Tuesday, September 3, 2019

Jury Duty

So, I am supposed to have jury duty next week.  I'm all for jury duty, even if this time isn't the optimum time for me to be pressed into service.  I guess having it now is better than getting assigned to a case in the winter.  The drive up there is all hills and curves, and one I don't look forward to on a nice day.  I sure as hell don't want to drive it in snowy conditions.  Or during the rut.  Watching out for deer in that road is necessary on the best of days.  I'm not interested in dying to do my duty.

I'm not sure how they chose me.  They wouldn't pick me if they knew me.  And I did put 'crime novelist' as my occupation, which should've been a red flag to the defense.  Or to the prosecutor, depending on how they think I'd lean.  Random lottery is my guess. 

I don't expect to make it through the jury selection process.  I'll be watching everything both sides do like a hawk - and making mental notes for fiction research.  I'm pro capital punishment.  I'm anti-parole.  Do the crime, do the time.  But if you're going to put someone away, make sure you have the evidence to back it up.  I'll do my damnedest to not let anything slip by me.

Personally, I'm really judgemental about crime and criminals.  Oh, I'll take a look at all the evidence before I make a determination.  But once I've made my mind up about something, I don't change it.  (Unless, of course, further evidence proves otherwise.  I'm judgemental, not stupid.)

I'm also hard on the law and the judiciary system.  They have a job to do and I expect them to do it.  No excuses.  No cutting corners.  No slick moves. 

I think people get away with too damn much.

Which reminds me of something I hope to bring up to someone up there - the overwhelming number of criminals in this county who get 'suspended sentences'.   And often go on to repeat the crime.  Derp.  I'd really like someone up there to explain that to me. 

I'd also like to meet the Sheriff and thank him for his service.  And maybe the detective who recently moved into my neighborhood.  That'd be cool.  From what I've heard, she's nice, but I really don't get a chance to meet neighbors unless we run into each other while I'm walking. 

I really do appreciate law enforcement.  They do a tough and thankless job.  And it's got to be hard for them to do their jobs while watching criminals get off with a tap on the wrist. 

One thing I found interesting on the jury notification form thingie.  There's a section about attire and it says something about dressing 'suitable to the occasion'.  It's not a freakin' cocktail party.  And what exactly would be suitable to the occasion?  Stripes?  Orange?  A grim reaper costume for murder cases? Hubs and I have been joking about it.  A MAGA hat?  Something from the Warrior12 line? 

Anyway, it does give some examples of appropriate attire - like no shorts or tank tops (which pretty much takes away my standard summer wear) - but it doesn't mention sweat pants.  I'm sorely tempted to show up in my nicest pair of sweats.  I think I'll be a good girl, though, and wear a pair of khakis. 

And maybe an orange shirt.  ;o)

Have you ever done jury duty?  What did you wear? 

4 comments:

  1. Yes. I've done jury duty. I wore comfortable slacks, shoes, and shirt. Sort of a business casual upgrade when normal attire is jeans. You can imagine, which my background, that I figured I'd be excused. Our jury forms are rather extensive on background. Helps with the voir dire, doncha know. Yeah...no. Despite being married to an attorney, having been Marshal of the Court of Civil Appeals AND a chief bailiff in a district court, despite one of the judges being Only's godfather, despite me being a former crime analyst and CSI, they tried to sit me on a murder trial. I shot daggers at the judge the whole time I was in the box for voir dire. It was a murder case where the forensic evidence was shaky. I made it until the last round of preempts. The defense made the prosecution kick me off because the judge wouldn't automatically excuse me. The @$$hat. I still had to sit in the jury pool room for another two days. At least I got paid ($25 a day + mileage and parking). I actually would like to sit on a jury but I know it'll never happen. I want to see how their minds work from the "inside." I got some insight from working jury trials as a bailiff but that was from the "outside." Good luck with it and keep us posted!

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    1. Yeah, I would think they'd run far and fast from having you on a jury, Silver.

      I wouldn't mind the insights either. I'll keep y'all posted and thanks!

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  2. I got picked once. Waiting for them to DO the picking was the worst part. The attorneys went up to the bench and mumbled at the judge for ages. Boring. Then they went through the jury list and asked their questions. Since my sister and BIL were both ex-police, I figured I'd get excused -- no such luck.

    The trial was shorter than the jury selection, and the verdict-finding part was shorter yet. Sadly, I don't even remember what he was convicted of doing, but something fairly minor.

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    1. Ugh. Yeah, I'm not a fan of waiting either. Bummer that you had to sit the jury and it wasn't even interesting. =o\ I expect if I do get a trial here, it'll be drug-related. Yawn. The last murder we had here was sentenced last month.

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