College Being

Jury duty is your civic duty. But so is paying taxes. The following are 100% legitimate ways to get kicked out of jury duty and move on with the rest of your day:

Before The Trial

You can easily get kicked out of jury duty for not living in the state where you were called for jury duty. Having a profession where people rely on you to save lives such as a doctor or paramedic can also get you a pass. Also, courts in some states have shown leniency towards college students studying for exams so it never hurts to ask.

Make sure to check when was the last time you were asked to come in to jury duty. Many states require at least three years to pass before you can be called in again.

Anything that is going on in your life right now that will inhibit your ability to be a juror—either mentally or physically—is a great thing to mention during your interview.

The Court System

If you or any of your close friends or family members have ever been involved in the court system (with the exception of being jurors), be sure to mention this to the judge when he asks. He will probably exclude you from the pool or jurors. This can include anything from your dad who is a distinguished district attorney to your best friend who works as a janitor in the county jail to you currently being involved in a law suit.

Violent Crimes

Simply having a family member who is involved in crime or is involved in law enforcement will get you a big pass by either lawyer. Lawyers do not want anyone who is bias against them in anyway. If the defense attorney asks you if anyone in your family is a member of a police department, you can easily tell him about your second-uncle Teddy who is a retired NYPD officer.

Vice

Vice crimes are especially touchy. The judge, the defense, and the prosecution will each throw out a good amount of jurors. What is interesting about vice crimes is that no one will ask for too much information. A simple “I was the victim of a vice crime three years ago” referring to the time you got hit on by that sketchy guy named Steve could go miles and get you a pass out of the court room. Any connection you, or friends, or you family have that is even remotely related can be mentioned.

If All Else Fails: Be Opinionated

If you were just not able to get out of jury duty using one of the methods above, you can simply be as opinionated as possible. Saying things like “I would change the age of consent” as two jurors did during the R. Kelly trial are sure fire ways to get you kicked out of that courtroom faster than you can finish your sentence. Just be as opinionated as you possibly can and someone will find a way to get rid of you.

Good luck! If you have successfully (or unsuccessfully) used any of the above methods or you have some of your own, be sure to let us know in the comments.