A couple of weeks ago, I received my jury notice. Yes, like you, I immediately rolled my eyes and groaned. But, as the date got closer, my curiosity got the better of me.
The first day was the narrowing of the jury, but was very tiresome. The waiting around and the same questions were fraying on my nerves, but I ended up being one of the seven picked. The guards called us the “Lucky Seven.” We were to report to trial the next day.
The trial was going to be an interesting one. An assault case, but not a cut and dry matter. I was excited to fulfill my obligation as an American citizen. Our court system has been tried this way for over 200-400 years, and I was going to be apart of that history. And, to think, it was only one year before I was born that women could even serve on a jury!
The trial lasted only one day. The whole process was fascinating. Not the interesting you see on television, but many of the same aspects, weighing evidence, hearing testimonies of witnesses, etc. The hardest part is not speculating or giving an opinion.
Yes, it is an obligation to serve, but it is also a privilege and an honor. I will not roll my eyes the next time I get a summons.
Loganalogy- The Family Historian 