My Day in Court
When my Summons for Jury Service arrived in the mail, I wasn't sure what to think. Part of me was afraid- what if I am selected for a high profile case such as the one in To Kill A Mockingbird? The other part of me what thrilled to experience a new adventure in citizenship. I made my way to the U.S. District Courthouse, and here's what happened:
- I went through security. We were not allowed to bring our cell phones, so I just had my car keys, a summons and a new book.
- I checked in with the clerk and then was taken into a waiting room/courtroom area. It was impressive. We spent a lot of the time waiting, but watched a video on recognizing bias. We were told that, in addition to the 30 people who were waiting in this room, there were another 30 people who came to the jury selection process earlier in the day. We were told that all 30 of us would have to provide 12 pieces of information and answer any follow up questions.
- Next we had a break as the attorneys for both sides hashed out which 30 of the 60 jurors would come back for round 2. The team called jurors up for a sidebar conversation or clarifications. Not me, I just sat in my seat and read my book!
- Finally, after more conferencing with the judge, the attorneys had to come to agreement on which 14 jurors would be selected. One by one the judge called the numbers of the jurors, and then he dismissed the rest of us.
I am sorry to say that I was not accepted for this jury trial, but just going through process was so educational! Check out these resources and pictures (ctd.uscourts.gov) below:
Resources:
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