Help Me?

[forensic]

DH and I started 2 years ago and made a down payment for a 2 week Celebrity Cruise to Hawaii, February 2006. After a few months we were notified that they changed the itinerary, we did not like the change so we changed our booking to a Celebrity Cruise, Southern Caribbean March 2007. THEN they canceled that cruise as the Constellation went to dry dock early last spring. We were QUITE disappointed!! BUT they let us choose another cruise and gave us a decent OBC. So we are suppose to leave on November 26th for our 11 night cruise to the Canal and back. To make it even better we booked a 3 night cruise on RCCL to Nassau that will make this a full two weeks. We are finally so close, we have made friends on the Connection board and are SO ready to pack.

 

In the mail today my DH gets a JURY NOTICE that he has to serve Jury Duty the month of November!!!

 

Yes, we have insurance, but we do not want our money back, we want to go on the cruise! Has anyone gotten out of Jury Duty because their cruise was paid for?

[wrp96]

Yes, people haved gotten out of jury duty for having travel plans already booked. The best advice I have is to contact the jury coordinator immediately and be honest. Be prepared to show invoices that you have already paid for the travel (may not be necessary). In almost all cases, they would rather not have somebody on a jury that is steaming mad because they are missing their vacation of a lifetime!

[KS&JW]

I am sure that it varies by state. Here in California you are able to reschedule for a date in the future. You just tell them that day is not convenient and please reschedule. You can do this up to two times (I think) before you have to pay the piper.

[Cruising Is The Life]

DH and I started 2 years ago and made a down payment for a 2 week Celebrity Cruise to Hawaii, February 2006. After a few months we were notified that they changed the itinerary, we did not like the change so we changed our booking to a Celebrity Cruise, Southern Caribbean March 2007. THEN they canceled that cruise as the Constellation went to dry dock early last spring. We were QUITE disappointed!! BUT they let us choose another cruise and gave us a decent OBC. So we are suppose to leave on November 26th for our 11 night cruise to the Canal and back. To make it even better we booked a 3 night cruise on RCCL to Nassau that will make this a full two weeks. We are finally so close, we have made friends on the Connection board and are SO ready to pack.

 

In the mail today my DH gets a JURY NOTICE that he has to serve Jury Duty the month of November!!!

 

Yes, we have insurance, but we do not want our money back, we want to go on the cruise! Has anyone gotten out of Jury Duty because their cruise was paid for?

 

Yes. I called the number on the notice and they postponed my jury duty for a month once. All they asked on the phone was if I had a written proof of a trip scheduled, but they never looked at it, they just gave me another date.

[forensic]

Thank you all, I feel better already. His notice says you cannot call. It has a form to fill out "If you think you qualify to be excused". We live in Maryland. So I think I will make copies of our paid in full receipt and let him mail it in with the completed form - and pray :confused:

[cherylandtk]

In my experience, if he asks to be delayed or deferred, rather than excused, they tend to look more kindly on the request. The first is just a request to do your service 'later'; the second is asking to get out of it completely.

[mamaofami]

I agree he should ask to have the jury duty delayed. if they respond no, which I don't think they will, and he does have to go, before you are actually put on a case the judge will tell you how long they expect it to be and if you have any reason you can't serve. In my case, each and every person who said they had a reason was called into the judge's chambers individually and heard by the judge and the lawyers in the case. If he shos his travel documents, airline reservations, etc. it will not be a problem.

 

Have a great cruise!

[megr1125]

Fill out the form, send it in then call the courthouse...

 

I have gotten out of it and had it postponed due to vacation and finals (my first time to be called i was in college...) they are pretty good about working with you and rescheduling....and once, i was picked for one and when the questioning started the judge asked if anyone would have a problem...so i raised my hand and said i was going to hawaii during what would have been deliberations...he said thank you, have a nice trip!

 

mail in the receipt...most jury managers/courts are very nice about this...courts LIKE jurors...so they will most likely be able to reschedule you for later...

