All Kinds of Jury Fun -- Not

I had jury duty yesterday. I was to be at the Justice Center by 8:30AM. Due to being so emotionally upset over losing Daisy the night before, I had not gone to bed until 3:30AM. It was very hard getting up at 7:00AM, to say the least, but I managed it.

I got the the Justice Center about 10 minutes early and waited. And waited. Then waited some more. Finally after all of the prospective jurors had arrived, the new District Court Judge decided to talk to us and introduce himself. Nice enough, I guess. After that we were required to watch a 13 minute videotape about juries and how our jury system was born, etc., etc. I've seen it before. I almost fell asleep. I was happy it was over. Until they announced we'd have a 10 minute break, then would have to come back to watch yet another videotape. Groan. After all the smokers and people who needed to use the bathroom had returned, the video began. Guess what it was about? How judges are chosen. OK, that was educational, I guess, but why do I need to know that to be a juror??? Just before the video ended, we heard the phone ring for the jury commissioner. FINALLY it was time to go upstairs to the courtroom and get started. I was gearing up for a long day, because there were A LOT of people there.

So we get to the courtroom, which is quite beautiful, by the way, and take a seat. To my right was the defense table where an older attorney and his young well-dressed client were sitting. The judge has already taken the bench. He then announces that at this very late date the parties have come to a plea agreement and we can all go home. Oh.My.God. We sat there for NINETY minutes watching all of that stuff for no reason. Aside from being annoyed by that fact, I was happy and relieved. All I wanted was my bed and a niiiice looong nap, which is exactly what I did once I got home.

Jury Duty, Juries, Judges, Justice System