I got a call yesterday afternoon telling me that jury duty had been cancelled. One of the perks of living in the back of beyond is that they call you, I guess. Works for me. Anyway, here's the post I wrote in the event I did have jury duty...
In MO, you get a notice that you're in the jury pool from x-month to y-month, and as trials come up, they pull from that pool. I was in the pool from July 18th to November 20th this time, and sure enough, I got pulled for November 16th. Four more days and I would've been home free. Dang it.
Oh, I'm not that cheesed off about it. I look forward to doing my part in the judicial process. I don't look forward to the hilly drive up to the county seat first thing in the morning during Deer Hunting Season. Fingers crossed that all the deer stay off the road for my trips there and back.
I'm also not looking forward to be jammed into a space with however many people until they get us all down to the final 12. I have visions of being crammed between a redneck and a socialite. Nightmares, really.
:shrug: We'll see how it goes.
I know there were two murders in the area last year. One of them was pleaded out a couple weeks go, so I could be on the jury for the other one (if the timing is the same for those things). Most likely, it'll be a meth bust or some domestic thing.
Anyway, if I do sit a jury, I'll do as much of a write up on it as I can once I'm allowed to do so. (And I would've. Seriously.)
Have you ever been on a jury? How'd that go for you?
I've shepherded a few jurors in my day. After 40+ years of being eligible and never getting called, I've made the list twice in recent years. The first time, I had to go and sit several days, ended up actually in the jury box for voir dire. In a criminal case where the defense was that the local PD had screwed up their forensics. Yeah...the defense REALLY wanted me on the jury. The prosecution? Not so much. I figured the judge would dismiss me as soon as I stated my background, especially since I knew him. Yeah...no. He made the attorneys spend one of their preemptory challenges. *rolls eyes* The second time, I only had to go for one day. The general pool was dismissed at the end of the day and I hadn't been pulled for any of the trials actually going. Sadly, I've always wanted to sit on a jury. *shrug* Ah well. LOL
ReplyDeleteI've never been called for jury service but my boss has done it twice. I used to think it would be very exciting & an interesting couple of weeks, but I'm not so sure now. Maybe they'll get me when I've retired and I don't have to worry about work.
ReplyDeleteI did jury duty once for a shooting crime, in Canada, I should add. Not sure how the American jury experience varies. The whole thing was fascinating from end to end, though I'm glad it wasn't a horror show crime. It gives you a whole new appreciation for the legal system, and you find out what the real deal is, as opposed to what we're fed from TV.
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