jury duty

Had to serve my jury duty for the first time ever this morning after finding out yesterday afternoon. Luckily I hadn't hopped on a plane the day before to visit my sister in Arizona, and i could serve my civic duty. I didn't get chosen for the actual jury, but I still had to spend the whole morning sitting around at the courthouse. The trial was for some guy that was charged with a DUI. We had to sit in one room for like an hour and a half, then out in the hallway to line up by juror number, back to the room for another half hour, back to the hallway to line up, and then finally to the courtroom for an hour or two. Each of us and had to stand up and say our name, and basic info about our life so they could get a good idea who would be fit to stand on the jury. They were interested if you were married, had kids, how much education you had, where you worked, your hobbies, where you get your news from, if you get any magazines in the mail. Would've been pretty funny to say that we get Playboy at the house, thanks to Hannah, but I didn't quite have the balls for that.

You always hear people joke about how if they get jury duty they'll just stand up and say they're racist, hate gay people, etc... and then be excused immediately. Sounds like a great idea, but once you finally get in there in front of the judge and lawyers it doesn't seem quite that easy. You're sworn in and have to stand up and state your name any time you're going to speak.

so in the end I spent 4 or so hours, and got a sweet check for $18.50.