Performing My Civic Duty to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts

[gnomi]

(No, not voting (that's my civic duty according to Brookline Town Clerk Pat Ward), jury duty.)

A couple of months ago, not long before mabfan and I moved, I got a summons in the mail to appear for Jury Duty. Brookline is this tiny little offshoot of Norfolk County, and therefore I was originally scheduled to serve in the Dedham courthouse. I asked for (and received) a change of venue to Quincy, as it is also in Norfolk County and is T accessible (which the Dedham courthouse is not).

So yesterday morning I set out at 7:00 AM-ish to wend my way to the courthouse in Quincy (a five-minute walk from the Quincy Center T stop). I arrived around 8:15 (for an 8:30 AM appearance time) and made my way upstairs to the second-floor jury room.

Over the next half-hour or so (despite the admonishment on the summons to arrive promptly, a number of my fellow jurors wandered in between 8:30 and 8:45), the 18 of us summoned for that day's service arrived at the jury room and got settled in for a long day of sitting and waiting. Having served before, I knew ahead of time to bring reading material, knitting to amuse myself (I had no problem with the metal detectors on the first floor because my needles are bamboo), and snacks.

At about 8:50, the court officer assigned to the jury pool checked us all in and gave us our jury badges (basically pieces of card stock with our name, the date, and our juror number. Mine was 11 (this becomes relevant later)). He then showed us the videotape that every court in Massachusetts shows its jurors that explains the importance of jury service and the mechanics of court proceedings.

I briefly disconcerted the court officer, as my summons had been sent to our old address and I wanted to update my information with the jury system. After he'd checked everyone in, I went back up to his desk and said, "Excuse me. I recently moved, and I need to change my address." He got a very concerned look on his face and said, "Where did you move *to*?" "Oh, no," I said. "I moved within Brookline; I'm still eligible to serve here today." He looked relieved and handed me a short form to fill out. I then returned the form to him and he said he'd file it with the appropriate office.

The court officer attempted to find a judge to say good morning to us, but apparently all of the judges were otherwise occupied, because none was able to come and greet us. We then got a break during which many folks wandered off to get coffee or stretch their legs or whatever.

We all gathered again in the jury room, sitting and occupying ourselves in whatever manner we chose (most of my fellow jurors had brought reading materials, though there were some magazines available in the jury room for general perusal). I finished the foot of my sock and began the toe decreases. We sat around for longer, were given *another* stretching break, and then sometime after about 11:30 AM, we were summoned to the one courtroom that still required a jury.

All 18 of us were ushered in and told to sit in the gallery benches. We were sworn/affirmed in and the judge introduced the players in the case, along with all of the witnesses. He then asked us a series of questions to determine if any of us had a preset bias on one side or another of the case. When none of us answered in the affirmative, he handed both the plaintiff and the defendant copies of our juror questionnaires. Jurors 2 through 9 were asked to step into the jury box and have a seat, as this was a six-person jury with two alternates. The plaintiff and defendant were asked if they had any challenges -- for cause or peremptory -- for these eight jurors. When both sides said no, they dismissed the rest of us back to the jury room.

The court officer of the jury wandered off to confirm that there were no other cases waiting to be heard that needed a jury, and we resumed sitting and waiting. I alternately worked more on my sock toe and read my book. About 40 minutes after we had returned to the jury room, the court officer returned and said, "That's it. You're out of here. See you in three years."

I collected my stuff and headed back out to the T, comfortable in the thought that I had, with very little actual effort on my part, helped the justice system in the Commonwealth.

Comments

[eireangus.livejournal.com]

I've only been for jury duty once in Worcester, MA. Since I registered to vote in CA last year, I am sure I will get a summons pretty soon. Will you guys be in town for Pesach? I will probably be in MA!

[tsuki-no-bara.livejournal.com]

i have jury duty in a couple weeks. i have to go to woburn and i hope it's as easy as yours was. i've never been called for jury duty before. go fig.

[byrne.livejournal.com]

I was supposed to report for Jury Duty yesterday morning but the Sheriff's Office called me on Saturday to let me know that the trial was cancelled. I was very disappointed. Then we got hit by what the local media is calling a 'mega weather bomb', so I was less disappointed.

I hope I get called again soon, though.

[crwilley.livejournal.com]

It's so nice to see someone actually view jury duty as a positive thing.

[gnomi.livejournal.com]

I served back in late 1998, and while I was called one other time between then and now, my summons was canceled about a week before I was supposed to serve. So I really haven't done Jury Duty in almost 11 years.

We will be in town for Pesach. We'll be at my parents' for the first two days and Shabbat, but will be back in Brookline thereafter.

[gnomi.livejournal.com]

It's been almost 11 years since the last time I had to serve. I know people who have lived in Massachusetts their whole lives and have never been called. I think it's totally random.

Good luck with your service.

[gnomi.livejournal.com]

I actually enjoy being part of the process and doing my part as a citizen (as corny as that sounds). But, yeah. Not having to serve during a major weather event is probably for the best.

[eireangus.livejournal.com]

Cool! I am still making my plans, but will definitely let you know as I would love to see you guys/gals and Ken :-)

[byrne.livejournal.com]

I've been wanting to serve for YEARS, man. So frustrated.

[gnomi.livejournal.com]

I like that we have this sort of system, where ordinary citizens and not professional jurors help determine guilt or innocence. I also like the fact that Massachusetts has (and was the first in the US to adopt) a one-day-or-one-trial system. In other words, you serve for one day or the length of one trial. And then you're off the hook for three years. Other states have 5-day service lengths, and some have, I believe, monthlong service (and I believe Federal Jury Duty is a monthlong service period).

