How I Came to Rethink the Call of Jury Duty in a Positive Light
An open mind is a wonderful thing
I was not happy when I received notice that I was again called for jury duty!
Four years ago, I served as a juror on a criminal case. At issue was whether a man assaulted his companion at a hotel, and we had video and many witness testimonies to help us arrive at a just verdict.
I wasn’t supposed to get called to serve. The room was full of potential jurors, and I was told by those who had “background” in the field that my education and being a journalist (InsideSources opinion writer) would make attorneys wary of me.
It didn’t.
The judge asked me whether I could put my background aside and think fairly and objectively.
I couldn’t lie. Those principles are key to who I am or at least confess to be.
I said, somewhat sheepishly, “Yes, I could do that.”
And so I got picked for a trial that lasted three long days. This also meant that all those reassurances about a one-day trial or “max it will be a day and a half” were also not true.
When it came time to deliberate, all but one juror felt confident about the verdict. The one holdout needed to see the video again and revisit testimonies.
In the end, the burden of “beyond a reasonable doubt” drove our decision. The defendant was dismissed.
I learned a bit and felt relief that I was done.
One month ago, I received a piece of mail that essentially said, “We need you again.” I thought of all the potential excuses I could use, but between civic duty and the designated court being nearby and convenient, I agreed to serve if needed.
Today, I arrived at the courthouse at 8:30 sharp. I watched the same movie I had seen four years ago, which encapsulates the experience, the civic duty, our obligations, and the gratitude of those administering the law.
The movie was no better the second time around, but it is a good summary for those lacking knowledge.
Before going to the court, I went through a long laundry list of activities I needed to do to clear my day. This included an email to a client, dropping my dog off at doggie daycare, watering the garden, and cleaning up the kitchen because NO ONE likes walking into a dirty kitchen at the end of a long day.
Did I mention I went shopping on Amazon and indulged in a Kindle novel I’d been wanting to buy, which would be perfect for passing trial downtime?
When one is a juror, there is a lot of downtime, so a good book is helpful.
I soon learned that I was one of 20 potential jurors. I had already started getting to know a few. I learned a very useful piece of information from a woman who was 69 and 11 months old. She explained that she couldn’t be called again because after reaching 70, they don’t require people to serve.
I wasn’t sure of her factoid, but once she was called up to the officer who was checking us in, I heard a loud guffaw!
“Wow, we got you in the nick of time!” he said.
Clearly, she was right. Since I am 66 and 9 months old, and the courts must wait three years before calling someone to serve again, that means their window for tapping me again is very small.
Today’s juror pool sat for almost three hours while we waited for our disposition. At first, I checked my email. Then, I read Medium pieces. And then?
I leaned into my new novel and enjoyed prime-time reading with no guilt. There was nothing else I could do.
Then came my reframing.
“This is great,” I said to myself. “Jury duty is actually a blessing. It just took me too long to realize this. The gratitude between the court and this juror goes both ways.”
I wasn’t falling asleep, or checking the laundry, or doing any of the other multi-tasking events while I “relax” to read.
And then what happened?
We got called into the courtroom and told that the case was dismissed.
So, how did I feel?
Relief for a second.
Disappointment for a bit longer.
And then, I had to say goodbye to the two new acquaintances who were on their way to becoming friends.
Surely, I thought, this would be a good piece to write about.
And my ultimate takeaway?
The takeaway is not about jury duty per se, though it might certainly seem like it is. It’s about keeping an open mind and not assuming that the views you once held are the ones you currently experience. The world changes, we change, and our perspective shifts.
So now, I’ve got a whole day ahead which had been cleared for civic duty. The real question is whether I luxuriate some more with my found time or go pick up my dog.
The probability markets are saying 70% probability I will go get my dog, and they’re probably right.
Jury duty requirements vary by state. In New York, if the trial lasts more than 20 days you’re off the hook for years. Smaller municipal courts have more arrow restrictions, obviously it’s a smaller pool. https://www.nyjuror.gov/juryQandA.shtml
Thank Heaven for small gifts