Feb
05
My jury duty for the whole month of February started today, ugh. This is for federal court for the northern district of our state. We had to be there at 8:30 this morning, being sure to bring no cell phones, palm pilots, newspapers, magazines, food, drinks, etc.! I did put a book in my purse that went through security. They didn’t say anything about it but I was sitting on the front row of my section and I wasn’t sure I should bring it out right away; maybe I’d get thrown in jail or kicked out! We sat there for one solid hour before they even called the roll so I finally read some holding the book low in my lap. 🙂 Apparently there were supposed to be 65 jurors there but only 56 of us showed up. Then they talked to us just a bit about how they’d throw all our cards in a jury wheel, spin it around and then seat us in order of how our names were drawn. After sitting around for 2 hours, the judge finally came in at 10:30 to tell us how important jury duty is and how good it was we were there. And that the 2 defendants were Hispanic, couldn’t speak a word of English and they had 2 translators there that needed to talk with them and their lawyers. So he dismissed us for lunch and said to be back before 1 so we could start promptly. I ran some errands during the lunch break, this court happens to be in a neighboring town and I didn’t want to drive 30 something miles home and back again. When we get back after lunch the judge again gives us a talk about how important it was that we were there and how it wasn’t a waste of time! (silly me, I had been thinking that it was a waste of time! :lol:) He said they’d been trying to have resolution to the case for a while but that because we’d showed up today they got their resolution…they plead guilty during that break. He then did something though that I’ve never encountered the other times I’ve had to do this; he had one of the lawyers give us a recap of the case. One of the prosecutors told us that last fall an officer had been driving on the interstate close to Memphis when he noticed a suburban with a paper tag. He pulled it over to question them…. there were twenty people in the car, 20! He called the immigration people to help question them and they all confessed to being in this country illegally. The 2 men arrested were charged with knowingly transporting illegal aliens. They were driving from Arizona to Alabama to work. So today they decided to confess that they were guilty; they are being deported and are on their way back to Mexico! This seems to be a big problem in our area now, although I’m sure it goes on in lots of places.
I’m through for today but the judge told us they still have several more cases pending this month and we have to keep calling to see about when to report next. It may not be a waste of time but it’s somewhat inconvenient at times! We’ll see how the rest of the month progresses.
February 5th, 2008 at 4:04 pm
Sounds like it was a very interesting experience
February 5th, 2008 at 5:26 pm
You’re doing your civic duty, so good for you! I am with you on it being a hassle, having to call every day for a month. You can’t make any long range plans 🙂 Even menus, and you know how I am about that, LOL! Tim always chides me and reminds me that it is a privilege to serve and how much he wants to. So, he’s probably bummed that you didn’t get on a jury. This time…
Hope the month goes well!
February 5th, 2008 at 7:58 pm
I’ve always gotten off the couple of times I’ve been called. It does sound interesting though.
February 5th, 2008 at 8:21 pm
I was summoned last year and really wish I could have served, but the judge let me off after some “for sure releases” were let go. It was good because that was the week before a test. I would love to serve sometime, but I don’t know if that will ever happen…doctors can usually get off because their absence from work could lead to the detriment of someone’s life. Hmmm…
February 5th, 2008 at 8:23 pm
I’ve never had jury duty, but my dad gets called on alot. Sounds like it didn’t go too badly for ya! LOL!
February 5th, 2008 at 8:40 pm
Wow! Sounds like a sort of exciting jury duty – I hope you don’t have to do too much more of it this month, though.
February 5th, 2008 at 9:15 pm
I hate that you spent all that time waiting on a case that didn’t happen. It sounds like it might have been interesting to hear though.
I hope you don’t have to go back soon….
February 6th, 2008 at 9:39 am
Wow! I’m glad you had your book. And yes it is becoming a problem here too.
February 6th, 2008 at 10:53 am
Would you believe I have never been called up? My elderly mom was actually called up again about two years ago but she got out of it! 😉 The waiting around doesn’t sound fun…but maybe think of if all as one big grown-up field trip! 🙂
February 6th, 2008 at 12:16 pm
I just picked my parents mail up last week for them and looked through what I need to send to them in Fl….and I smiled…my dad has jury duty in March to report too mom and I hope this will keep him busy until he can golf….since he just retired….lol.
February 7th, 2008 at 7:55 am
I’ve never ever been called for jury duty – it sounds interesting but also pretty inconvenient. Can’t blame you for slipping a book into your purse!
February 9th, 2008 at 10:06 pm
Well you will have to keep me updated if you get on a jury and what all happens during the trial. I would especially like to know what deliberations are like these days. Since I will never get to serve on a jury, I guess I will have to live vicariously through your adventures. (They usually dismiss anyone with a law degree for fear that they will dominate a jury or see through any tricks that the other lawyers may be trying.)
February 16th, 2008 at 3:26 pm
This would fire me up. Hubby and I have always said we’d make up some excuse to avoid it. It is a waste of time in my opinion because the justice system is so screwed up. I have no faith in it at all. (Just my two cents)
Glad you had a book. I would have died if I had to sit there doing nothing while waiting on the judge!