My First Jury Duty Experience: A Diary
After putting off jury duty for about 8 years now, the day has finally come to serve the great state of New York in what I can only imagine will be the trial of lifetime! (Or even better, a court dismissal!)
I tried to get out of serving, but, despite my previous 6 successful attempts, it just wasn’t meant to be this time. Instead, they slapped my summons with a “PREVIOUSLY ABSENT, MUST SERVE.” stamp and here I am.
8 am - The commute was easy-breezy. I rarely take the subway anywhere since I live within walking distance to work, so it was a nice change up that afforded me the time to learn about life through the always lawful, Johnny Cash.
8:45 am – When you live in New York you see beautiful buildings on a daily basis. Stunning architecture is all around you and sometimes you just have to stop and stare in amazement.
This was not one of those times.
8:50 am – I really didn’t want to be late, so I gave myself plenty of time to get here and unfortunately I arrived 15 minutes early. I hate being early.
But, it was nice to see technology hasn’t destroyed our ability to make intimate connections with one another.
8:54 am – #NeverForget
9:26 am
Apparently Big Cat thinks I’m a sucker for being proud of the American honor and privilege it is to serve in a jury. I guess to him the idea that jury trials prevent tyranny is unimportant. Perhaps he thinks the voice of the people doesn’t matter in the criminal justice system? Would be a real shame if people questioned his patriotism…
9:34 am – We watched this super sweet video from the 90s and I learned a lot. Namely that court room television dramas are not exactly like real-life court rooms, but also they’re a little bit like it.
(P.S. Yes it says not to use cell phones, but as it turns out, we could use them if we weren’t making phone calls. Take that, narcs.)
11:48 am – After the video, we filled out some paperwork, stood in lines, and after that… WIFI BABY!!!
12:34 pm – We’ve been dismissed for lunch!
1:45 pm- I come back from my mediocre lunch to find myself forced to stand outside in 26 degree weather (with a wind chill that makes it feel like it’s 15) in this long ass line.
2:16 pm – It takes me 26 minutes to get through the line and security. I’m fucking freezing cold once I get inside, but I have no one to blame but myself. I was too good for the vending machines and just HAD to get lunch. Idiot.
3:04 pm – Welp. They just said if the judge doesn’t call us into the courtroom by 4 pm, we’ll be dismissed.
Should I be proud or really proud of the service I provided our great nation?
EDIT: 3:31 pm – “All jurors come to the main room.” Nothing like finally getting called into a courtroom 29 minutes before we were all dismissed.