Oh, what will this year bring?

Tis grand

June 4, 2008 on 10:46 am | In Uncategorized | 3 Comments

In January, I received a summons for grand jury duty. I had been called for jury duty once before but was dismissed when the case suddenly settled out of court just as the jury interviews were to begin. I remember feeling grateful that, although I feel strongly about fulfilling my civic duty and felt initially excited about serving, making decisions about people’s lives is not something I feel comfortable with. I felt better about the grand jury since I wouldn’t have to make decisions of guilt or innocence, just whether the case had enough merit to go to trial.

Not regular jury duty that lasts for a week, but grand jury duty which is a 10-day obligation spread over a 4-week period. I look at the dates they needed me and I looked at my calendar. In order to satisfy the obligation, I’d have to cut short my vacation, cancel all my business travel for the month, and reschedule my colonoscopy. I could do it but I wasn’t very happy about it so I called to see what was involved in deferring my commitment. They were very good about working out a different set of dates for me and so, with a blank calendar in hand, we rescheduled for late May and June.

In preparation, I cleared my schedule and let my clients know that I had reduced availability or, at least, my reaction times would not be as fast during this period. I was obligated to be in court for 2 or 3 full days each week. Since I don’t get paid if I don’t work, that meant spending all day in court, then coming home and putting in a full day’s work at home. I mentally prepared myself for the mental exhaustion this would bring on.

My first day of reporting was on May 28. I dressed appropriately as the instructions directed. I packed up my laptop and book and latest writing project to take with me so I’d have plenty to do during long periods of waiting. I picked up a Starbucks coffee, and drove downtown to the Hall of Justice. I couldn’t predict how long it would take me so I arrived early, very early, but still I wasn’t the first one there. I waited with the others, and watched more jurors arrive, as we waited for security to open to check us for weapons.

At the designated time, we shuffled through security, then waited in the open hallway for more instructions. We were then herded into a courtroom where our names on small pieces of paper were tossed into a wooden box. The commissioner of jurors spoke to us about the grand jury process, why the extended demands on citizens’ time and how they realize that’s a burden for a lot of people, and asked about any reasons any of us should be dismissed. A few people were removed and the rest of us good to go as jurors.

The summons we had been sent separated us into two groups, A and B (my group). The commissioner cleared a seating area of the courtroom, then drew names out of the A box to fill 12 seats. I watched as people filled in the seats, some looked resigned, a few looked nervous, one or two looked pissed off. Then the commish cleared another seating area and started to call the B names. One by one, he drew small slips of white paper out and called the names of the jury. One after another, my name was not called. When he had filled the 12 seats, he removed the A jury and the B jury from the courtroom. They would make up the grand jury. The rest of us were not needed.

The commissioner gave us three choices: have our records marked as Service Fulfilled which would take us out of the jury pool for six years, agree to be called for grand jury duty again in the future, or ask to be put in the pool for regular jury duty which lasts one week (you call in twice a day to see if you’re needed).

The commissioner’s assistant called the names of the unselected. The first one asked for Service Fulfilled, as did the next one, and the next. They seemed happy about it, like they had beaten the system and were now free of obligation. After half a dozen people asked for Service Fulfilled, a man said he’d do grand jury again. He looked like he was retired and had the time to spare to serve. The assistant thanked him, then continued to call the unselected who picked up the pattern of feeling they had served enough already.

I thought about what I would choose. I have to admit I wasn’t eager to be called for grand jury duty again, to clear my schedule for another month, and to endure the loss of income during that period. It was a big personal commitment: the drive to downtown, paying for gas and parking out of my own pocket, stepping out or bringing my own lunch. A part of me was quite grateful to be dismissed. To request Service Fulfilled would make my life much easier.

The assistant called my name and I stepped up to the desk.

“I’ll take regular jury duty,” I said.

“Really?” she said. “Thanks!” She handed me a calendar to select the week I would be called. I chose September 8 - 11.

I chose those dates for a reason. It seemed fitting that I would serve that week, that fateful day, the same day that seven years earlier, Nick had told me that if there was a war, he’d sign up to fight. He was 15 and two years later, he signed his enlistment papers for the Marine Corps. He spoke an oath that he would defend the Constitution of the United States, with his life if necessary. His term of service was four years.

The justice system didn’t ask four years of me. They didn’t ask me to go to a foreign place for 6 months, a year, two years. They asked for a week, even then, they might not need me. They didn’t ask me to carry an M-16, to put myself in harm’s way. They asked me to make a decision of guilt or innocence. They didn’t ask me to defend the Constitution; they asked me to make it work.

Hundreds of thousands of Americans serve in the military. All of them have taken the same vow. If they are willing to risk their lives, especially for those who have given up their lives in service, I want to honor them, their sacrifice, and their commitment.

And all it takes is a week of my time.

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Oh, what will this year bring?

Tis grand

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Oh, what will this year bring?

Tis grand

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