NothingButLove
Distinguished member
- Joined
- Dec 25, 2016
- Messages
- 106
- Reason
- Lost a loved one
- Diagnosis
- 11/2016
- Country
- US
- State
- CA
- City
- Anaheim
I'll do anything to get out of the house these days. When my wife got a jury duty notice, I thought, "Hey! That sounds fun!". She wasn't scheduled until June and she was just supposed to call in to see if she had to report. I called the jury office and asked if my wife could report in person ASAP. The person I spoke with said, "No problem..."
Two days later we reported to the Central Justice Center in Santa Ana, CA. We immediately got called for jury selection. It was a murder trial and the court room was packed with perspective jurors. I would estimate about 200 people. The judge said jury selection was going to take 2 to 3 days and the trial was expected to last 5 weeks. If there was a reason you couldn't serve, you had to select the reason on a questionnaire the bailiff passed out. There was no way she could server on the jury because she is participating in a clinical trial. My wife had infusions scheduled for all of next week. She checked "medical", the bailiff collected the questionnaire and we took a 30 minute break.
After all the perspective jurors returned to the court room, the judge called a number of jurors to get in a line towards the front. My wife was fourth in line. It went like this:
Judge: Why can't you serve?
Juror: I have to take care of my mom and kids and my wife can't do it because she works.
Judge: We'll talk more about this later. Have a seat.
Judge: Why can't you serve?
Juror: I have an opertation scheduled in July.
Judge: Are you in pain?
Juror: No.
Judge: Have a seat.
Judge: Why can't you serve?
Juror: I have appointments.
Judge: What kind of appointments.
Juror: Just general appointments.
Judge: Sit down.
Then it was my wife's turn. The judge asked why she could not serve. From her wheelchair in her soft, sad sounding raspy voice she said, "I have ALS and I'm participating in a clinical trial that conflicts with the schedule of the court." The judge immediately said, "OK. I'm excusing juror number 125." My wife and I turned around and started walking towards the exit.
About half way to the exit, the judge said, "Ma'am, ma'am...". We turned around and faced the judge. In a very serious and sincere tone, the judge said,
"I just want to thank you for taking the effort to report to jury duty today and not assuming your condition precludes you from serving. I am duly impressed." Then the judge looked at me and said, "And I would like to thank you sir for taking the time to assist her today." My wife said "Thank you, thank you" that almost sounded like she was crying. (she wasn't) The prospective jurors let out a muffled "Aw...".
I don't know... There's just something about a superior court judge being duly impressed by you that makes you feel better about yourself. We left the court room and celebrated by going to my wife's favorite German restaurant.
Rob
Two days later we reported to the Central Justice Center in Santa Ana, CA. We immediately got called for jury selection. It was a murder trial and the court room was packed with perspective jurors. I would estimate about 200 people. The judge said jury selection was going to take 2 to 3 days and the trial was expected to last 5 weeks. If there was a reason you couldn't serve, you had to select the reason on a questionnaire the bailiff passed out. There was no way she could server on the jury because she is participating in a clinical trial. My wife had infusions scheduled for all of next week. She checked "medical", the bailiff collected the questionnaire and we took a 30 minute break.
After all the perspective jurors returned to the court room, the judge called a number of jurors to get in a line towards the front. My wife was fourth in line. It went like this:
Judge: Why can't you serve?
Juror: I have to take care of my mom and kids and my wife can't do it because she works.
Judge: We'll talk more about this later. Have a seat.
Judge: Why can't you serve?
Juror: I have an opertation scheduled in July.
Judge: Are you in pain?
Juror: No.
Judge: Have a seat.
Judge: Why can't you serve?
Juror: I have appointments.
Judge: What kind of appointments.
Juror: Just general appointments.
Judge: Sit down.
Then it was my wife's turn. The judge asked why she could not serve. From her wheelchair in her soft, sad sounding raspy voice she said, "I have ALS and I'm participating in a clinical trial that conflicts with the schedule of the court." The judge immediately said, "OK. I'm excusing juror number 125." My wife and I turned around and started walking towards the exit.
About half way to the exit, the judge said, "Ma'am, ma'am...". We turned around and faced the judge. In a very serious and sincere tone, the judge said,
"I just want to thank you for taking the effort to report to jury duty today and not assuming your condition precludes you from serving. I am duly impressed." Then the judge looked at me and said, "And I would like to thank you sir for taking the time to assist her today." My wife said "Thank you, thank you" that almost sounded like she was crying. (she wasn't) The prospective jurors let out a muffled "Aw...".
I don't know... There's just something about a superior court judge being duly impressed by you that makes you feel better about yourself. We left the court room and celebrated by going to my wife's favorite German restaurant.
Rob
