So once again I got summoned for jury duty in Fulton County, the massive County that includes the City of Atlanta. Many people are apprehensive about jury duty so I thought we would lay out the basics of what to expect. Can you get out of jury duty? Yes for the day they summon you , but eventually you will have to serve on another date.
How do i get out of jury service? If you care for a child 6 or under, are doctors orders sick or over 70, you can get out of it. If you have some pressing engagement,you can call into the Court and geta reset date often several months down the road.
The night before, call the court to verify that your group is being called for service.
If you are stuck on jury duty, park at the Atlanta Underground accross the street for about 10 bucks unless that is too expensive in which case you should take MARTA.
It says to show up at 8, which you should your first time so you can watch the orientation film.other wise 8:30 is fine. Check in with the clerk and you will get a badge.
Then begins the first phase of waiting. The clerk will call out your name if they need you as part of the jury pool and will give you a number and tell you what courtroom to report to. If it is a car accident case or another insurance case they may ask you whether you are insured with an involved inaurance company. Once you receive your pool, go down to the courtroom and stand in another line while you wait for your batch of prospective jurors to be interviewed by e lawyers.
Voir dire is the latin name for the process by which lawyers vette prospective jurors. It is not veryinvasive so don’t be nervous.
So, there are two primary waiting periods. Firs, you wait to be part of batch of prospective jurors and se ond when your batch is being interviewed in the courtroom.
The last time it took until 6 pm for the second half of the process to go through.
Bring a book, laptop, music and snacks. You will be bored.
Once the interview process starts though, you will be far more interested. Serving as a juror is critical to the functioning of the court system. This is your civic duty and you should honor the committment. Move the date if it will kill your small business and tryto get it moved to a slow time of the season.
Remember that Superior Court handles divorce, felony crimes and other civil matters. state Court handles misdemeanor crimes and every other kind of civil case except divorce.
Keep an open mind and enjoy the process!