Time Served

[eggwards]

I had jury duty yesterday. Instead of going to Dallas to serve, since we are in another county, yet still in Dallas, we have to drive out to the small county seat. The southern part of the county has been growing like gangbusters over the last couple of decades, so our county has a spanking new courthouse out in what was farmland. There’s nothing around it but a large parking lot. With the rain it took most of an hour to get there. Who knew there was so much traffic heading that way?

After being misled by a sign that seemed to tell us the jury room was upstairs, I, along with other misguided people found the jury room and sat down. They played a PowerPoint slideshow to explain the process and tell us what we would not be excused for. I love that stay at home mothers can get out of jury duty, but not people with actual jobs. I questioned that the slideshow was not in Spanish (this is Texas), but since the trial would not be conducted in Spanish, then knowing English would be something of a requirement.

After sitting for a while, the county clerk came out to tall us that one of the courts that they would be serving would be delayed by a day in the selection process due to a previous case running long. She said that she had a list of names of people who would need to come back tomorrow. As she read the list, almost to the end she called my name. I have a fairly common name, so I wasn’t too surprised to hear someone else also say “here” a few rows behind me. The county clerk then had to clarify using the other guy’s middle name which was different than mine. The guy went by with a smug look. I thought that was strange because he’d have to return tomorrow. I might be able to get through selection today.

Once all of the people who had to return Thursday were whisked away, the county clerk disappeared for a bit. She returned stating that the other case that they were selecting a jury for had just settled and we were all free to go. It was good to be the guy with the other middle name.

So I used the rest of the day to shop, eat at a place that’s usually far away from me (Culver’s) and then come home and do a little cleaning. Chris and I then watched the drag queen episode of Project Runway. I live such a spectacular life.

Comments

[backawayslowly.livejournal.com]

I think it's a riot that the other guy was all smug about it. What a dumb ass.

[eggwards.livejournal.com]

Yes. I'm not sure what he was so excited about. I guess he just wanted another day off for jury duty. I just kept thinking what a hassle it would be to request another day off.

Maybe he just wants to dispense justice.

[furrbear.livejournal.com]

Same problem in Collin Co. though they had the expansion boom first.

[eggwards.livejournal.com]

Oh this is Collin County. I'm not sure how long the new courthouse has been open. It doesn't look like it's been too long because they don't have much on the walls yet, few pictures of former commissioners and stuff. The building is very sterile.

[eggwards.livejournal.com]

I've had those days. This was the first time I've been selected in my current county, but in the previous one they started collecting people in the downtown theater and then sent them to the various courts for selection. I've waited for long periods before being told the case was settled.

The closest I got was being questioned, and once it came out that my father worked for the county jail, I was let go. Too bad that only works in that county.

There's not a whole lot of mass transit options around here.

[bob-garwood.livejournal.com]

The county where I'm living has a "One Day - One Trial" system. If you're not picked for a trial on the first day you're finished until the next time you get called. It seems to work rather well. I've probably gone about 4 times in the last 25 years; never was picked for a trial but got as far as the courtroom.

[eggwards.livejournal.com]

I guess that's not the case for us here. They already had the selections for the two courts that needed juries that day, and since one was delayed, so was the jury pool. It's the first time I had seen that.

I've been questioned. That's about as far as I've gotten. Otherwise I think I've been selected about 6 or 7 times for jury duty. I miss being able to claim "college" to get out of it.