Originally Posted by
uszkanni
Work/fun travel will not get you excused from jury duty in L.A., but you could reschedule for a more convenient date within 90 days (automatic) or longer if you speak to a rep and have a good enough reason. Being self employed or otherwise pleading economic hardship won't get you excused here.
Not doubting you at all but that is very harsh. Imagine if you are self-employed, mortgage and all the other usual bills, and you cop a 6 month murder trial! Sending you broke, potentially losing your house, and it is called civic duty?
Jury duty is viewed quite seriously as a civic duty where I live, but after 25 years as a permanent employee in a couple of very large companies (i.e. they would have kept paying my full wages through any length trial), and no jury call-ups whatsoever, 3 months after I went contracting (pseudo self-employed), and twice further in the next couple of years, I got called up. I sent essentially the same letter each time stating I had bills to pay, and without income would not be able to pay them.
This was sufficient each time to excuse me. I cannot recall the detail because it did not affect me, but I think there may have been provision to register for alternate dates if there was travel planned/booked.