About a month ago when I received my summons to county jury duty I was concerned that I’d be missing too much work before the end of the year. Of course, I was the busiest I’ve been at work. However, I completely recognize that it’s our privilege as U.S. citizens to serve on jury duty! ‘Merica!
I chatted with my friends, family & co-workers who at one point or an other have done their part as an upstanding citizen by reporting to jury duty. Their one piece of advice: take a book. In my case, I took a book, my work laptop, an iPad, my iPhone & some magazines. I was told I’d be bored! Plus, I was hoping I could work.
Boy was I wrong!
Here are some my my takeaways from being called into three trials (one voir dire and canned, one guy plead out and one case in which we came to a verdict):
• There are some interesting outfits at the Justice Center – Think lots of velour.
• The county needs a new video to educate jurors on Day 1.
• Think you’re getting out of jury duty by not registering to vote? Think again. Jurors can be called from their driver’s license.
• You are paid $20/day for your time. I thought it would be $10. Apparently it used to be $25. People complained about this. A LOT. I know the county is hurting, I’ll happily accept my $80.
• Voir dire can suck. It can suck bad. I feel fortunate I was removed from my first case on Day 1. I was mentally and emotionally exhausted from an invasive and sensitive voir dire.
• The defendant is present for voir dire. Awwwwkward.
• Judge Sheehan seems like a pretty cool guy. He came down on Day 1 to answer questions & I was called into his court room. The defendant plead out before voir dire and the Judge sent me a personal thank you note in the mail (I get everyone who was called up probably got this – still considerate and it was semi-personal)!
• Go get lunch at The Side Bar – the bartender is pretty cool.
• I held crack (the evidence). That was a first!
• I couldn’t help but feel the drawing for jurors from the pool wasn’t random. I was with the same people for all three trials (who were removed/not selected) & there were many jurors who told me they sat there for 4 days without being picked once.
• Prosecutors and defense attorneys ask the same question in 75 different ways.
Overall, I’m glad I served on a jury. Would I want to go back next week? No way. I don’t even want to go back next year. However, it’s our civic duty to do so.
Best part? I helped keep one more crack-trafficking criminal off the streets of Cleveland!
Have you ever served on a jury? How was your experience?
Great post, I certainly recognise some of your observations- particularly the moans you heard about compensation levels and the extreme levels of boredom. I’ve just finished 11 days of jury service here in the UK- like you, i have posted my reflections on civic duty – in particular how the experience differed from that of the volunteers at the London 2012 Olympics in the summer & why it’s important to treat jurors like adults. If you’re interested you can read it at bit.ly/V1vxvi
I never have, but I think I would find it interesting! (and I probably just jinxed myself)
Congrats on laying the smack down on the law breaking citizens.
It would be a very long day.
This is bad but I don’t vote and hope I never have to serve on a jury. I understand its a civic duty but I think people who serve on the jury should want to be there not forced. i’m not sure I’d want to be the one making a decision on someone else’s life. (I know it’s usually nothing too crazy, just would rather it wasn’t me deciding). Also, there is no way I would be able to miss work. I’d have to go jury duty and then go to get work done after
My mom was at jury duty for a week and was never called. Just had to show up, she said it was super boring.
Jessica, I understand your concern – many people I met recently on jury duty most certainly did not want to be there. And, like me, everyone was concerned about the stress it would cause keeping up-to-date with work and possible loss of earnings. That said, I don’t think jury service could ever be voluntary – if it was you would not get a representative sample of the population making these potentially life changing decisions – the whole basis of the justice system. The likelihood, for example, is that there would be more middle class than working class people on juries – because they can afford not to work for a week more easily. That would be a backward step.
However, where I do agree with you is that if the state wants jurors to participate willingly – and in doing so fit the duty into busy, stressful lives – they need to make it easier for us. Things like access to workstations with wifi in the waiting areas, better communication about what’s happening and better organisation (at least here in the UK) would help increase juror energy and motivation. If you want to read more I’ve posted on this at bit.ly/V1vxvi
I was called to my first jury duty this year — I was so nervous throughout the whole process. I never really knew what was going on, what I was/wasn’t supposed to do… I sat for 6 1/2 hours (this included a 1 1/2 lunch break, which I took the bus home and back for) and was sent home (all three trials on our assigned day were “settled” or not ready for jury process).
I was also one of the first to get dismissed (along with 5-6 of my peers) since we all decided to donate our daily pay back to their organizations. I wonder how long everyone else had to wait for money.
i was nervous, too! especially during voir dire. i kept having to remind myself that i wasn’t the criminal.
This was really interesting! I’ve never been called to jury duty (since I’ve been back from college) and have always wondered what it would be like. I love your observations!
Thanks for stepping up and helping to keep our community safe
I loved being on jury duty (and that tells you how horrible my actual job is right?!?!) I loved my case and and my judge (Dick Ambrose!) I imagine it would be horrible to not get picked and just sit there all day long. I kept being amazed at the total losers who were there for jury duty! Amazed that they hold someone’s life in their hands.
I’ve never had to be on jury duty.. the two times I got called I was still in college so I got it waived! I couldn’t believe though that I was called twice in 3 years.. but that actually sounds like a pretty cool experience!
P.S. I love finding blogs about people in Cleveland and you’re engaged too! Awesome!
OK, I’m way behind on my commenting, but I agree with a lot of your observations. I will make my millions off a photo essay book called “The People of the Justice Center,” I swear. Judge Sheehan is a great guy…I was going to ask who’s courtroom you ended up in. Also, voir dire is, if anything, usually more intense for civil cases, if you can believe that!
All you people writing about your experience as (potential) jurors have no idea how very valuable your Blog entries and whatnot are for so many others.
I got the dreaded letter in the mail on Fri, didn’t even know the first thing about Jury duty then. Feel like an expert now.
Thank you! Thank you so much!