This week I had the privilege of actively participating in the American democratic process...I had jury duty, and actually got picked to sit on a jury (I didn't think that happened to people). For those of you who live in other areas, let me first explain that Cook County in Illinois operates on a one day or one trial system, which means that you either serve for one day and are not selected for a jury, or one trial if you are. The one trial can last anywhere from a few days to several weeks. Most people I know who go to their jury duty go in, sit around and read all day, and go home around 3 or 4pm.
Anyway, the jury summons said to be at the court building by 8:30, so I was there around 8:25 (the most important lesson I took away from this experience was that if I don't want to serve on a jury in the future, I should show up late). I was immediately given a panel number and told to have a seat. Around 8:45 they showed us a nice, inspirational video, after which they began calling panels - my panel was called within in the first 10 minutes or so, and we were all taken upstairs to a courtroom, questioned by the judge and attorneys for selection, and then either sworn in or dismissed. I was the 4th person to be sworn in.
They told the first four of us to come back by 2:15pm (it was 11:50am when I was done), figuring that they'd have the other 8 jurors picked by then. Well, we were back by 2:15, but the next 4 weren't selected until 2:45, and the final 4 until 4:15. So much for opening arguments on Tuesday...we had already been told that the trial was expected to last until Friday (one woman was dismissed only because she was concerned about getting home before sundown on Friday - maybe I should be Jewish next time).
All in all, the trial was interesting - it was a medical malpractice case. All of the evidence/witnesses stuff was long, and some was very repetitive, but we got through it (if anyone wants any details, let me know - I could go on for days). We were given 3 choices for a verdict:
a) we found the doctor completely at fault and therefore awarded the plaintiff all of the money she was asking for
b) we found that the plaintiff was partially at fault, but less than or equal to 50% responsible, and therefore decreased her $ amount accordingly
c) we found that the plaintiff was more than 50% responsible, and therefore she didn't get anything.
In the end, we deliberated for 2 hours and 45 minutes, much longer than I expected. Fortunately, we were all in agreement that A should be ruled out, but there were several folks who favored option B (7 vs. 5 for C in an initial blind vote). We discussed an about an hour and 20 minutes later did another blind vote, the outcome of which was 5 for B, 7 for C. We discussed for another hour, and then took a show of hands...2 for B, 10 for C. It didn't take long to convince those last couple of folks to come over to our side of the fence, mostly because they were both missing a key piece of information. Once their memories were refreshed, they realized that the rest of us were right. :-)
The judge was a really nice old guy, someone who was very firm, but very fair. Before he dismissed us he gave us a little speech about how we'd been public servants for the week and that he hoped it had been a worthwhile experience. You know, I think it really restored some of my faith in the human race, mostly because all of the other people on this jury were good people. There were obviously all different levels of intelligence and experience, but everyone had good comments to make or thoughts to share, and everyone really put a lot of thought into their decisions. Everyone was respectful and fair, and we really had a nice time together given the circumstances.
Anyway, that's been my week...on to crazy Christmas events, starting in T minus 1.75 hours....
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8 comments:
that's so awesome. I want to sit on a jury and i have a better chance of it now that i've moved to hamilton county which has more crime than Butler. wait... is taht a good thing?
My brother was summoned (is that what you say?) for jury duty because he had lived for about three months with my grandparents in California. But the county didn't want to pay for the flight Austria-California-Austria. A shame!! :)
I've had two coworkers summoned for jury duty in the last month. I hope I don't get summoned (b/c I'm still registered in OH, and at this point, they probably can't track me down with ease).
Right after I turned 18 I got the request in the mail. I got out of it by saying I was an out of state student more than 100 miles away (true). Although they point blank tell you that is not an excuse to get out of it, it worked, I was excused, and haven't been summoned back.
I think, while dreadfully boring, it would be good and interestesting at times to see how that stuff goes. I'd probably be silent in the back and stubborn with my verdict.
I (knocking on wood) still have yet to EVER be contacted. Hmmm...
That sounds like a great experience. I was summoned once but because I was a student and needed to work to pay for school, they let me out.
I, too, have never been summoned. I'd find it interesting too. And the best part is that as a teacher, i would still get paid for my days of work! WHOO HOO!!!
was it boring????
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