Voir Dire
It was a long day during jury selection. It turns out that indeed the jury selection process was today and not yesterday. We sat through several hours of questioning. I counted about 80-90 of us that had probably been narrowed down from the original 200. I kept expecting to be questioned about something in my questionnaire but I managed to get out of there without having to speak, well except for this:
“Your honor I have an important job interview tomorrow that I’d like to be excused for.”
“Uh, I already have a job. This would be for a new, better job.”
“Well, I’d really rather not but I suppose it’s possible I could ask them to reschedule, I’m just not sure how willing they will be to do so considering the length of this trial.”
That was it, so I figured I was pretty safe. So about mid afternoon they wrapped things up and we had to return to the Jury waiting room to wait for the announcement of who had been picked to serve the next three weeks on this murder trial.
You should have seen the looks and expressions on the faces of the jurors who had been selected. A few were kind of excited but most everyone else looked rather distraught. They lined up while everyone who hadn’t been picked filed past the jurors and exited the building. The people who had been excused all looked so relieved. I wish I were one of those people...
Yes, I was selected as a juror.
No, I won’t be attending my interview tomorrow.
Yes, my prospective employer was very understanding and said he had no problem rescheduling after the trial is over.
Yes, that’s an especially great thing because after being gone from my current employer for three weeks, they are sure to realize that they didn’t miss me all that much and will lay me off.
No, there is never a dull minute with me.
Fej
“Your honor I have an important job interview tomorrow that I’d like to be excused for.”
“Uh, I already have a job. This would be for a new, better job.”
“Well, I’d really rather not but I suppose it’s possible I could ask them to reschedule, I’m just not sure how willing they will be to do so considering the length of this trial.”
That was it, so I figured I was pretty safe. So about mid afternoon they wrapped things up and we had to return to the Jury waiting room to wait for the announcement of who had been picked to serve the next three weeks on this murder trial.
You should have seen the looks and expressions on the faces of the jurors who had been selected. A few were kind of excited but most everyone else looked rather distraught. They lined up while everyone who hadn’t been picked filed past the jurors and exited the building. The people who had been excused all looked so relieved. I wish I were one of those people...
Yes, I was selected as a juror.
No, I won’t be attending my interview tomorrow.
Yes, my prospective employer was very understanding and said he had no problem rescheduling after the trial is over.
Yes, that’s an especially great thing because after being gone from my current employer for three weeks, they are sure to realize that they didn’t miss me all that much and will lay me off.
No, there is never a dull minute with me.
Fej
posted by Fej at 7:34 PM
6 Comments:
Couldn't you be like a woman and sweet talk your way out of it! Ugh! I'm all for civic duty...but geez, 3 weeks! That is crap. You're way to "nice" and I'm just frazzled for you! Ok...I'm done with your venting..lol. Do you feel better. LOL.
Oh man...I was all ready to wish you luck on your interview tomorrow when I surfed here. Hopefully the trial will be quick and you'll get the new, better job.
Thanks to everyone for both your encouragements for tomorrow’s recently postponed interview and for your sympathy of having to go through three weeks of a somewhat gruesome murder trial.
Em, I was so relieved when I talked to the guy. He sounded very understanding and sympathetic. I’m just hoping he feels the same way in three weeks.
ToughtsGalore, I’ll admit honesty will get you in the exact situation I’m in, so don’t be honest. Just kidding of course, but you should have seen the people who did try to get out of the trial. Most of them were excused but a few ended up with the silent ones like me. I can’t say I feel better about any of this, but I had a feeling from the start that somehow I’d end up on this trial. I’m not sure why but I did and sure enough, here I am.
Stan, thanks man, I picked up my pants from the dry cleaners tonight with the intentions of wearing them tomorrow. That isn’t gonna happen though. Really, the guy at my prospective employer sounded really encouraging, I haven’t given up hope yet.
And let’s not forget my “whoops” haircut. I totally sympathized with the military folks I saw today. It was cold, a few less mm’s of hair does matter, and now I have an extra couple of weeks before any potential or current employers have to see my mangled hair cut. Now I have time to grow some of it back.
I got selected for a week long trial, no not murder, freakin civil. The first three days were interesting, after that they started to beat a dead horse, and i could hardly stay awake...then after that week long trial...i got selected again the next week for a 1 day trial, one day only but still argg.
Glad im done with that, three weeks, god I have to say I think its hard work.
I think you're lucky for being picked to be on a jury. The only time I have ever been picked for jury duty was when I was pregnant and in school. If I ever get picked again, I would love to serve some justice.
That's too bad about your interview, but hopefully it will still work out well in the end, when you actually have it.
Think of the jury duty as an adventure. It could be interesting.
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