I jinxed myself just over a month ago. A friend had received a summons for jury duty and, like so many do, she had made this BIG fuss about how she just had to get out of it. It was an inconvenience, it was tedious, it was a time suck.
I told her about the time I was on a jury for a pretty big case when I lived in Los Angeles. The case lasted just over a week and we deliberated for days. It was exciting and educational. Most of all it made me feel like I was doing my part in the justice system.
Oh I was SO SMUG with this friend. So smug. I used my brilliant argument, “wouldn’t you rather a jury be filled with smart people over just the chumps that couldn’t figure a way to get out of serving?”
Two days later I received a notice for jury duty in the mail.
My summons came with a questionnaire and I answered it thoroughly and truthfully. The notice said that I might get a note after submitting the questionnaire letting me know I was dismissed. It said if I did not get a letter to call in the day before a specific date.
I made plans for help with W JUST IN CASE I was called in. I figured if I made plans I wouldn’t need them, better to be safe…you know, JUST IN CASE.
Of course I was called in to the jury pool.
I woke up early, got W to a sitter, and then I made the big error of my day – I did not expect to still be in court after 3pm so I did not make plans for anyone to watch W in the afternoon.
(yadda, yadda, insert the typical and expected stress that my afternoon ended up becoming…)
Jury duty was odd. The entire time I was there I kept thinking how inefficient things were. (let’s not even talk about the Christmas decorations that were still up) 100% of the people who I talked with in the massive holding room that is the jury pool said that they WANTED to serve on a jury. 100% of those same people also said that the timing was not ok for them. Some had classes that they taught (with no substitutes) or medical procedures booked. One woman even said she had a 2nd honeymoon trip planned and she was on the verge of tears thinking she might have to cancel it.
Like the people I talked to I wanted to serve but I could not possibly serve this week. (my biggest hurdle being that it is the end of the month and I had no money to hire a sitter every day)
Wouldn’t it be nice if jury duty worked better? Instead of just fearing/dreading that a summons will show up you know the date and can plan around it properly? (as opposed to a hypothetical maybe we MIGHT need you date) What if every other year you gave your county three dates that you could serve?
Since childcare was 100% my issue it made me realize how many other parents had probably freaked out about being summoned.
(and in case you were wondering, there was no where in the questionnaire I was sent that allowed you to indicate a childcare hardship)
I was picked to be a part of a panel that could be potential jurors for a criminal case that was going to last a week. Only when we were all gathered before the court could individuals stand up to indicate specific issues. Stand up if you know the defendant or any names on this list of witnesses. Stand up if you know any of the arresting officers. Stand up if you can not serve for ___ length of time. Stand up if you can not be a fair juror to a person of color. (yup.The judge totally asked that. And several people stood up. Which OMG.)
I know that by going and then being dismissed I fulfilled my duty but I am disappointed in the process.
{ 13 comments… read them below or add one }
i’ve been called a few times, but i’ve only been on a jury once. it was odd and fascinating, and it’s worth doing once. that said, i had a full-time job and they had to let me go. i did go back and forth, stopping in at the beginning/end of the day so i didn’t get too behind and could do things like sign paychecks. and i didn’t have to worry about childcare. (i’m pretty sure my state has an out clause for care-takers.)
In my state in the PNW there is an place in the orginal questionare to defer your jury duty until a move convenient time. You tell them why you can’t be there and then give them the month that would work better for you. I used it once when I had a trip planned and it worked. They dismissed me and then I got my new summons for the exact dates I asked for. It sounds like Pennsylvania needs to get on board with that.
I was called for jury duty once, but I moved before I actually had to go. I hope I don’t get called while we still live where we do, because that could mean a months-long civil trial, as I live in the #1 judicial hellhole (I’m not sure whose metric we’re using, but it’s the one that delivers record-setting judgements against companies in class action suits. I think Big Tobacco is the most famous one) in the United States. However, since I routinely testify in criminal cases for my job, the odds of me getting picked for a jury are kinda slim. And I think I could work my answers to the questions such that no one would ever choose me (No, I don’t know the defendant, but I do know the prosecutor and he never sends subpoenas. I think he’s incompetent!)
It would be nice if they sent out an annual questionnaire to determine their jury pool for a particular time frame…
I was called and picked for a civil case that lasted several days. I made arrangements for a substitute for my classes and for my daughter after school. It did not occur to me that when we were sent for deliberations we had to stay until we reached a decision. I had not thought through that part of the process. I had only a few minutes to make a phone call to arrange child care beyond 5:00 p.m. and then our phones were taken away. We were in deliberations well into the night. The experience was very good overall; however, my impression of lawyers did not improve.
Funny I just got my notice a few weeks ago. I had to call in Sunday night, last night and tonight. So far nothing (I bet I just jinxed myself). I was a legal assistant for 10+ years so I find anything in the legal realm fascinating. I guess we shall see!
I was called for jury duty when I was in college out-of-state, and so was able to defer. I’ve never been picked again. Given my profession, it’s unlikely that I’ll ever see the inside of a jury box.
