Non-refundable tickets + Jury Duty = ?
 

I think I may actually have a question that has never before been discussed:

I have a non-refundable ticket to an international destination later this year. I booked this trip about a week ago. Yesterday, I received a summons to appear for jury duty several days before the start of my trip (this is actually a postponement from an earlier deferment). The date stamp on the summons will prove that I was summoned for this particular date after I had purchased the ticket.

Since I'm legally required to appear, will I have any bargaining leverage with Delta in the event that the trial runs past my departure date? Or do they not care about legally-binding, mandatory obligations?

Any interest in changing the date of the jury duty? I've had to do that with trips.

I'm certainly going to try it. Not sure how many times they'll postpone in my state. This will be my second postponement.

While this was on CO, I would assume it still applies.

http://www.usatoday.com/travel/colum...leshooter3.htm

I guess it depends on the state and county you where you live. In DeKalb County, GA my wife and I have both been summoned for jury duty--more than once--at a time that will conflict with an upcoming trip (be it doemestic or international). We have never had a problem with calling the Jury Manager and rescheduling for a date that will not conflict with upcoming travel. We actually negotiate a date rather than leaving it to chance, since we travel pretty regularly, and that avoids the same problem (a conflicting date) re-occurring. They need to schedule a jury pool every day so it doesn't seem to matter to them if you suggest a date--or range of dates--where you won't have a conflict, and they'll need to fill a pool on that day just like on your original one.

send copy of your ticket with DATE PURCHASED along with a filled out copy of the jury duty form to the courthouse.

Your proof of purchase of the ticket prior to receiving your notification should get you excused.

Yeah, should be able to reschedule the jury duty. I basically sent a letter with my airline tickets that were already booked. I also included dates that would work for my schedule. The federal district court put me on one of my available dates and all was fine.

It's not really the airlines fault that you have a legal requirement for something not related to them.

It's not in the Delta CoC, but it is often in fare rules and is generally true that subpoenas and jury duty, etc. provides the ability to reschedule your flight.

I was summoned for jury duty which overlapped with a trip to FRA. My boss wrote a letter stating such and I was excused. Needless to say that two days after I returned there was another summons :eek:

In the jurisdiction I live, you can postpone your jury duty for 6 months for almost any reason.

On the day you are summoned, the jury commissioner will specifically ask you if you have 'pre-paid vacation or non-refundable travel" within the next two weeks. A yes answer will postpone your jury summons date by 6 months.

MO

At least one situation in which you can decline
 

I'm sitting in the Los Angeles County juror assembly room and I just said NO due to special instructions attached to the call for the panel, including the ability to decline if you have a non-refundable plane ticket during the trial period (jury selection for this trial -- estimated at 20 days in length -- is September 17th, I have a flight booked for September 25th.

Most panels, however, do not seem to come with such special instructions that allow you to decline.

It's probably easier to try to get another deferment from the courthouse than get your money back/change fee waived. I managed to get one fee waived by Delta and as the manager said on the phone, the only reason they were so nice was because it was an complicated situation, my records showed I wasn't a complainer, I was an EP, and there were enough seats in the same fare class for the date I requested to be bumped to. It too was an international ticket.

+1 This has worked for me on at least 3 occasions in Orange County, Florida ^

I live in Broward CO, FL. I get called (almost) every two years. I was told you get 2 deferrals for any reason you want. The third scheduling you MUST appear or face contempt of court charges. They would not let me choose a week that fits my schedule and would not cost me a week of work/pay even though I told them I could be very flexible with them if they would be understanding with me.

Four summons in 10 years. Three of the four I was chosen for the first court case for which I was interviewed. I don't know why the defense and prosecution both like me but I am determined to figure it out and change it! I have dozens of friends and family that have never been called. They almost all say "I would love to do jury duty." My reply: "Be careful what you wish for." (They have jobs where they would get a paycheck during jury duty.... unless that trial goes on past one week. Then you're screwed.)

That depends on the job. My employer will theoretically continue normal pay and benefits indefinitely while on jury duty or subpoenaed to appear as a witness in a trial. We do have to turn over any compensation received; mileage reimbursements may be retained by the employee.