Yep, I got called to jury duty again and decided that since it's my civic duty and all, and since I am sick of getting the summons and filling out the exemption form, I would suck it up and go. What an adventure! Seriously cool experience. As I arrived I noticed dozens (literally) of young men (read teenage boys) in suits and ties being ushered and groomed by their parents into the court house. I had to laugh right out loud. Sorry, but if your kid has a slacker shaggy hair-cut or tattoos all over him, or every facial feature pierced then a suit and tie isn't going to do much for him. I wasn't prepared for how many of us there would be, 300 by the time the late-comers arrived. I had to laugh as the judge gave every opportunity for people to get out of it and how many people tried with some pretty dramatic excuses. Sorry but if you walk in drinking your latte and chatting on your cell phone and then droop into a devastating "migraine" lump on your way through the jury assembly room, I don't have much sympathy for ya, especially if you brought your partner with you to drive you home (come on!)
I was impressed with the kid next to me. I say kid, but the guy was 22 . . . he just seemed so darn YOUNG! He could have claimed 2 exemptions and just kept saying, "I figure if my buddies can fight in Iraq, serving on a jury isn't too much to ask". Then there was the lady next to him, she's a pediatric home-health nurse who specializes in giving special needs preemies spirituality-driven health-care. She was pretty cool. There was a really LOUD first grade teacher who had me in stitches and I was impressed by the insurance salesman who is concerned about his teenage son and that he'd rather spend his life on myspace than playing football with his dad.
It was a great opportunity to watch people and see a cross-section of America at work and in the end, I was down-right disappointed that they didn't call my name. I'd rather be at home, but the next time I get a summons I'll be there again, excited to witness a judge who can approach his job with a sense of humor and a cop who has mastered the "I-will-not-laugh-right-out-loud-even-though-this-is-rediculous" face.
God Bless America!
11 comments:
I'm glad that you went to jury duty! Maybe we can be called to jury duty all the time together. :)
That's awesome! I love that you have such a positive attitude about it, and that you shared your experience. I'm scared of jury duty. lol.
Love it!!! I'm glad you had a good time!! haha
Love it!!! I'm glad you had a good time!! haha
so since i was only 22 a few months ago... does that make me a kid still??? :)
I got jury duty once and I actually did get chosen. It was an interesting process but unfortunately we didn't get all the way through it because the guilty party realized he was guilty and gave up before we could finish. Still interesting.
Oh Toni! You are the BEST!! Have you ever watched the movie "Run away Jury" I think that's what it's called, anyway, it's great!! You would love it!! I'm proud of you, I just wish we lived closer. I love ya.
lol!!!! My favorite part is the boys in suits with tattoos and earrings....what were they thinking? I think if I were a judge I'd give them a harsher punishment for not taking out all those earrings.......wow!! I'd be a mean judge!! Maybe I should stick with Mothering
Okay, maybe next time I won't use the exempt status and fulfill my duty as a citizen! Thanks Toni! Glad it was a good experience for ya!
That is so funny! I swear you should be a novelist. You have such a great way with words. I could just picture it all!
Love and miss all of you,
Robby j
First off I didn't know there was an exempt status. I'm proud of you for doing your civic duty. I served on three juries back when Cyrena was three years old. The last was an attempted murder trial. It was interesting to say the least. Because of that trial I will never serve again. But I guess that depends on how mean the judge is. It was an interesting experience though.
Love you
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