Jury Duty during nursing school

danaheil · Jul 3, 2006

I am pretty sure i was excused a couple times when I was in college because i was a full time student. I don't know if the same rules apply in your state.

PANurseRN1 · Jul 3, 2006

You may be able to get your jury duty deferred, depending on your state/local laws. It's getting harder to do, though, because a lot of people try to get out of serving. I don't think your school can penalize you if you have to attend, and certainly if you are summoned to appear to testify, they can't hold that against you.

Follow the rules for requesting deferrement/excuse carefully. If you can, try to talk to the clerk of courts. Be nice; don't argue/get impatient. (Not saying you would...just a reminder.) Ultimately, if they say you have to be there for jury duty, you have to be there. You don't want to roll the dice and just not show up. You could get a contempt of court charge, and you do not want to have to try to explain that to the BON.

snowfreeze, BSN, RN · Jul 3, 2006

I was excused once while in nursing school, got selected twice after graduation though.

BabyRN2Be · Jul 3, 2006

If you can prove that you are in school full-time, you'll be excused from jury duty. Not sure about part-time though.

htrn · Jul 3, 2006

You will have to show up for jury duty when you are called, but they will probably excuse you from actually serving because of school. You may want to stop into the court house and talk to them ahead of time, they might be able to help you or make special arrangements.

As far as testifying in court, make sure your instructors are aware of what is going on and talk to the dean of students, maybe even bring a copy of the subpeona. I had to take a few days off for medical reasons (four kids with chicken pox at the same time, better than one at a time right after each other I guess) and although my instructors were really very understanding, I also made arrangement with the university dean of students which really helped.

Good luck.

MIA-RN1, RN · Jul 3, 2006

Maybe its different in different states. Im in NY and when they called, they wanted me for duty the week of finals! I got it deferred for six months, which is what they allow on a one-time only basis. Got called almost exactly six months to the day, too. I was a part time student.

Here they allow a one-time only, six month deferrment. I didn't have to show proof or anything but you sure get picked right after six months is up.

shock-me-sane · Jul 3, 2006

defer it until you have a break from school, (christmas break or something). i believe you can defer 3x until you HAVE to show up. i wouldn't chance getting placed on a jury. two years ago i deferred until my spring break and wouldn't you know it, I got placed on a jury!

PANurseRN1 · Jul 3, 2006

In PA they give a six month deferrment, but it's the same as your experience, Cooper...they are right there 6 months later.

TazziRN, RN · Jul 3, 2006

In CA you can ask for a postponement, check into that and postpone it till your break.

Race Mom, ASN, RN · Jul 3, 2006

Here in Nevada, they have changed the rules. You can no longer call to get out of jury duty. You have to show up and ask the judge to dismiss you. They did let me reschedule for selection on a Friday (when there are no classes). Luckily, when I called the night before, the case was dismissed. I would go armed with your schedule, acceptance letter and the nursing program attendence rules. I would let the judge know that I was in a limited entry program that would force me to withdrawl and ask for re-instatement if I missed more than (# of) clinical/class days. I would have that paperwork there to prove it to him/her.

911fltrn · Jul 3, 2006

Learn what it means, and then tell them you are a fully informed juror. They will show you the door.

from http://www.fija.org

Don't worry! Be happy! Look at jury service as an opportunity to "do good" for yourself and others. It's your chance to help the justice system deliver justice, which is absolutely essential to a free society.

Also, you can do more "political good" as a juror than in practically any other way as a citizen: your vote on the verdict is also a measure of public opinion on the law itself--an opinion which our lawmakers are likely to take seriously. Short of being elected to office yourself, you may never otherwise have a more powerful impact on the rules we live by than you will as a trial juror.

However, unless you are fully informed of your powers as a juror, you may be manipulated by the less powerful players in the courtroom into delivering the verdict they want, instead of what justice would require. That is why this was written--to give you information that you're not likely to receive from the attorneys, or even from the judge.

Justice may depend upon your being chosen to serve, so here are some "words to the wise" about how to make it through voir dire, the jury selection process: You may feel that answering some of the questions asked of you would compromise your right to privacy. If you refuse to answer them, it will probably cost you your chance to serve. Likewise, if you "talk too much"--especially if you admit to knowing your rights and powers as a juror, as explained below, or that you have qualms about the law itself in the case at hand, or reveal that you're bright, educated, or are interested in serving! So, from voir dire to verdict, let your conscience be your guide.

Nothing in the U.S. Constitution or in any Supreme Court decision requires jurors to take an oath to follow the law as the judge explains it or, for that matter, authorizes the judge to "instruct" the jury at all. Judges provide their interpretation of the law, but you may also do your own thinking. Keep in mind that no juror's oath is enforceable, and that you may regard all "instructions" as advice.

Understanding the full context in which an illegal act was committed is essential to deciding whether the defendant acted rightly or wrongly. Strict application of the law may produce a guilty verdict, but what about justice? If the jurors agree that, beyond a reasonable doubt, the accused did act as charged, then "context becomes everything" in reaching a verdict you can live with. Credit or blame for the verdict will go to you, so be sure to ask the judge how you can pose questions to witnesses, so that you can learn the complete context, should the lawyers fail to bring it out.

When they believe justice requires it, jurors can refuse to apply the law. Jurors have the power to consider whether the law itself is wrong (including whether it is "unconstitutional"), or is being applied for political reasons. Is the defendant being singled out as "an example" in order to demonstrate government muscle? Were the defendant's constitutional rights violated during the arrest? Much of today's "crime wave" consists of victimless crimes--crimes against the state, or "political crimes", so if you feel that a verdict of guilty would give the government too much power, or help keep a bad law alive, just remember that you can refuse to apply any law that violates your conscience:lol2: