May 27 2008
The Call of Duty: How To Serve Your Country
For some, the call of duty is grand and involves sacrificing their lives to make sure that the rest of us remain free. For others, the call of duty comes in a much smaller way serving on a community improvement committee, running for public office or even jury duty.
Today, I am stuck in my local courthouse awaiting the presence of the judge to determine if I will be called to sit on a jury ot allowed to go home and get some work done as I prefer. I would sincerely like to not have to spend my day in the basement of the courthouse. On the other hand, I understand the importance of the job that is set before me today and will do it well, if begrudgingly, if I am selected.
I know that jury service is a fundamental part of the American justice system. We need people to willingly participate if the 230+ year old American justice system is going to continue to work. On the other hand, it’s hard to justify giving up my normal salary and personal goals for the day for the $15 plus gas money that I get for showing up. With the gas money and the $15, the court has effectively paid what I would normally earn in about an hour. Not quite, but well, close enough.
The problem is that it’s 10 minutes to the courthouse and I’ve already been here for an hour and all that has been accomplished was the roll call and a 15 year old video about the importance of jury service. And, I agree that it’s important, really I do. But the gentleman behind me, who comes from a law enforcement family and has two sons who are state troopers, is probably just wasting him time.
As a professional reporter, I am probably wasting my time. I am willing to serve, but the likelihood that the attorneys could agree to put me on a jury is small. There are three or four other people in the same boat, unlikely to be selected, but wasting a Tuesday anyway.
And then there are the people who need to be excluded. Too many people think that this is Law & Order or some other cop drama. They had to be told that they cannot conduct their own investigations or try to discover the truth on their own. While that makes for great television and fun John Grisham novels, it is not the way the system really works.
The other amusing irony is that the baliff has turned on CNN to pass the time until the judge is available. Just after warning us that we may need to avoid media exposure, we are locked in a room with CNN. Does anyone in the courthouse see the irony?
Like many people, I would avoid jury duty if I could, but I am willing to be here because I believe int eh American justice system. I just wish there was a more expedient way of doing it.
