I was recently summoned for jury duty, a civic responsibility that is never convenient for those of us who have busy lives (which is just about all of us these days ☺). And some people not only complain about it, they go out of their way to get out of jury duty. On a different jury summons an attorney on the jury panel claimed bias to get off. Give me a break – he’s an attorney. We all know, and most of us believe, that jury duty is a privilege (not just an obligation) of living in a free country. Having traveled all over the world and having observed different justice systems, jury duty is a privilege I do not take for granted.
As I was going through the security metal detector (sans the traditional TSA-standard groping, thank you very much) I noticed everyone was so much nicer and friendlier than the last time I was down at the courthouse. The woman overseeing the jury assembly room was professional and organized. And, I assume to keep us quiet and happy, there was free Wi-Fi in the new Harris County Jury Assembly Room. The new assembly room resembles a modern college auditorium – not the downtown bus terminal that was indistinguishable from the old jury assembly room.
My jury panel number was called after 2 ½ hours and I joined the group to line up and head through the tunnel system to the civil courthouse for voir dire. Our bailiff was relaxed and cracking jokes while we made our way to the courtroom. As you would with anyone making jokes who is armed with a serious sidearm, handcuffs and mace and has you trapped underground and then in a tightly packed elevator, we laughed at all of her jokes (she really was funny – even without the serious sidearm). The judge was engaged and intelligent – qualities I value in a judge above and beyond fairness.
Voir dire went quickly and, being a nurse, I was struck from the panel. Luckily those of us not selected were discharged before the lunch break, so I didn’t have to endure the courthouse cafeteria (which actually makes me long for hospital food).
I wish I could say all my jury experiences have been positive, but they haven’t. I’ve encountered rude courthouse personnel, a judge or two that didn’t know the law and one that was either narcoleptic or infected with African trypanosomiasis. And while I can’t prove it, I swear one judge was surfing the Internet during voir dire (I hope he wasn’t “liking” the jurors on Facebook®).
I believe our justice system has the obligation to create as pleasant an experience as possible for potential jurors – an experience similar to the one I had. Maybe then we’ll all hear less of an “Arghh” response from friends and family when they are summoned to jury duty.
I love America and I loved it even more on jury day when the total experience was professional and positive.
I’m Just Sayin’
P.S. Comment and share your jury service experiences – good or bad.
