PostSecret: Jury Duty
This postcard from PostSecret made me smile today.
It reads:
You’ve been selected for jury duty:
I’m SO excited!
Just last week, I was also selected for jury duty. I felt the same way. It was like I finally have a chance to do my civic duty beyond just voting in a state where my vote doesn’t count.
I had to call a specific number each evening to see if they needed me to come into the courtroom. The first night, the automated message said they didn’t need prospective jurors to come in on Monday morning, but to call again Monday evening. When I called Monday evening, however, the automated message said that they didn’t need jurors for the rest of the week and that this concludes my jury duty.
I know that I should be happy that the town of West Jordan (where I was called to serve) is so quiet that they have an entire week when they don’t need jurors, but I felt disappointed.
PostSecret‘s beneficiary is the National Hopeline Network. It is a 24-hour hotline (1 (800) SUICIDE) for anyone who is thinking about suicide or knows someone who is considering it.
The other side of the “not needed” coin is sitting for several days hearing testimony, and then before the trial is finished having the prosecutor and the defendant reach a plea bargain resulting in us being sent home without ever deliberating. That was also disappointing!
Comment by Roland Smith — 4/5/2009 @ 7:43 am
I totally agree with Roland. Spend a week listening and paying attention and just when you’re about to be sent to deliberate be told that instead you’re DONE!
That is so deflating!
Comment by nakedjen — 4/6/2009 @ 11:40 am
I got called in 3 weeks ago. There were 24 of us packed in a tiny room for several hours waiting. It was pretty bad. They said that usually only 15 actually show up when they call for 30 to try to qualify 4. I guess we were more civic minded than most. I was not picked and I’m working on a post about that. The downside was that later that night I wasn’t feeling well, and the next day I was super sick and it I was out of work for almost a week. Packing so many people in such a tiny room can’t be good!
Comment by Glenn — 4/7/2009 @ 5:24 pm