Jury Duty is often referred to as part of our civic responsibility...

As a juror, you are chosen from the general populations to be part of the judicial process for criminal and civil cases. A jury summons means you will spend the day waiting in anticipation of being selected to serve. You never know what the case is going to be about or who will be with you in the courtroom. A very serious process, it requires a potential juror to be fair, unbiased, and impartial. If chosen, the rules dictate that you are not allowed to discuss the case with anyone including those closest to you or with other jurors.

I was recently summoned for jury duty. While there, I met people from all walks of life and with varying degrees of excitement about the process. About a third of the room was excused before the selection process began. The rest looked up at the monitors with anticipation each time a potential new case needed jurors. The staff did their best to ease the tension with legal jokes equal in complexity to “dad jokes”.

Taken to a courtroom to hear the case presented a new level of anxiety as we were asked if we had any reason not to be in the room. Some cried, some barely spoke, and others gleaned with excitement about being selected to serve. How can one process have such varying responses?

The moment of truth came as we were invited back to the courtroom individually for follow-up questions. Needing to be truthful answering what felt like personal questions in front of a potential criminal was a bit unnerving for me, but perjuring myself was not an option.

While talking about specific details of the day are not allowable, I can say that jury duty is an honor. To serve in legal proceedings and the democratic process is part of what makes us free. Happy Independence Day & Week!

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…although I am happy to not get summoned anytime soon again ??