[gnomi.livejournal.com]

Did they completely cancel your service or just postpone it? If it was simply postponed, perhaps you'll be called again in the near future.

[gnomi.livejournal.com]

Excellent!

None of the kosher restaurants around here are open on Pesach, but perhaps we can figure out something else.

[byrne.livejournal.com]

I asked and they said my name went back into the pool. But, honestly. We're a VERY small community. There just aren't that many trials. LOL

[eireangus.livejournal.com]

Ah, I forgot about that! :-) We will definitely figure out something :-)

[llennhoff.livejournal.com]

I lived in MA about 25 years and got called 4 times. Never actually served on a jury though.

If you're interested, here is Bruce Wayne serving jury duty.

[gnomi.livejournal.com]

Yesterday, we were told originally that there were 10 trials, but by the time they got to the point of seating juries, all but one had settled. That left just the one six-person jury to be seated.

[byrne.livejournal.com]

*nod* We have a lot of traffic court (non-jury type) but really, if there's any more than two trials on at a given time that's BIG news. :)) In mine the defendant changed his plea and that was that. We're small enough that when I got my notice they already knew what trial it would be and approximately how long it was scheduled for. Very handy for making plans. :D

[caryabend.livejournal.com]

Last year I received a notice indicating that I might be called for federal jury service at some point in a six month window. I never heard anything further, and the window expired.

I've been called for jury duty twice in the 16 years I've lived in this county. The first time I was dismissed as a peremptory challenge, and the second time I didn't get into a courtroom.

Honestly, I would like to get seated someday, if only to be able to have something to laugh at when I watch the courtroom dramas on TV.

[gnomi.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the link to Bruce Wayne's service. Though I have to say, I might be automatically biased against an accused thief and kidnapper named "Filcher."

[gnomi.livejournal.com]

I was dismissed via peremptory challenge last time I served.

When I got home yesterday afternoon, I sat down to have lunch and watch "Law and Order." :-)

I seem to recall that my dad was called for federal jury service a number of years ago. He had to call every week and find out where and when he was serving.

[gnomi.livejournal.com]

The trial I didn't get picked for, yesterday's only one, was expected to be short (finish within the day). The one I got peremptorally challenged for 11 years ago was scheduled to last two weeks. I was very glad not to be involved in that one.

[caryabend.livejournal.com]

I wasn't actually called to serve, just notified that I might be.

The entire process was very efficient. I got a scantron form in the mail, which I could also fill out on-line, covering demographics and other routine information that I didn't consider overly invasive or inappropriate, and clear instructions to wait for a second letter in the mail if I actually got called. The website also had some good information as well.

[ephemera.livejournal.com]

that was short and sweet. I've never been called - part of me would like the opportunity to both do my duty and see into a hidden world, and part of me really doesn't want the responsibility.

[gnomi.livejournal.com]

Massachusetts is doing a lot online, too. I was able to do my request for transfer online, and I could've done any other number of jury-related tasks via the website. I'm quite pleased by this trend.

[gnomi.livejournal.com]

I like the opportunity, but since I haven't yet actually been empaneled for a jury and heard a case, I'm not sure how I'd feel about the responsibility.

[swashbucklr]

Sounds more fun than mine. Although you seem to have had to wait longer.

Twenty-six years in MA, and this was my first time, for the record. I was beginning to wonder!

[gnomi.livejournal.com]

There was a lot of waiting around for me and my fellow jurors. But once they had determined that there was nothing else to keep us for, they sent us home.

[glishara.livejournal.com]

I am extremely jealous of all the commenters talking about how they've never been called for jury duty.

I am only 28, and have been called 4 times already: close to every 3 years, like clockwork. Every time, I just sat in a room for 3 hours without every seeing a judge or any attorneys. After that, they would announce that all cases had been settled, and they wouldn't need anyone.

[gnomi.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I know a couple of people who seem to be on the "call whenever eligible and sometimes even when not" queue in Massachusetts.

[thespisgeoff.livejournal.com]

The one time I got called for jury duty, I spent seven hours waiting (there were over a hundred of us), got called in a courtroom with a panel of all-white jurors in the trial of an African-American kid, was sent back downstairs, then got called into a courtroom where the Public Defender was the Vice-Chair of the Opera Board.

I met four fabulously funny middle-aged ladies, we went out for drinks after, and that was that.

[gnomi.livejournal.com]

I've never made friends in the jury room, but everyone was very congenial yesterday, with some random shmoozing with the people sitting around you.

[seborn.livejournal.com]

I went last October to Woburn; I spent most of my time there studying. They had about 120 of us to choose from, and all but two cases settled before empanelling any of us. So they took sixty of us for one, sixty for the other, and mine at least went through thirty-seven jurors before both sides were satisfied.

The court officer did give us a nice speech in the morning though, about how we did our duty just by coming in because our very presence in the building caused attorneys to quake and settle out of court. It's nice to be told "You are wise and intimidating!" rather than "You're a winner just for showing up!"

[introverte.livejournal.com]

I did jury duty at the Federal Courthouse downtown five years ago. I had one day much like yours, then I had to call in on the following two Mondays. Then I was done, and IIRC Federal service gives you a longer grace period afterwards.

[cheshyre]

Just got my postcard this week with jury duty (in Malden) for mid-May

[vettecat.livejournal.com]

Yeah, when I've been called it's turned into a chance to catch up on reading... not a bad thing.

[half-double.livejournal.com]

Sounds like my experience, only I sat around for 3 days and endured 13 jurors' worth of voir dire before they told me to go home. And this was before I knew how to crochet, so I couldn't even entertain myself that way. I had a book, but, even for me, there's a limit to how long I can sit around reading.