An Exercise in Civic Duty

A summons for jury duty came sometime in May, ordering appearance at the Maricopa County Superior Court on July 6th. Oh HELL no. Vacation time was scheduled--not going then. A one-time 60- or 90-day postponement is offered, and at the time it looked like August 9th would be good. It wouldn't interfere with work or personal stuff.  I filled out the form and mailed it in.

I'd forgotten all about it when I received the updated one in the mail in July. In July, I was not entirely resident in my own mind, but (or, therefore) couldn't follow the instructions to get a doctor's excuse form printed, filled out by my doctor, and faxed to them. SOooooooooo, I called after 4:30 pm on Friday (actually, yesterday) to check whether my group (8500) had been released, or whether I was still required to go downtown. That message instructed me to call AGAIN today after 11 a.m. to see whether I had to show up for the afternoon.

I did, and I did.

Gathered my disability approval from work, and the last doctor's affidavit sent to the company, my library book and purse (have to put it on the list sometimes--memory's not all they way better, yet). I was prepared to explain it to the judge (in private, maybe?).

As it turned out, after my 1 p.m. arrival and check-in, they called two HORDES of jurors (50 in the first, 125 in the second) to go through the selection process, and my name never came up. That's a good thing. I sat and read for two hours (which I would have done here, anyway), and am now off the hook for another 18 months. I was a little irked about having to get dressed and drive downtown and park and all, but it really wasn't that big a deal.

I've served on two juries in the past ten or twelve years, and was the foreman on one of them (hated it). Otherwise, it's just "show up every couple of years when they call you" and go home with my proof of service paper. If there must be jury trials, someone has to show up. It can't be all retirees and the unemployed filling those chairs. I'm not sure that anyone really is tried by a jury of his/her peers, though. If you're a criminal, aren't your peers criminals, too?

I'm just sayin'.