Does the time to serve jury duty ever change without warning?

Question

I'm really worried. I called on monday to see if I had to serve for jury duty, and was told over the phone to report in on wednsday. But when I called on tuesday, it no longer said report in on wednsday. It said that I should call on wednsday for further instruction. I'm figuring the date to serve jury doesn't change once it's been set. Did I goof, or does this really happen? I just don't want to have to pay a heavy fine. I'm positive that it said over the phone, on monday, to report for jury duty on wednsday.

Answer 1

Yes, it does change without warning. I was called in for jury duty and my date was cancelled. I was a little skeptical about going off of an answering machine, so I decided to call the courthouse and actually speak to someone to make sure everything was ok and that I was no longer needed... since paying a fine isn't on my wishlist.

Your best option would be to call the courthouse and ask to speak to someone regarding your notice to serve for jury duty. If they managed to resolve the case before they even needed the jury, you will be excused from jury duty... well for the next two years at least.

Hope this helped. : ) And Happy New Year!

Answer 2

Relax, Jerry. Yes, the jury commissioner (or their office) can change the date or time to report for jury duty. Just follow the LATEST instruction, and you will be fine. It often happens that the courts may have to delay the start of a trial, or wait until a court is available, or a present case finishes before the next case is called for trial. In these cases, the jury commissioner will change the recorded instructions in the telephone message. Often, you must call the same day to find out if the case or cases have positively been assigned, and a jury panel is needed for that day, or delayed for another day, and you will not be needed until some later date.

You said the "the date to serve jury doesn't change once it's been set." That is not the case. The relevant fact is you have been called to serve; the exact day or date may be changed, and sometimes it is changed several times. But the court officers will give you enough time to make some plans and get to the court on the date you and others may be needed.

Good luck, and enjoy the experience. Don't worry. The court doesn't impose a fine except in the most intentional of cases. Just follow the latest in your instructions, and you will be OK.