I really had no idea what to expect. I heard stories of people arriving at the courthouse just to have to turn around and go home because they were dismissed. I heard stories of people being called and having to wait around for hour before they were realized. I heard stories of people that had to go back for two days and wait around. You name it, I heard about it. On top of all the stories I heard, I was also given a lot of advice.....
act racist
act conservative
act like a know-it-all
act dumb
act smart
act liberal
act fill in the blank
I walked into the courtroom, was told to pick up a clipboard and from that moment on I was known as juror #9. There were about 25 other jurors in the room and as they prosecutor went through the voir dire process, I watched in horror as juror # 20, 25, 5, 16 were all dismissed.
I walked into the courtroom, was told to pick up a clipboard and from that moment on I was known as juror #9. There were about 25 other jurors in the room and as they prosecutor went through the voir dire process, I watched in horror as juror # 20, 25, 5, 16 were all dismissed.
The numbers were dwindling and I was praying that I wasn't going to be picked. For this trial, it was a jury of 6, so I still had a chance to walk out unscathed. After roughly 20 minutes of questions, we were told the court was taking a quick recess to pick the lucky 6 jurors that would be part of the trial.
As I sat on the bench waiting in the hallway, I crossed my fingers that I would be dismissed. Out of all the weeks to be called for juror duty this one was the worst - I had to be Houston the next day for work, I was planning an event on Thursday that had roughly 400 attendees... It was busy week without adding jury duty to it.
"Juror's #1, #5, #7....#9".....I cringed, my number was called...now it was time for the trial.
I think if it was any other case I wouldn't have enjoyed juror duty so much, but it was a young woman defending herself against the charge of: Public Intoxication. Being an expert of such thing in my twenties (but luckily never getting arrested for it), my annoyance for serving jury duty melted into enjoyment....
I mean, I was officially allowed to judge someone..err, the facts.
Two hours later - I was walking out of the courthouse with an official certificate for my involvement in my civic duty.
The verdict: Guilty, Max Fine ($500).........and, I can't wait to be called for jury duty again.
As I sat on the bench waiting in the hallway, I crossed my fingers that I would be dismissed. Out of all the weeks to be called for juror duty this one was the worst - I had to be Houston the next day for work, I was planning an event on Thursday that had roughly 400 attendees... It was busy week without adding jury duty to it.
"Juror's #1, #5, #7....#9".....I cringed, my number was called...now it was time for the trial.
I think if it was any other case I wouldn't have enjoyed juror duty so much, but it was a young woman defending herself against the charge of: Public Intoxication. Being an expert of such thing in my twenties (but luckily never getting arrested for it), my annoyance for serving jury duty melted into enjoyment....
I mean, I was officially allowed to judge someone..err, the facts.
Two hours later - I was walking out of the courthouse with an official certificate for my involvement in my civic duty.
The verdict: Guilty, Max Fine ($500).........and, I can't wait to be called for jury duty again.
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