 

i am one of those nuts who LOVES jury duty and if it were an actual job that paid (like professional juror) i'd do it.....

 

now it was funny, once when called for grand jury (1 time a week for 4-5 months) a realtor tried to get out of it since she was a commission sales person..the judge said you have 6 other days a week to sell houses, please take a seat.

[cb at sea]

They will re-schedule you if you have a legit reason, and having a paid-for vacation is legit!!!! Don't worry--you need not cancel! Just notify the court.

[txracefan]

My Dh had Jury duty last week and the Judge asked if anyone had vacation plans,that would make them a really mad person if they had to serve.I don't think any one would want you on there case ,if they caused you to miss a cruise.You might want to go and talk to them if possible.

[luv2c00k]

and have postponed Jury Duty due to vacation plans so you should have no problem.

 

Enjoy your trip!

[JanineM]

My DH had to postpone jury duty when we sailed on X Constellation this past March. There were no questions or problems. He did his duty about 4 weeks after we returned.

[sandy toes]

Thank you all, I feel better already. His notice says you cannot call. It has a form to fill out "If you think you qualify to be excused". We live in Maryland. So I think I will make copies of our paid in full receipt and let him mail it in with the completed form - and pray :confused:

Should be no problem...you sent them proff. I have had mine rescheduled 2 times over the years. Once for a wedding and once for a cruise out of Baltimore.

[Fredr]

Hello,

 

Go see the Clerk of the Court or the person in charge of jury service. Show them your cruise documents and vry respectfully ask for their help. Be prepared to give them a certain date when you are reasonably certain you can serve. Often, a personal visit is much more effective than using the telephone.

 

If the the Clerk is not responsive, make an appointment with the Supervising Judge of the court or the DA and tell them your situation.

 

Get moving on this to give the Clerk or the others time to help you.

 

Hope that this helps.

 

Fred

[abitaturbodog]

Forensic---Aren't you glad that you found Cruise Critic??? I love this site!

[madelinerose]

Thank you all, I feel better already. His notice says you cannot call. It has a form to fill out "If you think you qualify to be excused". We live in Maryland. So I think I will make copies of our paid in full receipt and let him mail it in with the completed form - and pray :confused:

 

I'm in Maryland also. Unless you've habitually skipped and you're "on the list", it will all work out. I know many people who literally forgot about their jury duty date. They receive a letter in the mail (usually months later) and are advised that they have to call to reschedule or the sheriff will pay a visit. Don't worry, it'll be fine. ;)

[bububr]

DS and BIL were scheduled in March for our last cruise....Right before she recieved a jury duty notice....she kinda flipped out..

 

Since she had been avoiding jury duty a few times she thought she was stuck ( she's from Trappe, MD ).

 

She ended up just going down with all of her cruise and airline documents and even though she had gotten out of JD a few times, they did give her a hard time, but they warned her that this was the last time she could get out of serving.

 

When she got home there was already another notice in the mail :p . This time she served as she was supposed to.

 

The thing I didn't know was that her job didn't pay her for missing work. She is a nurse at a school.

 

I've always signed my check over to my employer and they have paid me my full salary.

 

Dave:eek:

[Jeano222]

The last thing a judge and lawyers want is a juror crying because they missed their cruise in order to do jury duty for one of their cases. That would NOT be a good thing for them. Trust me, they will happily postpone until you return.

[blindrid]

I went through this with a son and we faxed the form and they glady rescheduled.

[zoncom]

Used to live in Aspen. No one ever responded to jury call, no penalties eve, including for me. . I would call incognito & ask.

[Amlee]

My aunt called me Monday to tell me I had been selected for duty Oct 15th. She said I should get a card in the next few days. I sail out on the 19th. I got my card today. I called the court clerk and explained that I had plans to be out of the country starting the 19th. I told her that I didn't mind the jury duty ( I would LOVE to be on a really good juicey one), but I would end up in trouble if it ran past the 19th. The lady said no problem, that they would put me back on the list and would call me up later.

 

She was very understanding about it and wished me a safe trip.