So, I didn't get called initially, but we ALL had to sit there all day. Then, there was a call for an alternate...chosen from 5 people. I was #4. I guess they weren't impressed with my answer to: "how do you feel about being an alternate on the jury?" I said: "ambivalent". What do I mean by "ambivalent" I'm asked. (Is this a trick?) "well, tomorrow, I can can come here and serve or I can go to work...either way, I'm fine with it, but I'm sure my students would rather me be here." Lawyer: "yeah, they'd have a substitute" (um, did he hear me say professor at a university?) Me: "no. class would just be cancelled". Lawyer: "Oh". Verdict? They choose the high school social studies teacher who was "excited" about seeing the process.
I'm all about serving my civic duty, but for godsake...can I TRULY get "excited" about being an ALTERNATE? I just told the truth. I WAS under oath. I would have made the best of it...but I wasn't going to LIE.
I'm thinking the lawyers should have asked me a better question...say for instance: "Do you think you could sit through this trial as an alternate juror, but pay as much attention and take it as seriously as a real juror?" My answer: "definately." Or: "do you think your role, if you're chosen, as an alternate juror is important?" Me: "of course".
But, I didn't get those questions.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
1 comment:
Even though I would never really want to be called to jury duty (I was and got out of it in 2005), I think I would be insulted if they didn't want me. But I think I am overly-sensitive about things that I shouldn't be. And probably not sensitive enough about things I should be.
Post a Comment