I, the Jury
How ironic is this?
In my quest for more writing time and my diligence in putting that time to good use, I've been chosen for jury duty.
In fact, if you're reading this on Monday morning, May 4, I'm not really here. I'm sitting in a courtroom with dozens of other people, all of us hoping for a rejection. Again, ironic for a writer or what?
If I'm chosen for a panel, do you think they'll pick me? I wouldn't want me for a juror if I were on trial. Can I tell them that?
Besides, I've served on a jury before. In a criminal case. It was interesting, but once was enough. I'm a quick learner. Been there. Done that. And they didn't even give us a t-shirt.
But what if no matter what I try to make them disinclined to select me, they choose me anyway? And the judge decides to sequester us for days? Weeks?! Without wine - yikes!
Even worse . . . what if it's some b-o-r-i-n-g trial all about numbers or legal tenets? And I fall asleep. And snore. Can I ask for CliffsNotes? By email? And vote from home?
Maybe I can blog from the courtroom? Should I ask? Probably not.
At least I can take my Kindle and get in a little extra reading time, unless I'm chosen for a panel right away.
With any luck, I'll be back here before you have time to miss me. But if I'm absent for a few days, you'll know why.
I'll be around to visit as soon as possible.
In other news . . . you may have noticed the big WIN button is missing from the top of the right sidebar. That's because my website contest is going on hiatus for a while. I'm not certain when it will be back - probably sometime after the first of the year.
If you have a book you'd like to give away, email me at tikihuttimeATgmailDOTcom and we'll talk about timing.
See you back here on Monday, May 18 - unless I'm Jury Jane :)
In my quest for more writing time and my diligence in putting that time to good use, I've been chosen for jury duty.
In fact, if you're reading this on Monday morning, May 4, I'm not really here. I'm sitting in a courtroom with dozens of other people, all of us hoping for a rejection. Again, ironic for a writer or what?
Besides, I've served on a jury before. In a criminal case. It was interesting, but once was enough. I'm a quick learner. Been there. Done that. And they didn't even give us a t-shirt.
But what if no matter what I try to make them disinclined to select me, they choose me anyway? And the judge decides to sequester us for days? Weeks?! Without wine - yikes!
Even worse . . . what if it's some b-o-r-i-n-g trial all about numbers or legal tenets? And I fall asleep. And snore. Can I ask for CliffsNotes? By email? And vote from home?
Maybe I can blog from the courtroom? Should I ask? Probably not.
At least I can take my Kindle and get in a little extra reading time, unless I'm chosen for a panel right away.
With any luck, I'll be back here before you have time to miss me. But if I'm absent for a few days, you'll know why.
I'll be around to visit as soon as possible.
In other news . . . you may have noticed the big WIN button is missing from the top of the right sidebar. That's because my website contest is going on hiatus for a while. I'm not certain when it will be back - probably sometime after the first of the year.
If you have a book you'd like to give away, email me at tikihuttimeATgmailDOTcom and we'll talk about timing.
Comments
Good luck. Or maybe I should wish you bad luck...
A part of me is curious about being on one, another part of me knows it's a duty I should be honored to take part in, still another part is always relieved when I'm excused. :)
Can you take a note book and write while working? Pretend you're taking notes on the case...You could catch up on the trial during deliberation.
I don't agree with myself often enough to have any chance of agreeing with eleven other people. Good luck.
Alex - I'm a total fodder gatherer :)
Melissa - I had the right kind of luck :)
Bish - Yeah, all that. You could stay in the courtroom each day for the trial and hear everything the jury hears, for the most part. But the insides of the jury room are where the work happens.
Jan - I got rejected!
Delores - I'm happy to say I'm here and not there :)
Beer - YES! It makes me crazy. They were doing it today in voir dire (or however that's spelled).
Robin - They got rid of me in the third round. I was totally happy about that :)
Gail - The woman next to me pulled out a notebook and they made her put it away. LOL about the response. I may have been tossed in the first round if I'd said that.
VR Barkowski
BTW, I finished Secrets of Honor and really enjoyed it. I'm also very impressed with the research you must have done. And if I get my act together I'll write a review for Amazon very soon.
Lynda - I haven't been as productive yesterday and today as I have been. I'm hoping to be back in the groove tomorrow - I have a novel to finish!
dolorah - I agree. This would not have been an easy case. During the selection process, both attorneys indicated the jury would hear conflicting testimonies. So I think it would be he said/she said and using evidence and people reading skills and common sense to figure out what really happened. I'm happy not to be a part of that this time around.
VR - I've only ever been called for jury duty in Texas, although once was for a Federal court. All have been for one day - unless, of course, you're selected for a jury. I've heard of those week-long things.
Helena - Best rejection I've ever received! I'm glad you liked Secrets of Honor. I always do lots of research, although it's almost impossible to find out some things without having a good contact. All reviews gratefully accepted.
~Jess
DMS - It is. I've been writing away :)
Medeia - I took my Kindle and got in some reading time before they called us and some more on a break.
Jemi - It felt like I'd escaped when I walked out the door :)
Happy weekend!
Susan - Totally off. I find being a jury member stressful and a big responsibility. Plus, I'm glad I didn't need to give up too much writing time. The judge thought the trial would last about four days.
Emily - I did!
Order in the court, or some semblance of order, perhaps. I was once selected for jury duty until they realised I was nuts. Then again, it might of be a prerequisite :)
Speaking of boring, did the trial have anything to do with that weird alphabet challenge? :)
I'd better go now before I get arrested by the blogger police.....
Gary
Order in the court, or some semblance of order, perhaps. I was once selected for jury duty until they realised I was nuts. Then again, it might of be a prerequisite :)
Speaking of boring, did the trial have anything to do with that weird alphabet challenge? :)
I'd better go now before I get arrested by the blogger police.....
Gary
TBM - I totally understand that.
I hope you got out of that. They called me up last March and after going and sweating it out for two days *whispers - I didn't go back* Clearly, they didn't miss me, but then our system is a lot looser than your and I did go. Twice. That's enough of my time wasted.
Joy - I just looked up the penalty for not showing up for jury duty in Texas. It depends on the type of court - but here is the penalty for the type of court I was called for (altho it's not always enforced): If you blow off a county or district court summons though, state law provides for a potential fine starting at $100 on up to $1,000, and you can be jailed for contempt. Unlike the three-day stay for delinquent citizens under the federal rules, in Texas you can be jailed up to six months for contempt.