Jury duty exemptions in the US vary by jurisdiction and include exemptions for government employees, military personnel, students, those over 70, and those with family or health issues. Recent jurors and those with criminal records may also be exempt. Employers are not required to pay employees for jury duty.
In the United States, the different types of jury waivers depend on local, state, and federal laws and regulations. Federal law requires that there be exemptions from jury duty for certain government employees. State and local governments often offer exemptions based on age, full-time students, and family situations. A person may also be exempt from juror duty if they have recently served on a jury, have committed a felony, are unable to perform juror duties, or if court service will cause unnecessary hardship.
Federal law requires active duty members of the military, fire department, police and government officials to be exempt from the oath. Servicemen typically live somewhere other than their registration address and are exempt from their civic responsibilities since they are already serving their country. For the same reason, those who work for the fire department or the police are also exempt from jury duty. Due to the possibility of a conflict of interest and the importance of other jobs in government, even some officials who work for local, state or federal government entities are not required to serve on a jury.
In most jurisdictions, people over the age of 70 can also refuse a subpoena by jury. People in this age group have typically served on a jury before or may not be in adequate health to do so. High school students, even if they are 18, are also provided with exemptions from jury duty, as are full-time college students.
Certain family situations may also provide a person with an exemption from jury duty. Generally, parents or guardians of children under the age of 15 are exempt from jury duty. This only applies if the adult is unable to find someone to keep an eye on the children or if doing so would cause undue financial strain. Adults who provide primary care to another adult with health problems may also be exempt from the jury duty; this doesn’t typically apply to professional caregivers, however.
Jury waivers may also be provided to individuals who have recently served on a jury. In smaller cities, a person who has served within the past two years since the last summons is typically exempt. In larger cities, usually with a population greater than 250,000, this exemption can extend for up to three years.
Anyone who has committed a crime within seven years of his last summons is automatically exonerated from civil obligations. A person with a physical or mental disability that severely limits his or her ability to serve as a juror typically also receives an exemption. While employers aren’t allowed to fire an employee for lack of work due to jury duty, they generally aren’t required to pay the employee either; if someone can demonstrate that absence from work causes extreme hardship, the court may grant an exemption or deferment of the person’s civic responsibilities.
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