March 9, 2010
The World Has Gone Mad
I've been summoned for jury duty many times; I've never even gotten to voir dire.
Until now: Through some perversity of the Fates, I was actually impaneled yesterday.
A juror impaneled is like -- is like a butterfly mounted. All day, every day for the rest of the week and perhaps even Monday or Tuesday next, I'm pinned in my box, unable to do ought but squirm and squirm, and wriggle and wriggle. I'll try to blog a bit in the evenings, but...
But on top of just closing escrow on our house, having to get it rewired, repainted, erecting a couple of fences, stocking the joint with labor-saving appliances; having our main car totaled, buying a new (used) car in replacement; and atop Sachi going through a particularly stressful time at work just now; suddenly finding myself on a jury is just too-too!
It saps the very marrow of my bones. *
I shall do my civic duty; but next time, I swear to whatever God I don't yet believe in that I'm going to show up in the jury assembly room sporting my t-shirt that reads, "I'd rather be waterboarding."
I'll see you on the flip side; and don't expect the usual long-winded, endlessly weedy screeds for which Big Lizards has become justy infamous.
* I've been told being on a jury is very rewarding, and the tale-tellers were right: I'll get about $75 plus thirty-eight cents per mile... where "per mile" here means, not my actual driven mileage, but rather as the vulture flies. Cheap, Alfie.
Hatched by Dafydd on this day, March 9, 2010, at the time of 2:08 AM
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Comments
The following hissed in response by: snochasr
You will find the experience rewarding in knowledge gained. I'm guessing you won't believe the ACTUAL justice system at work. Good luck with all things.
The above hissed in response by: snochasr ![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://biglizards.net/blog/nav-commenters.gif)
at March 9, 2010 3:04 AM
The following hissed in response by: DKDwyer
Here in the Alamo city a couple years back it was only a flat $40/day with no expenses paid of any sort, mileage, parking, lunch, etc. Guess everything really is more expensive in the Golden State, even justice. :)
My own experiences of jury duty as a registered voter these past 15 years is that I was only summoned to jury duty twice (within a six month period) and empaneled once (the trial lasted for only a day though -- Open and shut case of Felony Cocaine Dealing to a CI = 50 years.) Nothing before or since. Enjoy it while it lasts. It will indeed be educational.
David
The above hissed in response by: DKDwyer at March 9, 2010 2:11 PM
The following hissed in response by: Dafydd ab Hugh
David:
Here in the Alamo city a couple years back it was only a flat $40/day with no expenses paid of any sort, mileage, parking, lunch, etc.
Ah, I see I was too terse: I don't get paid $75 per diem, for goodness' sake; that $75 is my estimated total payout (well, that plus the so-called "mileage") for a trial expected to last five days.
The daily amount we receive for jury duty here in the hideously expensive Golden State is... $15.
Dafydd
The above hissed in response by: Dafydd ab Hugh at March 9, 2010 7:35 PM
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