I was in the 9:00 am group to meet one-on-one (in a manner of speaking) with the Judge and the four attorneys and the Defendant in the courtroom yesterday. Many people didn't have to go through this step, but I had told the court that it would be a hardship to be on the jury (but that I would, of course, serve) and that I had possibly been abused when I was very young, although I had no recollection of it.
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Scheduling - it can be a disaster sometimes. When dealing with the court, it seems that schedules are merely a suggestion, not something that is held to. At least, that's what happened yesterday. |
The next group was scheduled for 10:30 am, with a third group in the afternoon. Schedules change. I was there on time, and 10:30 am came around and I was still waiting to be called. I think I was finally called at almost eleven. Many of the jurors had been told to come back to the chamber at 3:00 pm that afternoon, so it was only those who had more detailed questionnaires that were being asked to return.
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The judge in this case isn't quite a severe looking at this cartoon, but she is female - not uncommon in family law situations. In fact, three of the attorneys are also female. I'm delighted to see that. When I worked in the legal profession there weren't many women involved in the field at all. |
I finally got my "day in court" and they spent about 20 minutes questioning me about how the store would be impacted with my absence as well as my early childhood experience. I was told to report back at 3:00 pm. I decided to treat myself to a nice lunch - something I hadn't done at all since being on Jury Duty the prior week. I went through the skyway system to "Momento" and had an absolutely lovely quinoa salad with grilled chicken breast. It was fabulous! I then returned to the the courthouse and settled in a chair in the Jury Duty chambers, deciding to charge my phone while I was at it.
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The Jury Duty room takes up a good portion of the bottom level of the courthouse - the Ground Level, although it's actually one level below street level. Here, the Jury Duty chambers are on the left and a large breakroom is the lighted opening at the far end. |
I got a call from the Court Clerk within a half-hour or so, telling me that schedules shift and the court was running behind time. Everyone was asked to return today at 9:00 am for a mass meeting with the Judge, Attorneys and Defendant instead of the previously schedule 3:00 pm. So I texted Chickie and DH and told them I was heading to the shop. I sent DH home and worked the rest of the day, getting some necessary things finished. DH, meanwhile, tackled the ice buildup on our driveway, getting almost all of it cracked off and removed.
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I've shown you the "Vision of Peace" statue before, but take a look at the size of the onyx statue. It stands three stories tall, and each of those hallways on Levels 2 and 3 are faced on the interior with black, white-veined marble that has the names of all of the Minnesotans who lost their lives in warr through WWI. It's a stunning legacy and a reminder that we're only here on this earth for a short time. |
So today is another day of rinse and repeat. If I get impaneled onto this jury, I won't, of course, be able to speak about trial specifics, and I anticipate it will last into next week. This is turning into a physical and financial burden. Those daily fees for parking my car are adding up and my $20/day + mileage checks aren't going to go far. They'll pay for my parking. But that's about it.
So I have the trash ready to get put out, I have a load in the washer, and I'll be returning to the courthouse for my 9:00 am meeting. I don't know whether or not I want to be on this jury, but I do think I can be impartial and make an educated decision based on the facts presented, and that's what's important in a jury trial. I'll let you know, either way. Right now, I need my swim time. Have an excellent Wednesday and Slava Ukraini.
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