As you read this, I am either driving to the new job, sitting at the new job or doing something related to the new job. Yes, today is day 1. Nervous? Yes! Excited? Yes! Scared out of my mind? Duh!
This is the start of a new chapter in my life and for better or worse its coming.
Meanwhile, yesterday, I spent most of my day doing my civic duty and spent some time on the other side of the bar serving jury duty. It was a DWI case, and needless to say I was struck. However, some things I observed: the prosecutor wad too eager and kinda annoyed me; the defense attorney was smart, to the point and did a good job engaging the panel; people in general are dumb. Yes, dumb. There is no right or wrong answer to their questions people. Just yes or no. See the point of void dire is for the attorneys to figure out based on your feelings how you might vote and if that would be in their favor. So, don't him and haw over answers, just yes or no. And if you want to avoid serving, you need to have a strong opinion one way or another. For instance, don't want to serve on the DWI panel? Tell them you cannot presume the defendant is innocent because if they were arrested they had to have done something wrong. Or, if you had a friend involved in a DWI, tell them that will sway your opinion and you cannot be fair and impartial. There is no need to be polite. You do not need to seem like a nice person or be the good citizen. You have your opinion and you stick to it. And the second way to avoid it, is the be in the back of the panel. 24 veniremen? You are juror 20? not getting picked.
See its the first 6 people not struck who serve on a petite jury and 12 on a full jury. Not they choose the best 6 or 12, but just the first ones not struck for cause or struck for no reason. So, want to avoid? Be unable to be fair or impartial. Or be an attorney, like me.
Wish me luck today!
