Today, I fulfilled one of my civic obligations as I reported with a couple of hundred fellow citizens for jury duty. They’ve fine-tuned the system some since last I served, so I just needed to call in on Sunday, then Monday, then Tuesday and finally Wednesday to see if I actually needed to present myself. My group reported at 8 this morning.
I was pretty impressed overall with the process—the folks who ran the process did it efficiently and pleasantly. They had movies playing on the television and people were, for the most part, if not pleased to be there, at least tolerant. But, long about 2:30, I dozed off in a chair in which dozing is difficult to accomplish. It felt quite refreshing though. I thought I was going to get a reprieve as I was woken to hear that one of the trials set to go would not be going and they were going to release some of us—unfortunately, it was up to the group before mine. So, I cracked open my book and settled in for the duration. They threatened a couple of times to start calling names, but the day ended uneventfully, and no one ended up being called. Safe for another year.
My only entertainment was going outside on breaks and guessing which ones were the lawyers, which the cops, and which the plaintiffs/defendants as they went in and out of the courthouse. The lawyers were pretty obvious. Walking all tight-assed in their suits, looking important and dreadfully hurried. Oh, my other thrill was trying not to strangle the mouth breather sitting next to me who insisted on slowly chewing his Cheetohs with his mouth open through much of the morning.
I consider trial by jury as the only anchor yet imagined by man by which a government can be held to the principles of its constitution. ~ Thomas Jefferson
Published on: Aug 25, 2006
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