Serving jury duty is a civic responsibility, but there are circumstances under which you may be excused. Understanding these reasons and knowing how to submit your excuse efficiently is important. Fortunately, My Jury Service Portal provides a streamlined process to manage your jury duty obligations, including submitting requests for excusal. This article will guide you through the valid reasons for excusal and how to utilize my jury service portal to submit your request effectively.
Understanding Valid Reasons for Jury Duty Excusal
The court recognizes that various life situations may prevent individuals from fulfilling jury duty. These excusals are not meant to be loopholes but rather to accommodate genuine hardships. Submitting a request through my jury service portal is the first step, and it’s crucial to understand if your reason qualifies. Here’s a breakdown of common valid reasons for excusal, many of which can be easily processed using my jury service portal:
Dependent Care Obligations
Caring for dependents can be a significant barrier to jury service. My jury service portal allows for easy submission of excusal requests based on these obligations:
-
Lactating Parent or Foster Parent: If you are a lactating person or a foster parent, you are eligible for excusal. Simply indicate this on the questionnaire within my jury service portal.
-
Caregiver for Young Children: Stay-at-home parents or relatives caring for a child aged 13 or younger, with no other childcare options, can request excusal. Use my jury service portal to complete the questionnaire, specifying your situation. Note that excusals for childcare are generally not granted if all children at home are 14 or older.
-
Working Parents with School-Hour Childcare Only: If your childcare is only available while children are in school, you can request excusal. Through my jury service portal, detail your work hours, children’s ages, and lack of alternative childcare in the questionnaire. Similar to the above, excusals are less likely if children are 14 or older.
-
Caring for a Dependent Relative Under 70: If you are the caregiver for a dependent relative under 70, a doctor’s note confirming your role and the need for excusal is required. Upload this documentation via the “upload documents” tab in my jury service portal after completing the questionnaire. The note should be signed, dated, and on official letterhead or a prescription pad.
-
Full-Time Caregiver for a Dependent Relative Over 70: If you provide full-time care for a dependent relative over 70 who lives with you, excusal is possible without a doctor’s note. Specify this in the questionnaire on my jury service portal, including the relative’s age and living situation.
Other Valid Excusal Reasons
Beyond dependent care, my jury service portal also accommodates excusal requests for other valid reasons:
-
Deceased Juror (Mistaken Summons): In the unfortunate event a summons is sent to a deceased person, a relative can report this through my jury service portal by filling out the questionnaire.
-
Employment Outside the United States: If you are employed outside the U.S., you can be excused. Submit a signed and dated letter from your employer on company letterhead, stating your overseas employment and assignment duration. Upload this letter using my jury service portal‘s document upload feature. If your assignment is short-term (within six months), rescheduling via phone might be more appropriate.
-
Financial Hardship Due to Unpaid Jury Duty: If your employer doesn’t compensate for jury duty, and this creates financial hardship, you can request excusal. A letter from your employer on company letterhead stating non-payment for jury duty, including your name and badge number, is required. Self-employed individuals have alternative documentation options like business licenses, tax forms (Schedule C, D, or E), or customer letters. All documents can be uploaded through my jury service portal. Note that substitute school employees or daycare center workers generally are not granted financial hardship excusals but may be able to reschedule.
-
Active Military Service: Active military members are eligible for excusal (reservists are generally not). Simply indicate your active military status in the questionnaire on my jury service portal.
-
Residency Outside the Summoning City Without Transportation: If you live outside the city you’re summoned to and lack transportation, you can request excusal. Use my jury service portal to submit this request through the questionnaire. Bakersfield residents may be eligible for bus passes from Jury Services.
-
Medical Reasons (Temporary or Permanent): Medical excuses are considered with appropriate documentation. For temporary medical excusals (up to three years), a doctor’s note on letterhead or prescription pad, signed and dated, is needed and should be uploaded via my jury service portal. Permanent medical excusals require a doctor’s note explicitly stating the excuse is permanent, also submitted through the portal. Submitting a recent Social Security Income or Benefits letter can also grant a temporary three-year medical excusal via my jury service portal.
-
Client of Specific Care Facilities: Clients of BARC, Kern Behavioral Health and Recovery Services, assisted living centers, or hospice care can be excused with a signed and dated note from the agency on letterhead, uploaded through my jury service portal.
-
Age Over 70 with Medical Issues: Jurors over 70 with medical issues can be permanently excused without a doctor’s note. Notify Jury Services by phone or through the questionnaire on my jury service portal.
-
Peace Officer Status: Certain peace officers (Penal Code 830.1 or 830.2(a)) are eligible for excusal. Indicate your peace officer status, badge number, and agency name within my jury service portal‘s questionnaire. Correctional officers, reserves, volunteers, or retired officers are generally not exempt.
-
Student Status (Out of County): Students attending school outside Kern County and not returning home during breaks can be excused. Specify this in the questionnaire on my jury service portal, noting you are not home for breaks. Students at vocational schools (UEI, SJVC, etc.) may need to provide a letter from their counselor via document upload on my jury service portal, and excusal conditions may vary based on graduation timelines and school schedules.
Utilizing My Jury Service Portal for Excusal Requests
As highlighted throughout, my jury service portal is your primary tool for submitting excusal requests. For most reasons outlined above, the process is straightforward:
- Access My Jury Service Portal: Navigate to the designated online portal for jury services.
- Complete the Questionnaire: Find and fill out the online questionnaire. This is where you will indicate your reason for excusal and provide necessary details.
- Upload Documents (If Required): For certain excusal types (medical, employment, dependent care with doctor’s note, financial hardship documentation), you will need to upload supporting documents via the portal’s “upload documents” tab. Ensure documents are clear, signed, dated, and on letterhead when required.
- Submit Your Request: Once the questionnaire is complete and documents are uploaded (if necessary), submit your request through the portal.
My jury service portal simplifies the process of requesting an excusal from jury duty. By understanding the valid reasons and utilizing the online portal, you can efficiently manage your jury service obligations and ensure your situation is properly considered by the court.
