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Jury Duty

Posted 30 April, 2007 at 8:31pm by Michael Chu
(Filed under: Life)

So, I'm up for jury duty this week. According to the instructions, I'm supposed to go to http://www.sccsuperiorcourt.org/jury/juryinfo.html where it's supposed to give me info on when and where I'm suposed to go, if my group number is called. Problem is, most of the groups are told to check in again around noon the following day. I don't work in my county — I work in San Francisco, about am hour north of where I live. So, I drive up to work, and, in trepidation, load the website to see if my group has been called up. Today, the website wasn't updated at the times it said it would be updated, so I called the telephone number to find out that I'd have to check again after 5:00pm (for the next day). I checked again for tomorrow, and I have to check tomorrow around noon. . . again. Then I read the rest of the page to find out where the courthouses are and find out there's a chance that I could get called to San Martin. I didn't even know where San Martin is. After looking it up on a map I find out it's between Morgan Hill and Gilroy (far) - probably 1 hour 40 minute drive if there's no traffic. So, now I'm just crossing my fingers that I don't drive up to work tomorrow only to drive back down.

3 comments to Jury Duty

Harold, May 3rd, 2007 at 11:09 am:

  • The last few years, I've got the initial jury summons notification once a year. But, after all these years - more than 10 summons in my adult life so far - I've only been called to report once, and that time the case was settled before it went to trial.

    So my impression is that there is a vast juror selection machine that works tirelessly, ceaselessly, calling up citizens in every county, probably to the tune of 100 times the number of people who could actually serve (thining about it, it's probably much higher than that, even, depending on how many people are in a given group). The concern is a good one: that no one person is selected multiple times in a given period (we don't want professional jurors), and that everyone is represented - honestly, A.C. Nielsen could learn something from this process. But what it amounts to, I think, is a really remote chance of actually being selected for a jury…maybe not as absymal as winning the lottery - *maybe* not - but I only know one person who's ever actually served on a jury, and I know a lot of people.

    It's a shame, in a way, because part of me gets a little patriotic thrill every time I get the initial summons - I get to participate in government! - and so there's a commensurate little let-down each time it doesn't happen. But the odds are extremely against me…or anyone else, for that matter.

Michael Chu, May 4th, 2007 at 10:02 am:

  • Looks like no jury duty this year.

    "Thank you for your services to the court this week. You are excused and will receive a one year exemption."

    I've only had three summonses since moving to the Bay Area and have never had to actually go in. When I was working at Intel, I would secretly hope to go and experience the court system for myself (outside of high school government class), but it's not so good when you're 1/4 of a start-up and working on some new features slated for roll out this month. (Hint, hint - keep your eyes open on Fanpop for some new features in the coming month.)

Terri Mietz, June 27th, 2009 at 9:33 pm:

  • I got a call for duty this week and I don't remember my number. I have the parking permit and it doesn't state my number. I think I remember it being 195. Can someone confirm this for me?

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