Jury Duty Revisited

Training for: Legal Notes

In last December’s column we wrote that as the result of recent statutory changes, only the Governor and active duty military are now exempt from jury duty (see “Jury Duty,” Maine Townsman, Legal Notes, December 2017). But a sharp-eyed reader has informed us that this is not completely accurate.

While only the Governor and active duty military are fully exempt from jury duty, the law also excuses municipal election workers on the day of election, and state election officials and municipal clerks and registrars and their employees for 31 days prior to an election (see 14 M.R.S.A. § 1213(2)(B)). The reason for this should be obvious – preparing for and conducting elections is highly specialized work that cannot simply be outsourced to temporary workers in the event election officials are called for jury duty.

Thanks to Kathy Montejo, Lewiston’s city clerk, for advising us of this oversight. We always appreciate questions, comments and corrections from our readers. (By R.P.F.)

In last December’s column we wrote that as the result of recent statutory changes, only the Governor and active duty military are now exempt from jury duty (see “Jury Duty,” Maine Townsman, Legal Notes, December 2017). But a sharp-eyed reader has informed us that this is not completely accurate.

While only the Governor and active duty military are fully exempt from jury duty, the law also excuses municipal election workers on the day of election, and state election officials and municipal clerks and registrars and their employees for 31 days prior to an election (see 14 M.R.S.A. § 1213(2)(B)). The reason for this should be obvious – preparing for and conducting elections is highly specialized work that cannot simply be outsourced to temporary workers in the event election officials are called for jury duty.

Thanks to Kathy Montejo, Lewiston’s city clerk, for advising us of this oversight. We always appreciate questions, comments and corrections from our readers. (By R.P.F.)