Missing from your list is driving. Why not allow casinos at 16, since that’s when you can get a license. Anyway, Different ages for different activities make sense. Basically, at 18 you can do everything required to live as an adult, but the 21+ things are generally considered vices that no one needs, so no real incentive to give people the right to do it as soon as possible. |
| 18 = eligible to serve on a jury. Nothing weird about it. |
| It’s not weird. It happens all the time. That’s why there is a process for a college kid to get excused. |
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Is it college week with jury summons? My college aged daughter received her summons too!
She actually wants to do it so requested a date change for a date this summer when she'll be home. |
Yes, received the notice in Jan. for our college student. At least in MoCo, there is a one-time reschedule that you can do online with the summons and select a new date. Good luck. |
| The month I turned 21 I was called up for jury duty -- while I was in college, on study abroad in the Soviet Union (and fairly unreachable). My dad went to the courthouse and filled out some paperwork on my behalf. I think he had copies of my program acceptance, plane tickets, etc. |
| Our son was called for jury duty his sophomore year at an out of state college. We sent in his transcript (or maybe a bill - it was 4 years ago), and he was excused. |
Then why does the US govt consider 18 a "legal adult"? |
He can be drafted to fight in a war at 18. |
| The legal drinking age has absolutely nothing to do with serving on a jury. Nothing. Not sure why you equate the two. |
Everyone in Boston gets those. We’d just punt it to our study abroad semester and then get out of it later. |
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The first time I was called and was seated on a jury was in undergrad. There was no getting out of it for me. I was called in the county I attended college.
I’ve since been seated on 2 more juries and called to jury duty 6 times fed and state. |
NP. If such laws are based on a belief that 18-year-olds aren't mature enough to make those decisions for themselves, then the same rationale would indicate we shouldn't hold them criminally responsible to the same degree as older individuals. And would also suggest they shouldn't have the same ability to enter into significant legal contracts, including military service. If it is based on risk, then why is a narrow, young age range the only instance where we do that? Why not ban other demographic groups from certain activities if a given group carries a significantly elevated risk? e.g., 80 year olds have higher rates of fatal accidents than teens- why don't we ban them from driving or at least give them restricted licenses? |
| My high school senior was just called- she has a really high number so we decided to keep it and not risk being rescheduled for during a summer trip or something like that. Seems a bit crazy though. I am pretty sure she won’t need to report because of the high number but we will see. |
+1 Not odd for an adult to be called for jury duty. In MoCo, you can just check the box that you're living out of state (there's also a place to upload attachments that show you're living elsewhere.) This is not a rare occurrence. |