jury duty

I often go through spurts of posting. It's been a bit of a dry spell recently, mainly because I had to go home two weeks in a row and I just didn't have the energy to even be annoyed at work, because all I was thinking was, "I just need to get through this day. Then I can sleep."

I was called for jury duty on Tuesday and was placed on an eight-day trial. I tried to get out of it, but apparently, "I work in retail and it will unfairly burden my co-workers and my bosses and I'm not sure if you understand but we're on a schedule and I can't just miss it because no one will be there and also tomorrow is my only day off for ten days and i reeeeeeeaaaaaally need to do laundry" will NOT get you out of jury duty.

I'm not allowed to talk about the case. Not even with the other jurors. The trial started shortly after we were selected and continued all Tuesday afternoon. We're allowed to take notes and pose questions when each witness is finished testifying. I've already taken four pages of notes. Others have taken none--have not even taken their notepads out of the designated envelopes. This makes me mad.

I do not even have the time to count how often the quote "your civic duty" has been mentioned today. And I completely agree. It is my civic duty, I am happy to serve, and I will take this duty absolutely seriously. I am well-aware that others won't. But to see some of the other people in my jury scares me. These people could not care less. I love the idea of the jury system--"a jury of his peers." It's something so unique to this country, something so important to our judicial system. I want to do a good job. I will take notes, listen seriously to each witness, and uphold the precious structure of our courts. This is important.

The fact that we have the ability to help to determine the financial and professional futures of these people is pretty incredible. Should we be trusted to do this? I certainly hope so, but looking around at my fellow jurors, I'm really not too sure.