fine I believe. My dad has had to go twice but has never been chosen and the same with my brother. My bother wore scruffy clothes so he wouldn't be chosen.

Purpleotter, you'll want to dress professionally. Be polite and respectful.

Read over the jury summons you got. In the U.S., you can defer jury duty for a short time due to a list of reasons that they should have provided you. If not, there should be a phone number so you can ask questions.

If you're not in the U.S., I'm not sure about that.

You can do this. My first jury duty I sat there waiting to be called and reading a book until I got dismissed.

First off, a few items of interest. If you are a US citizen it is a civic responsibility to be available for jury duty, just like signing your Selective Service card. Some countries just conscript their people off the streets for mandatory military service...a week in court is a walk in the park in comparison. And they even pay you to be there!

They called me a couple of years back and I was stunned at how much everyone wanted out of it. I was really wanting to be in the jury in the (vastly overhyped) desire to see a live action version of A Few Good Men, complete with emphatic shouts of 'You can't handle the truth!". As it turned out there was a big case (not murder or anything) but the parties settled out of court somehow and we were all let go with the promise not to be called again in something like 8 years. The irony is that the folks among us who strived so hard to be excused from the proceedings had to be available for jury duty again only a few weeks later. I got plenty of laughs out of that. I've still got about 4-5 years to go before it comes up again.

^ It must be different here, may dad has been called in twice with in 3 years. The first time he went and wasn't wanted and than the next time he couldn't attended because it was short notice, since he had been away and had to manage a building site which he couldn't get out of. My mum has always wanted to go but has never been called in.

As soon as I saw this thread I just had to post.

Oh my, I really strongly dislike Jury Duty.

Yeah you have to go or else yeah you will have to go to jail which i personally think is ridiculous. I got my first jury duty notice this past January. I really didn't want to go because it was at 6 in the morning. So there were mostly 700 of us and thank God I sat next to this really sweet and funny lady and she said "I'm not doing this, once they start announcing that sick or etc can leave I'm getting out of here."

So I asked her since I have epilepsy if that can work for me too, because with my epilepsy I can doze off a lot especially if i have to concentrate on something really hard so she told me that that would get me out. So I did tell the person who asked about my condition and told me that I could leave. I was so happy. I didn't want to stay there from morning to possibly the evening or midnight and had to go back the following day and the next and next. ....

So yeah purpleotter, you have to go but before they start they probably will ask everyone if they have certain conditions, age limits, etc that could get you out of Jury Duty. Or try to call the place where it's going to be at and ask them for some help on what you need to do.

^Don't they understand some people have to work. I mean if I got chosen to be in the jury, my boss would probably would be so annoyed, me having to take the days off work. Would that count for my yearly leave?, if so I would do anything to get out of it on the first day. My dad got out of it because of work reasons but i doubt they would let everyone do that.

In the US it's the law that one's employer give them the time off. And the govt. pays you while you're on jury duty. I'd much rather spend my day watching courtroom drama and getting paid for it than sit at my daily, rather unpleasant job and performing the same endless mundane tasks over and over again.

^Don't they understand some people have to work. I mean if I got chosen to be in the jury, my boss would probably would be so annoyed, me having to take the days off work. Would that count for my yearly leave?, if so I would do anything to get out of it on the first day. My dad got out of it because of work reasons but i doubt they would let everyone do that.

No they wouldn't whether it is USA, Western Australia or New South Wales. Ask your employer or line manager about what happens if one is called up for jury duty and find out from the human resources department as well for any further questions. I found out that employers do make arrangements for jury service which is a legal obligation. Though it is annoying, the employers also have to co-operate, as they can't be seen to break the law either. They, themselves, could be liable for jury duty as well, you see. Maybe better you than them.

Some jobs do excuse you, such as whatever is considered essential services, and in New South Wales if you have a law degree you are exempt from jury service, I've heard. You are also exempt if you have been at any time charged with an offence against the law. Even if you do get as far as having to sit on a jury panel, there may be other reasons why you are excused, such as the defendant knowing you or not wanting you on the jury, or else for other reasons of prejudice.

You can be exempted for some medical reasons, but you must show a doctor's certificate to establish that, in Australia at any rate. My husband was exempted due to deafness - he wouldn't be able to follow a court case. The day I gave birth to my third child I received a notice for jury service, and of course I would be exempt for that reason. I had to fill in a form at the local sheriff's office, showing proof of why I couldn't do jury service. I did supply documentary evidence, such as the form to register the baby's birth, but I think the week-old baby, herself, would have been evidence enough.

Once I did get called up for jury service, long afterwards, but I found that I was with a lot of other people. They picked two panels, then, at the end of the day, they decided they didn't need the second panel, after all. I was then told that I wouldn't be called up to do jury service for another five years. A good book is a must for waiting times, which took up most of the day. But we were also shown films explaining what we had to do, and asked to go here and there every now and then.

I got paid for the day's inconvenience, by the Courts reimbursing my employer, though that might not be the case elsewhere in the world. I don't know what happens in USA generally, but in New South Wales, and most likely the rest of Australia, you get paid for doing jury service if it is longer than half a day, though the rate of pay is rather low.

When asking questions, ask about the transport, and discuss with the law department how you would be able to get there. And also discuss with your parents what you have to do. Maybe you could be dropped off at a railway station or bus stop. Perhaps something could be arranged for a one-off day. If court cases go for more than one day, the jurors are supposed to be accommodated at State expense. Well, here in Australia, at any rate.

I guess i would rather go and payed for listening to the court case than going to work. I think they give you notice though, well I remember dad complaining about it 3 months in advance. I think going to jail is a bit extreme but I guess it is a way to get people to go. I have always been frightened of been called to these things when I have planned a holiday or something or planned on travelling with in those days, my luck that would happen.