I've been stuck in a courtroom for the last two days.
Now, before you go and jump to conclusions...I was only there for jury selection.
I've never in all my 19 years of eligible voting have I been chosen for this...and I have to say, I'm glad.
It's NOTHING like CSI or Law and Order or even The Mentalist.
It's hardcore, and you come away being intimidated and embarrassed.
At least I did.
The first day we were in the courtroom till 6:30 pm. We had seen the prosecutor and defense attorney discard 13 people, and interrogate even more.
I sat uncomfortably in the "audience" watching all this and just praying, for the type of case that it was, that I wouldn't be called.
It's not worth the $17.50/day you get from the court.
At 6:30 pm the judge ruled that we wouldn't get finished that night, so we all had to come back in the morning. The groans in the courtroom were LOUD. I'm pretty sure my sigh was also heard.
So back we went the next day at 9am. This time, my name was called first to go sit in the vacated jury seats they were still wanting to be filled.
To say I was nervous is an understatement. I was sweating like I had just run a marathon. My breath was labored, and I was terrified of what I was gonna be asked.
The ladies and gentlemen in the box that had already been chosen were very nice, and we talked awhile until the judge showed up an hour later. (Yes, each day we waited an hour past the time we were told to be there for the judge to arrive.)
I was questioned first. I was asked if this case would bother me. I answered honestly that yes it would, cause YES IT WOULD. I'm sure the questioning about my job in a school is also what eventually excused me from the jury.
I know it's our civic duty if called, but I didn't want to know any more details about the case than I already found out just sitting in the audience waiting to be called
I felt like a freed man, and I wasn't even the one who had committed the crime.
I hope the jury picked did a fine job with this case, and I prayed for each of them this morning. They are certainly stronger than I am.
I am so happy you were excused!! Criminal cases would completely freak me out too!!! I get summoned for jury service every couple of years like clock work. Can you believe it?? My dad is the same way he always gets summoned, and my mom never has in her life. Crazy?! Luckily I have never had to do more than go sit in the big jury pool and get dismissed.(without even being questioned) Although the last time I went they didn't finish selecting for several days. I had a bladder infection and sat there for 2 days. By the third day I wAs SO sick and begged to be excused. They let me and I raced to the doctor. I was so happy. They aren't sympathetic here at all. The only way you get out of jury duty is if you are dead. Again, so happy you were excused. :)
ReplyDeleteOMG! Isn't that the WORST! I had to do that too several years ago. Luckily I was the next one up to be questioned when they decided they had enough jurors! WHEW! Disaster avoided! Such an intimidating process!
ReplyDeleteI had my first and hopefully only jury duty last year. I was extremely glad I wasn't chosen... I'm pretty sure they excused me because I am a mother and a teacher and they asked if those things would influence my decisions and I answered "of course" (DUH!)
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