American living abroad got called for jury duty. Please help.
Posted by Parking_Ad_9418@reddit | expats | View on Reddit | 43 comments
Hello all I’m 25f living abroad for the next two years. I recently got called to jury duty. When I go in the website to fill out the jury form living abroad isn’t listed as one of their 7 feasible reasons to be excused from jury duty. The website also says not to call with an excuse… I have called my local US embassy, I have called my local court district back in the states as well, they both have told me to send an email explaining my situation. When I send the email I get an automated response just telling me to look at their website. I only have 5 more days at this point to fill out my jury form before they allegedly take legal action against me I’m hoping someone else has been through this situation and can direct me on what to do since can’t seem to get any answers/ help from the government.
Anything will help. Thank you.
HootieRocker59@reddit
I was called for jury duty despite not living in the US for 25 years. I called them on the phone and they said it was fine and I've never heard from them again. YMMV.
traumalt@reddit
How do you even get Jury Duty notices if you lived abroad for 25 years in the first place?
HootieRocker59@reddit
They sent it to my parents' house.
TheSkiingMonkey2@reddit
YMMV = You Make Money Vegans?
captain_zavec@reddit
Your mileage may vary
TeachMeEplanPlis@reddit
You may marinate vegetables
hashtagqueenb@reddit
What are the 7 options they have?
dragonzz292@reddit
I lived aboard for 5 years and got jury summons. When I asked for the exemption online I selected the option that stated it was too much of a burden travel wise to make it. And in the comment section I’d state I lived aboard and couldn’t make the commute. Never had any issues with it being accepted.
ataradrac@reddit
You should be good with the advice you've received. I've had to do the same thing for several years.
However, be prepared to have to go through this again soon, depending how your jurisdiction handles it. I got summoned five or six times, all about six months apart, before I finally got it through to them that I am living abroad indefinitely. Turned out they were just putting my name back in the pool to be called "soon." The clerk finally flagged my name so that I shouldn't get another summons for several years.
We'll see if it works. ;)
marc962@reddit
I’ve taken every jury summons I’ve ever gotten and thrown them away. High school Econ teacher said that this was what he did, since it’s not certified they can’t prove you got anything.
wndrgrl555@reddit
Hope you need a jury rsn.
Mammoth-Goat-7859@reddit
I went through the same thing, 2 weeks after moving abroad. I sent an email to the court and explained my situation, complete with a picture of mail sent to me at my address abroad. I wound up talking to the judge, which needed some convincing but excused me from service in the end.
Just remember that they are used to people lying, so you need to prove that you are telling the truth.
alanamil@reddit
My jury duty forms always have had the choice, do not live in the county.... (My town is in 2 counties) and it is always the other county sending the duty forms.... Does yours not have something like, do not live in the area, etc??
bassexpander@reddit
Let me guess. Blue state?
Tardislass@reddit
All you have to do is call the county court or clerk. It's no big deal.
RexManning1@reddit
Call the county and tell them you don’t live in the US. You will be excused. Some jury summons have an email address on them. Use it.
Source: I’m a lawyer.
mp85747@reddit
I was stressed when that happened to me as well, but the issue was resolved quickly. I e-mailed, explained my situation and was promptly excused, without any questioning, delays, requests for proof or difficulties. Hopefully, they took notes and it won't happen again.
I had provided an address (virtual mailbox) before moving in order to comply with the "change of address" requirements and not run into problems later. That's why I got the summons in the first place. I thought they go by physical address on DL, but apparently not because my old physical address is on my still valid DL, so I would've never received the summons in that case.
AtomicBlondeeee@reddit
This is accurate
Parking_Ad_9418@reddit (OP)
Thank you!!
foxshorts@reddit
You may have to go to an embassy or consulate and provide proof you aren't living in the states anymore. I had to do that once in Iceland, and it was 50 bucks for the damn appointment lol
1Angel17@reddit
Call them? You can call them and explain you don’t live in the US right now.
Salcha_00@reddit
Can you reschedule it online to allow for more time to sort this out?
phunpham@reddit
I was not excused last year in Kansas City even though I was living in Honduras on government orders. It’s just the unpleasant obligation of citizenship in a nation that offers trial by jury. I told them about my situation and they asked me when I would be back in the US in the next 12 months so they scheduled me for jury duty during that time.
