Yep, it’s the fourth Saturday of the month and that means a new challenge regarding something you’re afraid to write. But...
I get a letter from the court saying that I’m being summoned to jury duty. Okay, it’s a civic responsibility and I’m up for that. Some years I was involved with a business where I was earning $500 a day and jury pay was -- about $4.00 per hour.
Those times I was excused. There were other times when the court was twenty miles away and I had no (reasonable) way to get there. I was excused.
There have been many times I’ve been in the “1-Day, 1-Trial” situation and, when I called in, they said I wasn’t needed.
All that just to say that I’ve served on two military courts martial, but never on a civilian jury until... this week.
I obviously can’t talk about the case but it appears I’ll be involved with it until the 4th of February (we’ll see how that schedule holds out).
So, even though I’m supposed to put up a new challenge for you, I didn’t get around to it this week and you’ll just have to put up with writing about...
This Week’s Challenge:
I’m winging it here, folks: let me hear about your jury duty stories. Use prose or poetry to tell me about that time you were on a jury, faced a jury, or managed to get out of jury duty.
Ideas:
If you’ve ever served on jury duty, give us a synopsis of what it was like.
After this thing is over, I’m planning on writing about the difference between military and civilian courts. If you’ve ever served on both, let us read your opinion of the differences.
People use any number of excuses to get out of serving on a jury because they are afraid of doing it or just don’t want to take the time. If you’ve ever avoided jury duty, I’d love to hear what excuse you used.
I’m in Southern California so my story deals with California and U.S. law. However, we have writers from all around the world and I’d love to hear something from them. Do you have jury duty? How long does it last? What size is a typical jury for your country? Can you offer an excuse to get out of it? What are your responsibilities if you’re on a jury?
If you’ve ever been in court facing a jury and feel comfortable writing about it, I’d love to read what you have to say about the experience.
Watch Out For:
Don’t know the legal ramifications about talking about individual cases after they’re over, so I’ll advise you to change all the names dealing with any legal case you mention -- just in case.
Recap:
First, I said I’d write something for this week and I will -- honest. I’m sensing a trend here in that, due to the number of submissions, you seem to like poetry challenges. Hmmmmmmmmmmmm!
(Saturday Writing Essential) Distillation by Patrick M.
Autobiography (Saturday Writing Essential) - The White Rose of Athens by Sonia M.
Endless [Autobiography (Saturday Writing Essential)] by Joann B.
Mary Ann Slavcheff chose to make her submission in a comment.
Ms Lee P. chose to make her submission in a comment.
New Poem: Visiting Dad: Gather Writing Essential Saturday (SatWE) Autobiographical Poem; Sunday (SunWE) Free Verse by Doug Westberg
Poem - I Grew Old. (Saturday Writing Essentials – SWE 1-19-13) by Ms Lee P.
POEM: Birthday............ SunWE Free Verse and Sunday Writing Essential by Barbary Chaapel
Poetic parts of a life (Saturday Writing Essentials: January 19th, 2013) by Angela A.
Sat.WE..(Autobiography)......I WEAR READ...01.19.2013....Barbara H... by Barbara H.
Saturday Writing Essential by Ed Da Head Toker
satwe by Christina Williams
Satwe.............Grammie's Heartache..............Saturday Writing Essential by Janice F.
Satwe-01/19/2013-Heart's Poison--Iambic Pentameter by sarah leanne
I was limited in the time I had to prepare my column and I might have missed some submissions. I apologize if I did and, if you’ll let me know in a comment, I’ll have your submission listed next week.
Weekly reminder: Don't forget to recommend an article that you like (to learn why, read Ann Marcaida's article Attract More Writers and Artists to Gather!). Also, try to place a comment on at least one article and say more than you liked the piece. Tell the author what worked and what needs work.
The Rules:
- Put this challenge statement at the beginning or end of your submission so readers will know what you’re supposed to do.
Challenge: I’m winging it here, folks: let me hear about your jury duty stories. Use prose or poetry to tell me about that time you were on a jury, faced a jury, or managed to get out of jury duty.