I would guess that the people who stood up indicating racial bias were just trying to get out of jury duty. Or, they were really honest and open about their biases. Skeptically, I’m kind of like good for them for at least being upfront about it and owning their racism, even though I find their opinions despicable.
Oh, and to Jennifer M., as a lawyer, none of my encounters with lawyers improves my impressions either.
We have a pretty good system here in Montgomery County, MD. You complete a questionnaire (with no exemptions for occupation or child care) and months later may receive a date and number. If you absolutely cannot make it, there are situations for which you can be rescheduled. Illness or travel, for example, and some other situations on which they can rule. The night before your probable service you call in or log-in to the jury system and they will tell you if your number is among those for the pool. If not, you are exempt from being called again for 3 years. If you are in the pool, you must report. If you have some emergency that day you can probably reschedule, after having reported in the early morning, but in that case you have no wiggle room at the next assigned date. I presume if you woke up sick or had a traffic accident there is a procedure to follwo, but I don’t recall what it is. You sit in the jury room as the groups are picked for each case, and when it is evident that no more jurors will be needed that day, you can go, with a small stipend to cover your expenses (essentially lunch and transportation). At that point, your obligation is over for 3 years. Years ago I was on a jury, and then I was not called for many years. Then in 2010 I was called for a date that would have been within a month of major surgery I had planned. No problem, the jury scheduler said, how long a delay did I need? I said 4 months, she said let’s make it 6, come on given date in August. I did have to report in August as it appeared that enough jurors would be needed to get to my number. Then I was not assigned to a trial and was free to go in the early afternoon when it was clear that no more jurors would be needed based on the cases of the day. By the time I am called again, I will be over the statutory age of 70 and can decline to serve if I want to or may choose to serve. They call it “one day, one trial,” as you serve for one trial, or wait through one day. Of course, grand jury service is different but people are seldom called to the grand jury, which can take chunks of your life.
I’ve been called 3 times, but never actually got to/ had to serve. The first time, my boss made me request a summer date instead, so I wouldn’t have to get substitutes (I teach high school). The summer would be harder for me because of the child care issue. The 2nd time, I already had plane tickets for the exact week they wanted me (Spring Break). And the 3rd time, just recently, I also requested the summer. Strangely, they called me back and said my name had been in the hat too many times, so I’d be taken out for a while, or something confusing like that. I was disappointed each time. My mom is a lawyer and a social security judge, and I coach the Mock Trial team at school, so I would love to get to sit through an actual case. Not to mention that I feel like I could make a decision based on the facts and not be too swayed by fancy lawyering. But alas, it seems I’m out of the jury pool, at least for a while.
You know at least some of the people who stood up for the “Person of Color” question just wanted to get out of there, right? My ex got out of jury duty on a “do you think you can be a fair juror on drunk driving case” question. The last time I got called, they settled all the cases and ended up not needing any jurors, after I sat there for a couple hours in a small, hot, stinky room with 50 other people. I worried about work, and childcare and was incredibly happy to be out of there around lunchtime. Not looking forward to doing it again anytime soon (which means I’ll get called next week.)
I feel like I shouldn’t even comment on this post.
I served on one jury, a three strikes case against a person of color accused of selling pot near a shopping center. one of the Qs was “have you ever been around anyone using any illicit substances?” but so many people said yes during the selection process that the judge finally asked if there was anyone in the room that had NOT been around drugs. only ONE guy raised his hand, an elderly fellow who chuckled and said “looks like I was missing out!” as a law student (at the time) I was fascinated by the process yet appalled by the biases of various jurors.
Massachusetts has the “one day, one trial” thing too. You also get a little card when you get assigned your date, and you can postpone your service to any date in the next year, no reason given. It’s great b/c you can totally give yourself enough time to plan. I didn’t realize that not every state does that. Also sounds like you didn’t get much notice…I feel like we get more than that. Hmm. Well, I’ll try to be more thankful for my options next time I get jury duty. Have had it 3 times over the years but have never been on a jury or even empaneled.
Haha, now you’ve jinxed me. I received a jury summons today!
I have served on two juries, one criminal and one civil. The criminal case was a total clusterfuck.
The first time I was so excited to see the process. Now I’ve seen enough. It is NOT like on TV. The lawyers aren’t slick or well-dressed; the testimony is repetitive and boring; there is SO much waiting.
On both cases I have found the most frustrating part to be some of the other jurors and their inability to deliberate based on logic or law.
I don’t mind serving except that I always have somewhere better to be, something I shouldn’t be missing like a week of classes, or a flight. My boss recently used what seems to be a sure-fire way to get dismissed from all juries (it only works for certain people, but it really works for them) but I don’t know if I will use it this time or if I will just do my duty (and then undoubtedly get put on a jury… there’s something about me that apparently makes an appealing juror).
My husband, on the other hand, is so opposed to serving that it has determined his decisions about which countries of which he wants to be a citizen!
Oh, and @Jennifer: some places instead of keeping you there all night, you just deliberate during regular hours and keep coming back. My criminal trial had 3 days of testimony and 6 excruciating days of deliberation.