Tactational@reddit
The back of my form said to explain there and include any documentation when responding (along with a fax number for responses). I sent a copy of my Dutch residence permit and foreign school ID/registration as evidence. I never was called again and I didn’t get into trouble.
Academic-Balance6999@reddit
I was always very diligent and dutiful about jury duty, until one year I got called for jury duty when I was 7 months pregnant with twins. The trial was projected to last 6 weeks. I told them I couldn’t guarantee I would be medically able to serve on the jury due to medical appointment and, you know, giving birth. Instead of excusing me the judge gave me a three month deferral. So that next jury summons would arrive when I had 5 week old twins. They told me I could come in and get an excuse for breastfeeding but honestly at that point I was so busy and tired I just ignored it. Thing is… before that I was getting called for jury duty twice per year. After that I didn’t get called again for YEARS. I think they put me on some kind of “don’t bother, no show” list.
Tiny_Abroad8554@reddit
When this happened to me, I called and told them I would love to join the jury if they paid for my airfare and hotel. They quickly excused me.
Glass_Confusion448@reddit
Is one of the 7 reasons "I don't live in the jurisdiction anymore"?
Parking_Ad_9418@reddit (OP)
Nope :/
BitterDoGooder@reddit
Look up the presiding judge for the court that summoned you and send them the email exactly like you explained it here.
MildlySelassie@reddit
This is the way to go. I had a similar situation, and as soon as they told me to send an email explaining for the judge, it resolved itself quickly
In my case one of the acceptable reasons not to appear was something like “it would cause undue hardship to appear in person”. Think of how onerous it would be to commute in each day from wherever you are
Soccergirl1979@reddit
I called and spoke with someone on the phone. I had to email proof that I was living abroad via my visa.
Wanderinghome1111@reddit
Been through this a couple times over the years of living abroad. I'm sure there are some differences between jurisdictions. But in any case, attempting to communicate with the clerk of the court and having the same reason as yours was always sufficient for me. I was asked once to provide my address where I resided, and I provided a hotel address in a city in a neighboring country I was familiar with and that was fine. They don't really have any means of verifying foreign addresses. My experience has led me to be pretty blase about it.
Parking_Ad_9418@reddit (OP)
Thank you so much. This has helped ease my anxieties. I wasn’t sure if they would do anything but I just didn’t want anything to potentially effect my visa
not_enough_weed@reddit
Throw those papers in the trash and forget about it. Nothing will happen it's what everyone does.
JackZLCC@reddit
An insider from Los Angeles county once told me that it's safe to just ignore jury summons, because despite whatever threats they might write in the summons, they haven't no enforcement mechanism. So if you just act like you never got it, they won't be coming after you.
I'm not guaranteeing this is true, in LA or anywhere, but it does make reasonable sense. Especially in a heavily populated place like LA.
moonlets_@reddit
“Excuses” are like “my car broke down” or “my fish ate my keys”, not “I do not live in the state anymore, let alone the country”. I’ve gotten off jury duty back in college when I had a midterm scheduled the same day even.
ArdenJaguar@reddit
Have you called the Clerk of Court office yet?
Starfire57@reddit
If they have a number on the summons or the court website call it and speak to someone. I ended up having to fax them a copy of my residence card. Some jurisdictions aggressively pursue no-shows so I wouldn’t just ignore it unless you’re sure you’re never going back or you make a good faith effort to contact the court and get nowhere.
jquest303@reddit
My partner has been summoned for jury duty dozens of times. She just doesn’t reply. Nothing has ever happened. You’re good. Don’t sweat it. You’re in another country.
LibidinousLB@reddit
1) Send a register letter that you don't live in the jurisdiction anymore.
2) Just don't go. They don't issue arrest warrants for not showing up at Jury Duty. I used to work at a court house in LA (a very long time ago) and more people blow it off than show up.
By all means, let them know you've moved out, but you are in no danger of getting arrested or anything like that.
transmorphik@reddit
I wouldn't give up calling. I faced this situation about ten years ago. An NJ court summoned me for jury duty about three years after I'd moved to Colorado.
Being overseas is more than an "excuse" for not serving. It's a disqualification of your eligibility in the first place (from what I understand).
It's worth searching for alternate numbers at the Court facility so that you can speak to a live person who can sort this out.
emilzamboni@reddit
No longer living in jurisdiction. Send it Registered mail or whatever your host nations equivalent is. Keep the receipts.
SeanBourne@reddit
Which state?