Jury Duty

Last week I went in for jury duty. Ironically (if I'm using that word right), I got called for jury service here in Arizona after only nine months - its funny because I lived for years and years in Virginia and never once got called!

I tried to get out of it, but to no avail. So on a clear sunny Tuesday I went in to the courthouse, resigned to my fate, sitting around all day and being bored. People did tell me I had two good excuses under my belt should I be chosen for a jury, I'm pregnant and I am starting a new full-time job.

First thing out the bat, I get called into a jury selection group. Yipee. There were 55 of us and we were ushered into the judge's courtroom. After the legal speak, the judge got down to business, asking for those who believed they had excuses to state their reasons. My favorites were the one from the kid currently in high school (even a judge can't allow the skipping of school!) and the guy whose family members were being tried in another courtroom for murder. both got out of it.

During this time, I said nothing. After the group had been weeded out, the second round of questions began, about the nature of the crime. Still I said nothing (though I could have argued on religious grounds to get out of it).

Next came lunch, we returned and the group had been dwindled again. The judge asked about those with law or law enforcement connections. Again I said nothing. The group shrank once more.

Finally the lawyers came up and asked pointed questions - still I said nothing. I thought through this all I would get a chance to speak but not in front of such a big group of strangers. Maybe have some one on one time with the judge (what was I thinking?!).

1:30pm roles around the judge announces, "I need the remaining potential juries to step outside the room, the lawyers and I will now select the jury and call you back in."

'oh crap,' I thought, 'here I had all this time and did nothing, now I was screwed, no way to get out of this!' I sweated for 20 minutes as the judge and lawyers seem to deliberate and deliberate, 'get on with it!' I wanted to scream!

The moment of truth arrived, the last 30 or so of us were escorted back into the courtroom. I sat on tenderhooks, the first six jurors picked, so far so good.

Number 10, still not me, number 11, cleared and than number 12.........someone else!!! I didn't get picked!!! I was elated! Though I had no hand in it, but instead through sheer dumb luck, I got out of sitting on a boring jury, missing my first day of full time work and as an added bonus, for going through that whole process, I am excused from jury duty in the state of Arizona for 18 months, in which time I hope to be outta here!