Jury Duty for Cruisers???

[carlylelk]

I've just been called for jury duty in Florida. I spoke to one of their people and she told me there was no reason other than health or being past 70 to be excused if I was a resident of the county.

We're not really residents of the county. We filled out a FL "Certification of Address" form for a friends address, in order to be able to vote and get a FL drivers license. The Drivers License database is where they pull the jury duty list from. I guess that makes us residents??? We're never there!

So how do people handle this issue? It's hard to believe that all of the cruisers down in the Carib jump on a plane and head back.

Any advice?
carlylelk

[CSY Man]

Originally Posted by carlylelk

I've just been called for jury duty in Florida. I spoke to one of their people and she told me there was no reason other than health or being past 70 to be excused if I was a resident of the county.

We're not really residents of the county. We filled out a FL "Certification of Address" form for a friends address, in order to be able to vote and get a FL drivers license. The Drivers License database is where they pull the jury duty list from. I guess that makes us residents??? We're never there!

So how do people handle this issue? It's hard to believe that all of the cruisers down in the Carib jump on a plane and head back.

Any advice?
carlylelk

Tell them you are out of the country.
Doubt you are required to jump on an airplane and head back.
I have been excused before for being abroad.

[john61ct]

You may need to provide proof.

They may demand service after postponing a few times.

Likely at worst a fine, not jail time, but it is up to each clerk, ultimately the judge you're in contempt of.

[skipmac]

If you accept legal residency in a state (not just FL) including voting there then expect the possibility of jury duty or other responsibilities that go along with it.

That being said I live in FL and was called for jury duty when I had a trip abroad planned. I called and explained I had already purchased plane tickets, etc and was readily excused with the comment that I would be put back on a future list (and I was called again a few months later).

If you are permanently residing overseas I'm not sure how they would respond. I would call and discuss it. If you do please post the results.

[a64pilot]

If you go through St Brendan’s Isle, they don’t call anyone with the 411 Walnut st address to jury duty.
I know cause when I was there a while back registering with them at the court house, I asked.
I have never done jury duty in my life actually, I have always been excused, always wanted to, to see the process, but never have.

[skipmac]

Originally Posted by a64pilot

If you go through St Brendan’s Isle, they don’t call anyone with the 411 Walnut st address to jury duty.
I know cause when I was there a while back registering with them at the court house, I asked.

That is interesting and a good bit of info to have for cruisers.

Originally Posted by a64pilot

I have never done jury duty in my life actually, I have always been excused, always wanted to, to see the process, but never have.

Same here. I did get called to the jury pool but wasn't chosen.

On the other hand we had a friend that was on the jury for trial of Danny Rolling, the Gainesville serial killer, and she was very traumatized by the details the jury had to see.

[RaymondR]

There are a number of traps in the address of convenience thing.

In some legal jurisdictions knowingly providing non factual information on a government form is legally considered perjury. Generally not a problem until some enthusiastic prosecutor wants to represent you to the judge as an outright outlaw.

For years now I have been attempting to raise a revolt against those in official positions who insist we all have number-in-street, live ashore addresses by getting all of us to submit change of address forms every time we change marinas or anchorages. If they started to get one or two thousand forms per week from cruisers and RV,ers they might consider an alternative system. I have not set foot in my bank for three or four years now but I still do banking a couple of times a week.

[john61ct]

Originally Posted by RaymondR

There are a number of traps in the address of convenience thing.

In some legal jurisdictions knowingly providing non factual information on a government form is legally considered perjury.

That is just silly.

Giving an address is required. If you don't live at one, and the government provides no workaround, obviously it is not criminal to do the best we can without any criminal intentions.

But with the SBI + court affidavit solution, there **is** an official government sanctioned workaround, with the side benefit of never getting called for jury duty.

For those so concerned about that "dishonesty" issue.

Has anyone ever had a service provider refuse to accept 411 Walnut Street?

[ontherocks83]

I can't remember the web site off hand, but there are a few states that full time RV'ers use as a permanent address and are very friendly to people that need a mailing address but are essentially nomads. I want to say Texas is one of them if memory serves me correctly.

[john61ct]

Started a more focused thread here

http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...d.php?t=208306

[RaymondR]

Originally Posted by john61ct

That is just silly.

Giving an address is required. If you don't live at one, and the government provides no workaround, obviously it is not criminal to do the best we can without any criminal intentions.

But with the SBI + court affidavit solution, there **is** an official government sanctioned workaround, with the side benefit of never getting called for jury duty.

For those so concerned about that "dishonesty" issue.

Has anyone ever had a service provider refuse to accept 411 Walnut Street?

Nope, if the form requires a "Residential Address" they want to know the place you reside and usually you will be required to sign and date at the bottom of the form.

As for looking upon any government as benign, good luck with that mate.

[a64pilot]

Originally Posted by john61ct

Has anyone ever had a service provider refuse to accept 411 Walnut Street?

Yes, the Federal Government (FAA) when I re-registered my little airplane will not take it, I had to use 1 Clay Street, which it the address the voting registration people in Clay county give you for your voters registration card.

Then we had a heck of a time getting a bank account established for the Wife at USAA, only thing they finally took was the voters registration card to prove residency, cause we could not provide any of the other things they wanted like tax records, electric and utility bills etc.
This is a result of 911 and supposed money laundering financing terrorists. You believe that, right?

Then we have the voting rights being challenged by Clay County.
It’s getting tougher and tougher to not have a physical address, everything it seems everything comes with challenges.

[ohgary]

Originally Posted by carlylelk

I've just been called for jury duty in Florida. I spoke to one of their people and she told me there was no reason other than health or being past 70 to be excused if I was a resident of the county.

ice?
carlylelk

Two sides to this, One its your civic duty to perform this task and you should be glad to be part of the system. Other side is if the letter didnt come certified then you never got it, but since you called that rules that out.

I have been called a number of times, twice was unable to attend, One I was in the hospital having a knee replaced and the second time when I was very early in my career and was working for a company that didn't pay if you were on jury duty. I provided a financial distress letter from the company I was working for and was excused.

[PMac456]

As a sitting Judge, my experience has been to just send the Clerk of Court a letter explaining your situation and your date of return. 99% of the time the he/she will set you for jury in the future after your return.

[Group9]

Originally Posted by RaymondR

There are a number of traps in the address of convenience thing.

In some legal jurisdictions knowingly providing non factual information on a government form is legally considered perjury. Generally not a problem until some enthusiastic prosecutor wants to represent you to the judge as an outright outlaw.

For years now I have been attempting to raise a revolt against those in official positions who insist we all have number-in-street, live ashore addresses by getting all of us to submit change of address forms every time we change marinas or anchorages. If they started to get one or two thousand forms per week from cruisers and RV,ers they might consider an alternative system. I have not set foot in my bank for three or four years now but I still do banking a couple of times a week.

I was a state prosecutor for five years. The only person who I ever saw get jammed up by a judge over jury duty was an employer who told his summoned employee he would fire him if he missed work and showed up for jury duty.