Real Live Preacher recently wrote about being selected for a jury. My brother was also telling me today about his adventures at the county courthouse and how he was hoping not to be chosen for jury duty this week.
This makes me jealous! I’ve always wanted to be on a jury, and I’ve never even gotten a notice. I don’t think I have any Hollywood fantasies about the experience, I just think — like RLP — that it’s a sacred obligation and privilege. Plus there’s probably some fascinating people watching to do.
I worked for a very old-fashioned engineer once, and I happened to be around when a younger engineer moseyed in and asked him to sign a form that would have excused her from jury duty on the grounds that her work was too important. The old-fashioned engineer read her the riot act and told her to get down there and do her civic duty. They don’t make ‘em like that anymore.
I’ve gotten three notices so far. First one: New baby in the house. Excused. Second one: Battling said baby’s father’s cancer. Excused. Third one: Made it all the way to the bench. It was a rape case. They requested people to disclose all sorts of history (for the record: I was never raped). I was off the bench in no time, but I lasted longer than the religious person and the person who so badly wanted to be on the jury…
vhaecky
April 5th, 2008