The Po Show

Civic Duty

Today I had to report for jury duty. It's kind of strange, in that I am 42 years old, I am an American citizen, I speak English, I have never been convicted of a felony, and I have never served on jury duty. I've gotten notices before, back when we lived in CA, but I always managed to get myself excused, first because I was a full-time student and then because I had babies. Six months ago I got my Westchester County notice (ironically enough, exactly 2 weeks after Ross got one, and I totally jinxed myself by saying how I really hoped I wouldn't get one too). We both requested our one and only allowed postponement (as I hoped that somehow we would move out of the county before the six months were up, so we wouldn't have to go in. The lengths I will go to not to have to do jury duty!).

Last month Ross got sat on a grand jury, which put his whole life in an uproar (especially since he was swamped with projects and I was going to Vegas for four days that week). He served his 9 days and was relieved that he was now "jury duty proof" for six years. He was told that some people request the grand jury, so that they get the six year immunity rather than the regular four years. My summons was for this week, which didn't start till Tuesday because of Columbus Day (one of the best things about NY, we get ALL the holidays!). I called into the automated recording on Monday night and my number was not in the range of people who had to report in the morning. Nor did I have to go in on Wednesday. I felt lucky, like I was going to come out of this unscathed. So of course we came home at 9:45 last night after Matthew's school Parents' Night and the recording told me that my run of luck was over.

Today I went in at 8:30 (which meant that Ross had to manipulate his schedule so he could go into work late and thus could drop me and Tessa off and put Matthew on his bus). Ross kept telling me I'd be out quickly today. After a preliminary presentation by the administrative court representative, it seemed clear that that would not be the case (the case, get it???). They had two civil cases and a criminal case, and they were trying hard to get the jurors all chosen today (the attorneys don't like to do juror interviews on Fridays, a guy sitting near me said). They put all of our juror cards into a bingo-machine-like spinner (how's that for advanced technology?) and started drawing out cards and putting them into three groups. The first two groups got called for the civil cases and they marched upstairs. It was *nerve-wracking*, waiting for each name to be called, like a reverse lottery. Everyone hoping their name *wouldn't* be called. So the last grouping was going to be the criminal cases, for which they needed twice as many jurors and alternates as the civil cases, and which of course probably was going to be a much longer time commitment. They gave us short break, which turned into a long break, and then they called the names. I said to a person sitting next to me that it was like being in school and waiting to hear the names of which kids were in trouble and had to go to the principal's office. And after all that build-up and suspense, they ended up calling the names of all the people left in the room!

And then we waited. We were told that the judge wasn't ready for us yet and that he was in conference with the attorneys. ("Settle! Settle!," I whispered loudly under my breath.) We were told to take a 10 minute break. An hour later, we were still waiting.

Then a clerk walked into the room and smiled and said, "Good news. They've dismissed the case." You never saw so many happy people. We had to wait awhile longer for them to give us each a form that stated that we had served our term of duty and didn't have to return for another six years (apparently they recently changed the rules, so that you get six years' immunity for county jury duty service as well). I called Ross and he was like, "I was there for 9 days and you're out in 3 hours???" But I told him he should be happy, since it meant he didn't have to rush back to pick up Tessa from school.

So there, I fulfilled my civic obligation. There really aren't many official civic obligations, the administrative judge who addressed us at the beginning of the morning reminded us. You have to obey the law, pay your taxes, and very occasionally report for jury duty. I guess I got off pretty light.

In a way I feel like it's sort of a shame, since, knowing what I know about human beings, I'd probably make a better juror than a large percentage of people (not that I'm so great, but just because I'm not an idiot). But as long as I have children to get off to school in the morning and greet in the afternoon, and there's no one else who can easily do that for me, I will gladly shirk my duty when given the officially sanctioned opportunity. I'll gladly sit on a jury and soberly consider the evidence before me, when I'm free of the domestic duties that loom large in my life right now.