So, after 35 years of avoiding civil responsibility;<\/p>\n
I have received a summons for Jury service for the United States District Court. After checking with the office where I’ve discovered that I will be payed full salary by the office for up to 20 days of service, I have opted not to seek exemption.<\/p>\n
I will be on call for a month from February 3 through March 3.<\/p>\n
The process begins with a Questionnaire that establishes your residency, competency in English (which makes me question whether I really am a peer of the people on trial), profession, age, race, and if you are exempt from serving.<\/p>\n
Apparently, by law you are required to put your age, sex, race, and SSN. Which is interesting considering all the laws that say that no one should ask you for that information.<\/p>\n
Humourously, I think that I might be able to claim exemption if so moved. One question asks if you are a professional (Doctor, lawyer, clergy, teacher) I am ordained clergy in my church and am in fact performing a Mass during that time period. But, that is on a Sunday and all my prep and rehearsal time is in the evening.<\/p>\n
I will be making $40\/day if selected to serve. Which is interesting because it means that the value of a juror is far below poverty.<\/p>\n
The dress code (sigh) is business wear. Men must wear shirts with a collar and casual or dress slacks. No open toed footwear, tennis shoes, or jeans. I think I’ll wear my russian collar. Though I’m tempted to wear something with victorian frills as it is a button-down dress shirt with a collar.<\/p>\n
So, today the paperwork goes in the mail. In 10 days I call to verify that it was received. Then, the evening after the groundhog is sorting through the crisis of his shadow, I start calling for 30 days to find out if I am going to be among the 30% of the people picked to listen to a pair of lawyers lie to me.<\/p>\n
More as this adventure unfolds.<\/p>\n