Performing My Civic Duty
Well, no reviews yesterday, and no reviews today, because I had to go and show up at the Courthouse for Jury Duty. I've been called up before, but always was either dismissed, or had them settle or something. This time, I had to go to the Courthouse, and stay in a small room with about 20 other people for hours and hours and hours. Good thing I brought a book.
At about 2:00 I was sent with five other people to an even smaller room, to wait for the Voir Dire. Finally at 3:00 it was my turn, and I was a bit nervous, never having had to do this before. This is where the Judge, the Prosecutor and the Defense attorny ask you a bunch of questions to determine if you are suitable to serve. Apparently however, I know just too many police, not to mention one of my oldest friends is a Superior Court Judge, so the Defense Attorney didn't want me.
I didn't really WANT to serve on a jury, since it looked as though it was going to be a couple of weeks at least, but I can't help feeling just a tiny bit insulted.
Has anybody else served on a jury before? What was it like?
posted by SallyP @ 12:08 PM
4 Comments:
How is it? Depressing, boring, fascinating, gut ultimately reassuring.
A couple of years ago I was om a jury for a Criminal Sexual Misconduct (4th Degree) case, and I'll spare you the details, except to say "ick!"
And even though the entire case boiled down to a "he said/she said," I can say that when the twelve of us started deliberating, I was very impressed how this random cross-section of people was able to look at the evidence and testimony, do their best to boil away the irrelevancies (of which there were a bunch in this case) and do their damnedest to come up with a fair and just verdict.
I can't promise we were right, but it wasn't because we didn't try to get it right. And it left me feeling a little more confident in the whole process.
Good for you! I was impressed with the care that the Judge took to explain to all of us what was expected. The part in the actual court room was interesting and the Voir Dire was fascinating and a little nerve-wracking...and yes the rest was boring as heck.
I guess this means we'll never get to see that Hollywood blockbuster, "11 Angry Men and 1 Green-Lantern-Hiney-Obsessed Woman"...
Mac...it would have been epic!
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