Manly Monday: Twelve Angry Men
I’ve been summoned for jury duty. Typically, I was able to get out of it because I never lived and voted in the same place. I was an absentee ballot voter for AGES. Now that I live, work and vote in New York (and I have an NY driver’s license), I’ve been summoned. There’s wifi in the juror’s holding room, hence I’m able to blog. But, needless to say, I’m pretty sure they don’t want me to blog about any details of the case — that’s if I’m selected. Right now, we’re all just waiting.
Part of me wants to be selected because it seems like the right thing to do. I started out pre-law in college, and several of my friends are lawyers. I have a really strong sense of right and wrong, fair and unfair. I’m lovin’ on the walls of justice. Plus, you know, I liked shows like Perry Mason and Cold Case. (Sidenote: I’ve named each of my fists — though, I’ve not selected “truth” and “justice.” My right fist is “Jackie Chan” and the left is “Chris Tucker.” But, I disgress.) That said, part of me really doesn’t want to be selected for the jury. What if it’s something really gruesome and horrible? I sooo don’t wanna look at pictures of mutilated children or some random shit like that. :(
In the end, I’m pretty sure everyone sitting in the room with me right now feels the same way. Some really wanna be picked, some really don’t want to and most probably fall somewhere in the middle. How about you? Picture this: You open your mailbox and realize ‘re summoned for jury duty via that little red and white trifold paper. Do you: (A) scream “hell yeah” and get really excited about performing your civic duty or (B) scream “oh, fuck no!!” and try to get out of it?
July 28th, 2008 at 9:45 am
Actually, C) Scream “Oh fuck no”, but don’t try to get out of it. I remember going once and (during the “cattle call”) there was a dude who tried to get out of it because he just gotten out of a case (his own) a couple of weeks prior. He admitted animosity on that basis. Judge basically said suck it up and sit down. I knew I had no chance, which sucked for me. And I seemed to be a magnet for long, drawn out court cases. BOOO!
July 28th, 2008 at 10:04 am
I served on a jury once, while I was in college. Dumb case of one insurance company suing another over a car accident, but it was interesting. Good experience, anyway. Much more mundane than anything you see on Law & Order.
July 28th, 2008 at 10:04 am
I served on a jury once, while I was in college. Dumb case of one insurance company suing another over a car accident, but it was interesting. Good experience, anyway. Much more mundane than anything you see on Law & Order.
July 28th, 2008 at 10:46 am
I’ve served about five times- DC’s pool is quite small, and two years such a short rotation cycle. The most recent time was this summer, but I was excused because the case wasn’t really going to be heard until a Monday that I was already booked for a business flight someone else had paid for.
So I’m due back Aug. 13 to start all over…
July 28th, 2008 at 11:19 am
Hey Chica,
If I was summoned I would go. My mom served on one before and she stated that it was an eye opening experience. I would encourage you to go and share you experience with us via your blog of course with out releasing any case information.
July 28th, 2008 at 12:22 pm
I get summoned approximately every 20 minutes. Sometimes I try to get out of it if I have some really important stuff to do, but generally I just follow the instructions. I’ve never been selected to be on a jury, though. Were I a defendant, I would definitely NOT want me on my jury, though – I’d just say “guilty” as fast as possible so I could get back to that free wi-fi.
July 28th, 2008 at 1:33 pm
I did this out in Jamaica (Queens) last year. Pretty painless, but for the fact that my company pays me by the hour. They do their best to make it an ok experience for you.
July 28th, 2008 at 2:05 pm
@ Lee Coles – dc’s pool is the size of a bath tub. when they find out you’re willing to show up, you can count on that call annually. i even served on a grand duty. this month is the first time i’ll have jury duty in maryland and i’m excited.
i happen to enjoy jury duty. i’m also a nosey person who is fascinated by our judicial system. i think it’s more exciting than tv, because you get to see how a seemingly slight variable can really affect a case. there’s a lot more shades of grey than on tv. so i always try to do my best, because someday that could be me up there.
@roddykat i know someone who was not selected for a jury solely because ‘their views on child abusers was too harsh”.
July 28th, 2008 at 2:13 pm
Roddykat: I had a friend who told the judge he thought the courts were a sham, and he didn’t wanna participate. They threatened to hold him in contempt. So, of course he served.
Pegs: WHAT?!?!?! Law & Order isn’t real??? :-(
Lee Coles: FIVE TIMES? I heard the rule in NYC is that you can’t be selected more than once in 4 years or 6 years or something like that. Good luck when you go back on the 13th!! :)
F. Diva: If I share the experience on the blog, it won’t be about ANY details about the case or specifics like that. Just a general, this is what I thought about serving on jury duty kind of thing.
Baba Doodlius: I’m lovin’ the free wifi! :)
Brenz: Yeah the woman who’s working here deserves a raise!! She’s funny, informative, professional, etc. It’s great! :) She totally makes the time go by faster.
July 28th, 2008 at 2:16 pm
kimh20s: You slipped one in on me there! That’s hilarious that DC’s pool is so tiny! :) I know what you mean about, “Always try to do my best, because someday that could be me up there.” I soooo thought that!! I was like, “If I was up there, I would want someone like me on the jury.” Depressing about the child abuser, btw!
July 28th, 2008 at 4:12 pm
I just got summoned and while I usually say, fuck yeah, it’s sadly not for altruistic reasons but that any excuse to get away from my hated job is a good one. However, jury duty in the summer will not do. I’ll happily trot down there come Sept/Oct.
July 28th, 2008 at 5:35 pm
Tess: (and kimh20s)
I conservatively approximate that between me and my drivers’ license owning/voter registed parents, we’ve served 15 times. I cannot recall more than once or twice that the service was not during a summer month.
July 28th, 2008 at 6:32 pm
Hmmm…the latter…I’ve been so FORTUNATE not to ever do jury duty but something tells me my luck might be running out…sigh.
July 28th, 2008 at 7:08 pm
I was an alternate recently. I was a bit nervous when the bailiff asked if there were any convicted felons in the room and most of the people around me raised their hands.
alicia
http://todaystyle.today.com/
July 29th, 2008 at 12:58 am
@ Tess: Yay!! I think we’re doing lunch together this week, lady! :)
@ Lee Coles: 15 times?????
@ Yasmin: You never know! :)
@ Alicia: ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!?!
July 29th, 2008 at 2:27 am
Jury Duty……. I would opt for root canal…..
lamesabassman…… in a room … with 11 people… and no XBox…. Dang
July 29th, 2008 at 9:10 am
My answer is B! They call me all the time for jury duty but I haven’t lived in my home state for 15 years. My mother always gets my summons and calls me up to laugh that I’ve been called AGAIN. Being military, I haven’t had to change my legal residence to the place I live all these years so I’ve just left it at my home state. I probably should change my state of residence now, but I’m afraid I’ll be summoned all the time for jury duty!!
My worst fear is getting stuck on a jury with 11 people too dumb to get out of jury duty! I really feel like most of the time I’m surrounded by morons in the world and I’m not even all that smart myself. I think being stuck on a jury with a bunch of dumb people is cruel and unusual punishment. My friends have told me so many horror stories that I’m convinced if I ever do get stuck on jury duty, that’s exactly what will happen to me!
That said, I’m far too judgmental and cold-hearted to be on a jury, anyway.
July 29th, 2008 at 11:09 pm
@ lamesabassman: :)
@ Phoena: I soooo did that, too. It’s like those forms in college and other places where you have to put your permanent “real” residence and the other place where you happen to sleep. If you’re on a boat or travelling for like 3 months at a time with the miliatry or whatever, I can totally see why you didn’t change that to your address!