Public Service Announcement
Today is the day I finally become a woman. Today I join the elite and secret society that is the jury pool. I suspect that a whole new world will be opened up to me after today. I’m not sure I’ll ever be able to look at things the same way again.
Will I be able to relate to my friends anymore? Few of them have ever done time. I’m sure they won’t understand when I try to explain that I can’t talk about what I have seen behind those doors. They won’t respect the code.
I imagine my writing is going to take a dramatic shift after today. The things I will see in there… writing is the only way to get them out of my head. Don’t you get it? I feel raw, exposed, edgy. I may look into the eyes of a three-time unpaid parking ticket offender, and live to tell about it. And you want me to write about candy? Are you kidding me?
Look, after today I’m going to have 11 new friends who will be the only ones who “get” me. Jury selection is a bond that cannot be broken by time or distance or apathy. I just hope you can understand that.
Filed under: General on September 8th, 2005
September 8th, 2005 at 8:52 am
If you walk in with your laptop and say loudly, “Does this place have wireless? I am SO blogging this!” it’s a pretty safe bet they’ll excuse you.
September 8th, 2005 at 10:42 am
Freedom is NEVER free, is it Jen? Your country thanks you.
September 8th, 2005 at 1:05 pm
I have been selected for jury duty three times, the last time just a couple weeks ago. All three times I had just moved out of the county and was excused. This last time I moved about two miles from the county line…Woohoo. Timing.
September 8th, 2005 at 3:02 pm
I was on a jury once. It was an armed robbery case. The judge loved that I was a lawyer. When he was explaining hearsay to the jury, he said, “Well, I’d better make sure I get this right..we have a LAWYER on our jury!” and he winked at me. The entire courtroom turned and looked at me. I could have died of mortification.
The case was dismissed before we got to deliberate.
September 8th, 2005 at 4:16 pm
Ooh, hope your case is a real doozy. But not depressing. Because that’s no fun.
September 8th, 2005 at 4:26 pm
Wow!
Sounds like you will have to dress differently, too. You’ll have to wear taller, less comfortable shoes.
September 8th, 2005 at 8:45 pm
Wow. In my head, my previous comment was really funny. But on second read, it almost looks like I was serious. I wasn’t. So from now on, please read my first comment with a wry, sarcastically witty tone of voice. It’ll be much funnier, I promise.
September 9th, 2005 at 12:11 am
I was selected for a case in which a man named Bruce Bible was accused of running a crack house. Fun times await you.
September 9th, 2005 at 7:32 am
R: Oh believe me – I am SO blogging this! Stay tuned…
S: So wait. Now are you saying that you weren’t serious? Freedom really is free? Dang – I hope I saved the receipt.
A: I think the bigger issue is – who are you running from? Why are you so afraid to step foot in a courtroom? Are you on the lam? Witness protection? You can tell me, honest!
T: I totally dropped your name yesterday to try to get out of serving. But for some reason, knowing someone with a blog who’s a lawyer didn’t seem to bias me enough.
N: I know – I hate depressing cases. I only like trials with clowns. No wait. That’s scary.
T: I have to wear heels? Aww man. Nobody told me that. I thought I just had to wear my hair in a bun.
C: So when you convicted him, were you all known as the Bible Thumpers? Hey-ooo! I’m here all week, folks. Two shows on Sunday!
September 9th, 2005 at 11:03 am
i hear that jury duty is a great way to catch up street slang. how can you charge someone with a crime, if you dont understand what they’re saying?
you handle yo’ bad self yo! ha!
cheers
hooizz
September 9th, 2005 at 3:27 pm
Yes. To be *that* important you have to be tall. TALL.
September 9th, 2005 at 3:28 pm
And, hey, update! UPDATE!!
September 10th, 2005 at 3:13 pm
Wahhhhh – all my life I’ve waited to be called, but have never received that notice. Could it be because I’m known as “Hang ‘em High LaGuardia?”
Hope it’s a really, really juicy case and that you’ll share the details with us.
September 10th, 2005 at 9:11 pm
I loved jury duty. Best paid vacation I’ve ever had.