I got a notice around a month or so ago that I would be called in for jury duty this month. I didn't think all too much about it since it was awhile away and with all due respect, it was just another thing to keep track of. I've often thought that I would like to be on a jury, just to have that experience, to fulfill my civic duty and to take part in a form of government (on a good end of it).
In Alaska, you have to call into a number after five PM the day before you are supposed to start. You are assigned a number when you receive your summons and you reference this on the voice message when you call in. The message will state that number X - XXX are to come in and report to the courthouse. It's fairly efficient and when I called in I had no confusion as to what I needed to do.
The first time I called: not picked. I figured that I probably wouldn't get called since these were low numbers - no big deal. I almost forgot about it the next night but remembered. Sure enough, my number was picked.
Now a bit of history. I've never been called to serve on a jury. Alaska uses the PFD system (Permanent Fund Dividend) to get a list of all residents of Alaska. Simply put, if you like in Alaska you WILL apply for a PFD because it's basically free money to Alaska residents. In other places, they can use voter registrations. And this is the most likely reason why I've never been called.
Once I got out of high school and the small town I lived in, I changed addresses quite often. I never really stayed in one place too long. I would end up moving at least once if not twice a year, sometimes more. After I turned 18, I didn't register to vote because the presidential election didn't happen until I was in college and I didn't really care to vote or even have time to (at least by 20 year old me's standards). The years slipped past and I first registered to vote in 2005. I wouldn't cast my first vote until I came to Alaska as a married man, smarter and more worldly (almost 10 years later). Voting is still a mixed bag for me but I do it with pride and sincerity.
I don't have many civic duties but jury duty is one of those things I didn't want to play the status quo on. You know people who think it's a chore and that only dumb people allow themselves to be called to jury duty. There are jokes that surely everyone has heard to get out of jury duty and most of these I would imagine are more fact than fiction. It's one of the reasons why we fought for our indepence - just look on the Declaration of Independence. I can say for certain, my ancestors - on both sides of my family fought in the War of Indepence - and this had to have been clear in their minds. To be ruled without opportunity to be judged by a jury of your peers but by lords and landed gentry who were thousands of miles and oceans away, was worth fighting for. Worth dying for.
So yes. I was going to do this and be unbiased, truthful and serious. In other words, I was going to be serious and all business. And that's what I was. I treated it as work and absorbed every word, every reaction, statements and detail I could. By the end of the court day, my brain felt like it needed a break. We only had two, 10 minute recesses during the process.
While I can't and won't discuss particulars, I can say the process was very efficient, orderly and the staff were friendly and accommodating. While I'm sure if I were on the other end of the court system I would feel different - nervous, even fearful of the unknown, from a management point of view it was done right. Something I can appreciate. Especially considering the nature of law and cases that are presented.
I Google+'d most of the days activities except for the later half. I have to go back tomorrow so I expect I'll continue with blogging my experience in between breaks. While I don't enjoy missing time from work (which only serves to put me behind), I do want to do my duty.
In Alaska, you have to call into a number after five PM the day before you are supposed to start. You are assigned a number when you receive your summons and you reference this on the voice message when you call in. The message will state that number X - XXX are to come in and report to the courthouse. It's fairly efficient and when I called in I had no confusion as to what I needed to do.
The first time I called: not picked. I figured that I probably wouldn't get called since these were low numbers - no big deal. I almost forgot about it the next night but remembered. Sure enough, my number was picked.
Now a bit of history. I've never been called to serve on a jury. Alaska uses the PFD system (Permanent Fund Dividend) to get a list of all residents of Alaska. Simply put, if you like in Alaska you WILL apply for a PFD because it's basically free money to Alaska residents. In other places, they can use voter registrations. And this is the most likely reason why I've never been called.
Once I got out of high school and the small town I lived in, I changed addresses quite often. I never really stayed in one place too long. I would end up moving at least once if not twice a year, sometimes more. After I turned 18, I didn't register to vote because the presidential election didn't happen until I was in college and I didn't really care to vote or even have time to (at least by 20 year old me's standards). The years slipped past and I first registered to vote in 2005. I wouldn't cast my first vote until I came to Alaska as a married man, smarter and more worldly (almost 10 years later). Voting is still a mixed bag for me but I do it with pride and sincerity.
I don't have many civic duties but jury duty is one of those things I didn't want to play the status quo on. You know people who think it's a chore and that only dumb people allow themselves to be called to jury duty. There are jokes that surely everyone has heard to get out of jury duty and most of these I would imagine are more fact than fiction. It's one of the reasons why we fought for our indepence - just look on the Declaration of Independence. I can say for certain, my ancestors - on both sides of my family fought in the War of Indepence - and this had to have been clear in their minds. To be ruled without opportunity to be judged by a jury of your peers but by lords and landed gentry who were thousands of miles and oceans away, was worth fighting for. Worth dying for.
So yes. I was going to do this and be unbiased, truthful and serious. In other words, I was going to be serious and all business. And that's what I was. I treated it as work and absorbed every word, every reaction, statements and detail I could. By the end of the court day, my brain felt like it needed a break. We only had two, 10 minute recesses during the process.
While I can't and won't discuss particulars, I can say the process was very efficient, orderly and the staff were friendly and accommodating. While I'm sure if I were on the other end of the court system I would feel different - nervous, even fearful of the unknown, from a management point of view it was done right. Something I can appreciate. Especially considering the nature of law and cases that are presented.
I Google+'d most of the days activities except for the later half. I have to go back tomorrow so I expect I'll continue with blogging my experience in between breaks. While I don't enjoy missing time from work (which only serves to put me behind), I do want to do my duty.
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