- There is a limit of three submissions from each member per day. If you’re extremely prolific, spread out your work and post only three submissions per day.
- Post to Gather Writing Essential.
- Tag your submission with SatWE.
- Include (Saturday Writing Essential) as part of your title.
- I ask that you make your submission(s) by next Friday afternoon.
Good Writing!
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Comments: 44
Featured in SaWE in the Triple Name Club.
I was on a mock jury for continuing legal education. Intersting that I am now a legal editor. Anyway, the case was a personal injury case. all participants were active attorneys, gaining experience in courtroom procedures and trail practice in this mock trial. I watched the trial. the plaintiff said that the accident was not his fault, although this reminas a matter of contention. His shoulder was hurt and he couldn't carry the 5 pound water jub at work or lifte it, like he could before. aww.
The defendant represented the other driver, who gave some evidence that the accident was the other guy's fault.
the judge gave us our instruction: Do not, he said, first thing, take a vote. Most juries do that straight off and it is wrong. Keep an open mind and gather the evidence.
Okay. in the deliberatinosn room, the forewoman waid Okay, let's take a vote. I piped up and said, no. The Judge said not to takea vot until everybody has discussed this issue.
Well, people wantee t discuss and take a vote. They said the plaintiff should get some reuneration becayuse his suit was lost.
well. we decidd it bac and forth for an hour; took a break and then some more.
they were willing to give the guy medical spending and a bit of extra money but atht's iot.
in the mniddle of him being all serious, we arrive at a conclusion. = not entitled to damages, only to medical costs.
the judge then asked me to rate everybody's appearacnce for professionalism. So I did.
the lead woman was siply nd tastefully dressed in a beigg suit and short hair. the other woman atorney had a too-tight skacket and skirt and hair too high and too much makeup and heeels too hg,
so, the guy did not get any remunation, but we all learned a lotl he setted back in calgarym which suited everybody.
Sorry, Ms Legal Editor, couldn't resist.
Thank you for sharing and submitting to
The Surreal Circus.
So, to make it short - I got a jury summons this week, too. The last time I was called - two years ago - I went. The cases that day were all drug ones - possession. When asked by the Judge if there was any reason we couldn't be unbiased jurors in these cases, I said "yes". He asked me what those reasons were. I told him I believed all drugs should be legalized, that our city and state would have much more money if we'd release all those in jail for possession charges and drop the charges - and stop harassing those who do drugs, and my sympathies automatically are with the one arrested, not the current law.
"You're excused!".
I was just being honest. I got my lousy fifteen bucks, went home, and hoped that was that. Nope - just got the notice again. Most likely another few drug cases - and same excuse on my part.
The honest works for me. If you had been impaneled you might have improperly influenced the decision of the jury. I'll have your comment listed on next week's SatWE column.
There's also that "creep" factor and those types need to be taken off the streets.
Hmmmm, another case (not a pervert) was a man and his wife suing a bar for (allegedly) serving a customer too many drinks when they knew he was already drunk. The drunk ran into the couple while drunk and did some bodily harm (a previous trial) now they were suing the bar. There were two members on this jury who voted that the bar was guilty and should be fined as charged and ten juriors voted not guilty. It turned out that they only needed ten innocent votes to find the bar not guilty of the charges. So, it seems that not all 12 jury members have to vote the same way to find innocence of guilt. This case only needed 10 votes.
But I watch The Good Wife - doesn't count, huh?
I hope to read some exciting post on this subject.
Featured on Surreal Circus
Thanks for the feature.
Whew! I got carried away there for a second. We'd love to read your story.
I kind of enjoyed the jury panel experiences I've had here actually, in an educational sort of way. I hated doing it in Calif./LA though, long drive fighting traffic, then sit for an entire week twiddling my thumbs all day in a crowded room for nuttin'. Here you're picked for a case or not fairly early that first day, and get to go home if not, all done... having completed your civic duty.
May it be done.
Thank you for submitting to: Not Gathering Dust!
YIKES 2 times serving in a military court!
TheJerkOnTheJury