jury duty

today was my first round of jury duty - ever.  i believe jury duty is a good thing, and so important for the functioning of our democracy.  it's sad that oftentimes we just want to get out of it, i myself feel that too sometimes, because it really is a privilege for us to participate.  it's similar to our right to vote.  by not voting, by not participating, we are relinquishing this precious gift of freedom that we have been given - that people had to die for and fight for - that people today in other parts of the world are fighting for.  And yes it's so easy for us to throw a pity party and fuss about our busy lives and what a pain it is to sit in a room and potentially sit on a panel or God forbid an actual jury.  Wow - I say this not in judgment of anyone, except, perhaps myself.  Worse so, I believe so much that our participation is part of our civic responsibilities and duties, and yet still I, found myself thinking of ways to get out of it with concerns over my upcoming travel schedule...

Here's how the day went:

1. My roommate and I hopped into my car this morning and stopped at Dunkin for some eye opening coffee (which did not work very well) and a greasy, delicious, fatty sausage, egg, cheese croissant. 
2. Drop roommate off near the office and then off to a local parking lot. Speed walk to the building
3. Walk in, go through security, join the long line of folks waiting to get their papers scanned and enter the room.
4. Get scanned, grab papers, find a seat in the waiting room FILLED with people.  I had no idea so many people were selected on a daily basis to come and sit.  How many Philadelphians are there?  How is it that this was my first summons, and how is it that many of my friends still haven't been called if they require so many to come each day?!
5. Fill out the questionnaires - which by the way are not that easy to complete.  you really have to put some thought into it because sometimes it's hard to not be biased or emotional or make decisions based on your morals.  
6. Sit, wait, read, lounge, struggle to stay awake, headnod, wait for your name to be called.
7. Several groups of people are called and asked to leave the waiting room and go to the room assigned to their Judge, or something like that.
8. at 9:30am, for Judge M, I get called as the 18th person to be part of this panel.  I'm getting excited... but the lady tells our group to stay seated, unlike the other groups who were called and then asked to line up and then head out to their respective rooms.
9. another hour passes... lady announces... for those of you with Judge M, I haven't forgotten about you... they are not ready for you yet.  i continue to attempt reading or working but can't focus cuz i'm so sleepy.
10. another hour passes... same announcement... i go buy a soda to supplement my insufficient coffee caffeine intake.
11. 12pm hits - lady announces... for those of you with Judge M, I haven't forgotten about you... you and for any one whose name has not yet been called, you may go take your lunch break.  be back here by 1:30.  in my mind i'm thinking what a generous lunch break this is!  govt...
12. walk over to reading terminal for lunch. take care of some urgent travel plans with my folks in china via skype over a bad internet line there... so frustrating... ran into my friend from church who is also in jury duty -what a coincidence.  look like a guest at the hotel across the street and 'borrow' their wifi.
13. 1:30 go back through security and re-enter the courtroom.  
14. 2:00 - lady says... Judge M, I haven't forgotten about you.  Judge M says no thanks we don't need your help today..  so you and everyone else may be dismissed for the day.  thank you for participating....
15. get the $9 check for our hard work and roll out, grab the car, head up to nyc

In the end, let's do the math to see how i made out by end of jury duty.

+$9 for participating in jury duty

-$8 parking

-$1.50 soda to stay awake in the waiting room

-$6.42 lunch at reading terminal

= -$6.92

and that doesn't even include my breakfast sandwich and coffee which my roommate so generously treated me too!  nor the value of time...


i feel like today could have been a really productive day for me sitting in the waiting room with my laptop.. if only i wasn't so stinking tired.  i was having enough trouble reading a magazine without wanting to put my head down... but then i also couldn't pass out because then i wouldn't know if i was called!  i'm sure i did a few headbobs...  i hate that... you're not productive but neither do you get rest as you attempt to force yourself to stay awake... oh well...

one other thing -i loved the diversity in the room...  good sampling... i like.

jury duty 2011 - checked off for the year.