Things I Planned on Doing While Serving Jury Duty
I have known since last Friday that part (if not all) of this week was going to be occupied by jury duty. This being the fifth time I've been called during my life, I knew careful consideration needed to be given to how I was going to fill the long periods of waiting that this type of service entails. Here is my to-do list which was compiled before and then adjusted during the experience.
1. *Bring and read, one each, magazine and book.
2. Sketch items / people in the jury holding room.
3. Smash phone of man next to me.
4. Begin designing a new website for my business.
5. See an actual courtroom.
6. Lie on my questionaire to get disqualified from case.
7. Work on projects for clients.
8. *Bring and eat snacks.
9. Avoid eye contact.
10. Serve justice.
I actually accomplished items marked with an asterisk (*)
Did you at least take possession of the phone of the man next to you, but just not smash it?
I recently just got out of jury duty. But, if I have to go and can not get out of it. Try these, they've worked for me. Usually I sit there for one day and then they give me that slip of paper that states that I fullfilled my obligation.
Couple of things I noticed that get me out of jury duty:
1. Do not shave for a week before jury duty. My beard usually grows pretty thick within 3 days, a week and people assume I'm a bum.
2. Where your worst looking t-shirt & jeans. I usually wear clothes I use to paint or my ripped clothes I use when I help people with construction projects.
Added bonus, last time I wore a KMFDM (industrial band) t-shirt that said Black man, White man Rip the system. The judge actually made me get up from the jury box and show him the back of my shirt then excused me & sent me home.
3. Always answer I have a family member who is a policeman or I have been a victim of a similar crime.
4. If they ask you a direct question answer, respond - can you repeat the question I wasn't paying attention. Or raise your hand when they are asking questions and ask, when's lunch?
I've actually used all of the suggestions above and have only sat on jury duty for one day.
I wish I would have been able to concentrate on the book I brought to jury duty last summer. But the baliff loaded up "Die Hard 2" in the VCR and played it so loud, it was impossible to read or do anything. Sounds like things were a bit more mellow in your jury room.