Jury Duty

Today was the big day to present myself at the County Court House at 8:30 a.m. to do my civic duty, jury duty. When I and perhaps 150 prospective jurors were asked to be scanned in, we made a long line down to the front of the large room. There they scanned our jury notice, gave us a booklet about jury duty, our jury badge and a coupon for one free cup of coffee.

When we were all seated we received instructions. Our duty was to be available for 2 days. If we did become part of a jury most trials take 1 to 3 days but some could go on much longer. If we were not chosen for a jury today we probably would be able to leave before 4:30 but then should call the automated phone number to learn whether we would have to come back tomorrow. Pay is $5 a day for the first 3 days and $40 a day for the following days. A 15 minute video about jury duty followed.

Then we waited. There were books and magazines available. I had my own book. After about 15 minutes about 40 people were called by name. It was explained this was all done randomly. Later in the morning small groups of people returned. I imagine they were the rejects. We were told not to feel bad if we were rejected - it meant the system was working. Also we shouldn't feel as if we had wasted our day if we didn't get called. Trials were seheduled but often the parties only settled at the very last moment and if we the potential jurors weren't there the system wouldn't work. So I sat and read my book and drank my free coffee. Nothing happened. At 12:15 we were thanked and told we could leave and did not have to come back tomorrow and we would not bothered again for 3 years. Everyone seemed very pleased. I had mixed feelings. I would have liked something to happen. So ends today's story.