Once again I have been denied. I had a jury summons for today. I dutifully called last night and my juror number fell within the target group to report. I showed up. I sat. I read. Nothing happened. then the judge came out and said there ha been some kind of legal snafu which meant the trial would come up on immediate appeal regardless of how we the jury might have ruled so therefore we could all go home.
The thing is I want to serve. At least once. I've been called numerous times and never not even once have the proceedings made it to the question stage. How's a writer supposed to write when he is repeatedly denied life experience to draw from?
This isn't really a good blog post as I have no great wisdom, wit or analogy to tie my frustration in with anything larger. I suppose if I tried real hard I could find some correlation to the writing world, but I'm not feeling that motivated to be creative today.
Instead I think I'll toss a steak on the grill and get my mind ready for flag football practice. (Trust me it takes some mental preparation to deal with a dozen seven-year- old boys who are more eager to yank each others flags off than listen to anyone teach them the basics of a complex sport.)
Meat and competitive juices -- guess the day won't be a wash after all.
23 comments:
Perhaps you need to move to an area with higher crime so there will be more trials awaiting your unprejudiced wisdom.
You could always sit in on trials in progress and pretend you're on the jury panel. (I know people who bring popcorn and watch court cases as a regular form of entertainment. LOL)
I've been denied jury duty twice too! Makes me nuts. I really want to experience a trial.
Mmmm... steak.
I can't even imagine trying to teach a crew of 7 YOs football. With their attention span, you should be up for the sainthood.
Can understand not be motivated enough to be creative.
Writer's block can be deadly enough without throwing a blog into the mix.
That said, I love being not picked and wasting a day (and getting paid for it).
Someday maybe I'll get picked for a trial. But I'm not gonna hold my breath for it.
In any event, I hope you were able to get something in the way of topical material to write about in the future.
one of my proudest mommy moments came during a flag football practice my husband coached. boy and a friend had gotten hold of some of those halloween blood spurt capsules and just as husband was yelling "no tackling!" the boys get up with the friend drenched in blood pouring from his mouth. husband and coach #2 had a heart attack. it wasn't until the boys started laughing that they knew they had been punked (pre-kutchur punk days).
i laughed my ass off. Boy has a sense of humor and will risk laps for it! it is now part of family lore. it was a great day.
I feel you Travis, I feel you. You know I wrote that piece called Juror Deluxe and it was purely because the bastards told me I could not serve. What? Why not? I was so mad. I had been there since 8 in the morning and it was after 4 before I was dismissed. I got to the question stage but they still denied me being on the jury.
Next time I'm gonna curl my eyelashes and wear capris and maybe that will get me a seat. ;) (If not I could always throw evil lettuce at them!)
Enjoy your steak (which totally sounds good right now) and your sports.
Rolling up on the ripe old age of 62 and I have NEVER been summoned to jury duty, not once! Go figure.
Hang 'em high, I always say.
I sat jury duty when I was 20. It wasn't that fun.
I've never been called for jury duty, but I've always wanted to! My mom got to sit on one, but it was pretty sad. Some girl had been beaten pretty badly by her husband. It was sad.
I hope you get to serve! I wish they took volunteers. So many people complain, but some of us are more than willing!
Dude. 7 year olds & flag football? Are you allowed to drink beer whilst coaching? THAT would be fun. Otherwise... yeah. Eat your steak & relish in being a great Dad.
I was called this year, too--it was a rape and kidnapping case. I was excused.
any day with steak is great day. We all have to serve sonner or later so here hoping you get something cool.
Is there a complaints procedure? ;)
I, too, would welcome the experience, but have never been called.
Travis...me too! Oft called, never chosen.
i have been three times..and never called to be on a jury. I like the Homer Simpson way of getting out of it "Tell the judge you are prejudiced against all races".
I served on a jury a year and a half ago and it was horrible. It was a child sex abuse case and we had to hear and see things that no one should ever have to. My heart is still broken over what one "human being" did to that child. That said, creatively it did give me another well to draw from.
Hope your steak was wonderful!
I've only sat on one trial and it was an absolutely awful one. But it was certainly a worthy experience.
TE: Same thing happened to me. Showed up at 7AM (!) at courthouse, went through lenthy, tedious preliminary process, and hours later was finally led into courtroom only to be told by judge the case was settled by plea deal just prior to starting.
I was bummed (not to mention in serious need of a nap). For a lot of reasons, writerly and otherwise, I was eager to serve.
Am exempt for a whole year since technically I fulfilled my duty by showing up to serve.
I do plan on attending some big murder trial soon, and have started a new blog (!) for my courtroom observations/coverage.
Wow, the wheels of justice are a turnin' in Lubbock, eh???
All jury cases here in Houston (and Galveston county) have been postponed for the duration. I suggested a Roy Bean solution to this problem and hold court at a local Hooters (but not the one on the Seawall, as it no longer exists).
Karen
Jenn the wife:
The only time I was on jury duty I cried and I had a stalker. They can come take me away befor I want to be on a jury again
I'm with you in that I WANT to serve, as well. One night I booked a flight to visit my bro in Orlando. The next day I got my notice to report for jury duty...the day of my flight to Orlando! Needless to say, I had to be excused, so I've still never served, either. Hang in there, bud! People as choice as we are can't sit idle forever! ;)
If I ever get called, you can have my turn.
One time I was picked for a group that was going to be picked from. We waited and waited and waited. It took two days for them to pick the jury. The end result was they questioned me about having a special needs child and apparently thought I was not dependable since I may not find a sitter. Ummmmm....I managed to find one for the two boring days of waiting around to be chosen. Ridiculous.
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