(no subject)
I received a jury summons in the mail today. *sighs* I'm scheduled to appear on the 22nd of September. I believe I will be chosen. This is the sort of thing that happens to me. *stares into space, a little gloomily, but not very* At least I have served on a jury once before, so I have learned some things that should help me this time around. I shall list them here, for my own benefit, and for the entertainment and enlightenment of any interested readers.
1. Wear Makeup
This may seem a trivial consideration. It is not. I don't wear makeup most days, but it helps during those times when the line between fair skinned and sickly gets blurry. I look paler in the mornings, particularly if I'm up early, and apparently I also look paler when I'm nervous. Well, so I didn't wear makeup to jury duty last time, and I still remember glancing at my face in the mirror during one of our breaks, and being shocked at how awful I looked! I began wishing I had worn makeup, comparing my face to that of the other young ladies present, etc. This was an easily preventable distraction from my civic duty.
2. Bring Lots of Tylenol
Thinking intently gives me a headache (haha), so I need it for myself. Also, people on juries are always bumming medication off each other, so it is nice to have plenty to go around. Seriously.
3. Have Confidence
This is crucial. Your fellow jurors may be much more inattentive, stupid, and biased than you would ever have imagined. Don't be afraid to recognize this for what it is, and don't feel like you have to be swayed by their opinions. (I feel this way too often in general.)
4. We are all equals here
I have this polite-ish reluctance towards arguing with my elders and with strangers, and with more than a couple people at a time under any circumstances. But a responsible juror serving the cause of law and justice must be willing to do all three of these things, sometimes all at once. This is not a garden party. People's lives and futures are at stake. This, to me, is the most stressful aspect of the experience. Making up one's own mind is not really stressful. See below.
5. Reaching your own decision is easier than you'd think.
You are not there to guess whether you think the accused is guilty, but to say whether you are convinced of this beyond any reasonable doubt. This is a pretty tall order. Pay close attention, use your brain, weigh all the evidence, and you ought to be able to determine whether you have reasonable doubt without extensive and agonizing soul searching. When in doubt, set the captives free!! :-)
1. Wear Makeup
This may seem a trivial consideration. It is not. I don't wear makeup most days, but it helps during those times when the line between fair skinned and sickly gets blurry. I look paler in the mornings, particularly if I'm up early, and apparently I also look paler when I'm nervous. Well, so I didn't wear makeup to jury duty last time, and I still remember glancing at my face in the mirror during one of our breaks, and being shocked at how awful I looked! I began wishing I had worn makeup, comparing my face to that of the other young ladies present, etc. This was an easily preventable distraction from my civic duty.
2. Bring Lots of Tylenol
Thinking intently gives me a headache (haha), so I need it for myself. Also, people on juries are always bumming medication off each other, so it is nice to have plenty to go around. Seriously.
3. Have Confidence
This is crucial. Your fellow jurors may be much more inattentive, stupid, and biased than you would ever have imagined. Don't be afraid to recognize this for what it is, and don't feel like you have to be swayed by their opinions. (I feel this way too often in general.)
4. We are all equals here
I have this polite-ish reluctance towards arguing with my elders and with strangers, and with more than a couple people at a time under any circumstances. But a responsible juror serving the cause of law and justice must be willing to do all three of these things, sometimes all at once. This is not a garden party. People's lives and futures are at stake. This, to me, is the most stressful aspect of the experience. Making up one's own mind is not really stressful. See below.
5. Reaching your own decision is easier than you'd think.
You are not there to guess whether you think the accused is guilty, but to say whether you are convinced of this beyond any reasonable doubt. This is a pretty tall order. Pay close attention, use your brain, weigh all the evidence, and you ought to be able to determine whether you have reasonable doubt without extensive and agonizing soul searching. When in doubt, set the captives free!! :-)