Jury Duty
I had jury duty for the third time yesterday. Fortunately, I did not get selected to serve on a jury panel this time. Not that I'm opposed to serving, but my work load is rather hectic right now, so it was not the best time. Unfortunately, the only option available for postponing the summons is to chose when you wish to serve - and then you are stuck with that choice, no matter what, short of actually dying. Which is stupid, because I could be sick and end up infecting everyone there, or have some other emergency come up (like a relative dying) and it wouldn't matter, I would HAVE to serve. Period. But that's bureaucracy for you.
Still, my County does do something cool, that few (if any) other counties do: jury duty last for only one day, or one trial (if you're selected to serve on a jury panel, you're there for the duration of the trial, no matter how long it lasts, but if you're not selected, you're done at the end of the day), or if you're selected to serve on the Grand Jury (service on the Grand Jury last for 4 weeks). And once you've served (meaning been part of the "pool", not actually served on a panel), you can't be summoned again for two years.
So I'm done until at least 2010.
I was actually "short-listed" for two trials this time, but managed to get out of both of them. Seeing as this was my third summons, and that I actually served on both a criminal and a civil trial before, it didn't hurt my feelings any (especially seeing as how the last trial I was on was a civil case that lasted for three days, and we returned a verdict in less than 5 minutes. It felt like a complete waste of time and left me a little jaded. But I digress...). The two I managed to get out of were both criminal cases: "hit and run" and "assault IV". They were scheduled for 1-2 days, which means I'd still be serving today if I had gotten onto either one of them.
Still, it's better than other counties. Most of them have you serve for two weeks (or more). But usually you call-in every day to see if you're needed that day and if you're not, your free for the day. My County used to do that. Then they changed to one week service (which is how it was when I was first summoned). And then a few years back (the actual year I was summoned the second time, I think) they changed it to the current system. So one day's not so bad.
Unless you get stuck on a long trial.
Still, my County does do something cool, that few (if any) other counties do: jury duty last for only one day, or one trial (if you're selected to serve on a jury panel, you're there for the duration of the trial, no matter how long it lasts, but if you're not selected, you're done at the end of the day), or if you're selected to serve on the Grand Jury (service on the Grand Jury last for 4 weeks). And once you've served (meaning been part of the "pool", not actually served on a panel), you can't be summoned again for two years.
So I'm done until at least 2010.
I was actually "short-listed" for two trials this time, but managed to get out of both of them. Seeing as this was my third summons, and that I actually served on both a criminal and a civil trial before, it didn't hurt my feelings any (especially seeing as how the last trial I was on was a civil case that lasted for three days, and we returned a verdict in less than 5 minutes. It felt like a complete waste of time and left me a little jaded. But I digress...). The two I managed to get out of were both criminal cases: "hit and run" and "assault IV". They were scheduled for 1-2 days, which means I'd still be serving today if I had gotten onto either one of them.
Still, it's better than other counties. Most of them have you serve for two weeks (or more). But usually you call-in every day to see if you're needed that day and if you're not, your free for the day. My County used to do that. Then they changed to one week service (which is how it was when I was first summoned). And then a few years back (the actual year I was summoned the second time, I think) they changed it to the current system. So one day's not so bad.
Unless you get stuck on a long trial.
posted by TubaMeister at
15:23
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