News and views from the The jury is still out on jury duty
I just finished my summer with a week of jury duty, which involved lots of sitting around, and one really difficult trial experience in the middle. The jury holding tank was thick with teachers and professors who had put off duty until their "free" summer months. During the sitting around time, I caught up on six months worth of Booklist review-reading and probably spent half my budget for the year. So that was good. I observed the intense-yet-tedious jury selection for a civil trial involving injuries in a car accident that took place a couple of blocks from my house. My number was never called for that one. But I made up for it by being selected for a criminal trial that hit the papers when it was all over, a day and a half later.
Let me tell you, the experience both resembles and does not resemble a Law and Order episode. On the resemble side: the opening and closing speeches, the objections (sustained or overruled), the inadmissibility of certain evidence, the ritualistic nature of the proceedings. But on the not-resemble side: the factual evidence which, at least as we heard it, was far from clear. Where were those sharp L&O detectives who dig up the hidden physical evidence and witnesses? I was desperate for the the Perry Mason moment in which someone collapses under Mr. Mason's scrutiny and confesses all.
Here are some of the things I learned on jury duty:
- Bring plenty to read.
- Citizen juries are pretty cool. People seem to take the responsibility quite seriously. I didn't see anyone try to slide out of serving on a trial. Even though I was "foreperson" on mine, I didn't feel stuck. Everyone was fabulous during our four long hours of deliberation and did everything they could to serve the process well. I'd have those folks judge me any day.
- Don't be poor if you are going to court. Civil trial = sharp, experienced, private attorneys. Criminal trial with a public defender = attorneys (on both sides of the aisle) who may also be sharp, but whose average age is 12. Call me ageist, but... Well, just call me ageist.
- Did I mention bring something to read?
I'm thinking maybe I'm ready to go back to school and be with the real 12-year-olds.
Let me tell you, the experience both resembles and does not resemble a Law and Order episode. On the resemble side: the opening and closing speeches, the objections (sustained or overruled), the inadmissibility of certain evidence, the ritualistic nature of the proceedings. But on the not-resemble side: the factual evidence which, at least as we heard it, was far from clear. Where were those sharp L&O detectives who dig up the hidden physical evidence and witnesses? I was desperate for the the Perry Mason moment in which someone collapses under Mr. Mason's scrutiny and confesses all.
Here are some of the things I learned on jury duty:
- Bring plenty to read.
- Citizen juries are pretty cool. People seem to take the responsibility quite seriously. I didn't see anyone try to slide out of serving on a trial. Even though I was "foreperson" on mine, I didn't feel stuck. Everyone was fabulous during our four long hours of deliberation and did everything they could to serve the process well. I'd have those folks judge me any day.
- Don't be poor if you are going to court. Civil trial = sharp, experienced, private attorneys. Criminal trial with a public defender = attorneys (on both sides of the aisle) who may also be sharp, but whose average age is 12. Call me ageist, but... Well, just call me ageist.
- Did I mention bring something to read?
I'm thinking maybe I'm ready to go back to school and be with the real 12-year-olds.
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home