I had jury duty last week. I have to go back this week to sit on a panel. They’re selecting for a long trial—about two months. Part of me thinks, wow, that might be interesting. Another part wonders what will happen to my writing flow, my other interests—the rest of my life—if I’m selected. All in all, I’m not thrilled. Please don’t think I’m trying to get out of doing my duty. I believe in the jury system and all that. I’m even fascinated by the chance to watch any real life court proceeding—as long as it doesn’t involve me paying a settlement or serving time. The educational experience can only help me as a mystery writer. It’s just that I’ve done this duty so many times, it lost its novelty a long time ago.
Maybe I’ve watched Runaway Jury too many times. This summons got me to wondering how random the jury summons process really is. I’ve been on what I think of as a permanent list for years, so every three years, or whatever the going time cycle is, for whichever court, I get that inevitable summons in the mail, while I’m pretty sure there are people who’ve never been called. It used to be potential jurors were selected using the voter registration rolls. Now I understand (California, at least) also uses the Department of Motor Vehicles database. I’m sure there are a lot of people who don’t vote. But don’t those people who are never called have driver’s licenses?
What lucky star were those of us born under who get called repeatedly? Is it only my imagination that there are still people who never get called? Are the courts so jam-packed with cases that all eligible people are getting called repeatedly? Why is Barbara being such a whiner about this?
Rest assured, I’ll go to court at the appointed time and quietly, soberly do my duty.
I’ve wondered about the randomness of jury fodder selection many times. Years ago, my 11 cohorts and I all worked in a large room, an unstructured office. Once one of us was called for jury duty, the others were called as well, one at a time, about 3 months apart. Maybe because we’re civil service employees? (read: bureaucrats) Anyway, it had to be less than random, since we had nothing else in common (except a healthy scepticism of the value of bureaucracies).
Same here, Sarah. When I worked in a government office I also noticed several people in the same workplace would get called at once, or one right after the other. Maybe it happens more frequently in civil service because people rarely have an excuse-unlimited paid days and your boss simply can’t say no. But I’m no longer civil service, so now it doesn’t feel as much like a semi-vacation as it sometimes used to.
This time around, my husband was summoned for jury duty about three weeks before I was. Maybe it’s just those little random clusters that occur. But it does make you wonder.
Part of my jaded attitude is that I have served on two long trials before. They’re as exhausting for the jurors as for the other people involved. You want to do the right thing, and not miss a word or nuance of what’s going on. You know someone’s freedom or financial security hangs in the balance. You must be there every single day the trial is in session, no matter what else is going on in your personal life or on your job. No matter how much paid time you have, the personal life and the job don’t go away. Health issues come up, too. Michael J*ckson isn’t the only one who wakes up with a back problem, a migraine, or arthritis pain. On one jury we had a flu bug making the rounds. If we had all taken the time off we really needed for illness, they would’ve had to start over with a new jury. At one point the restrooms on our floor of the courthouse ran out of toilet paper. Hmm, maybe there are bits of novels or short stories in all that.
But there are aspects I find completely fascinating about the process, and it’s an opportunity to see the system in action. Really no two days in any courtroom are alike.
I was in my early 50s the first time I was called for jury duty. Amazing, huh? Being an artist and writer had kept me out of the loop? I have voted every election since turning 21 years old, but for some reason I have been overlooked.
At the time I was first called to serve, I had health issues that prevented me from participating. Like Barbara, the writer in me had always anticipated the opportunity – all the possibilities!
In January of this year, I was called again and appeared. I was armed to my eyeballs with books and crosswords, and quarters for the vending machines. The cavernous room was about ½ full. Instructions aplenty were addressed. I felt like I was in church – everyone respectfully listened – eager to obey and serve. An hour or so later a clerk approached the podium with a startling announcement. All cases had been bargained or rescheduled – we were no longer needed. She made a HUGE point of letting us know how rare it was to be communally dismissed.
I await my next notice to appear. It will be in one year (or is it two?), maybe never.
I’ve only been called once (knock on wood). As soon as I revealed I had a law degree and wrote articles for legal encyclopedias I was dismissed. My advice: stress that your mystery writing gives you a special insight into the law and you’re eager, eager, eager to use your special knowledge in a real life situation
I have never been called. If they did call me, I probably would never be selected. What do you do for a living? Well, I am a psychic, minister, hypnotherapists…. probably wouldn’t even get much out of my mouth before they would be waving *bye bye crazy person* to me.
Hehehe
Susan, if I’m ever on trial, I want you on my jury because you sound perfectly sane to me.
I’ve now been excused. Whew! (That is an extreme understatement.) I would say more, but I don’t feel it’s appropriate for me to, right now. The case is somewhat high profile around here, and I take it very seriously. This particular jury summons experience has given me a lot of food for thought—about my life, my family, the jury process, and even my current mystery. But I’ll save that for later. Back to fiction writing.