Last week, Jay ended up getting a letter in the mail that made him absolutely cringe…he was being summoned for jury duty.
In the almost 4 years that Jay and I have lived together (WOW), I’m pretty sure this was his second or third time being summoned. As it turns out, he’s never had to actually go and serve on a jury or even go through a selection process, but he always hates getting the letter.
In all of my years growing up with my parents, they too would dread the jury summons letter when it arrived in the mailbox. Lucky for Jay, he got the confirmation this morning that he would not be getting another summons for six years, (which he was pretty psyched about) but I’m not gonna like…I’m sort of jealous!
In all the years that I’ve actually been old enough to be summoned, which is almost 10 years, I have never gotten a letter. Not once! I’ve actually always thought that serving on a jury would not only be a great way of doing my civic duty, but I just think it would be really interesting and fun (well, depending on the case, I suppose). I mean, I just don’t get it? I promise, I am a very honest and trustworthy citizen, folks. Send me my letter already!
*****
Food Talk
Since today is my long day of work, I made sure to pack up all of my goods before leaving the house this morning:
A vanilla Chobani, celery + yellow grape tomatoes, an apple, 2 (broken) rice cakes, some peanut butter for dipping, and a ham and veggie wrap which looks exactly the same on the inside as this one.
There was also some more Love Grown Foods granola added to the yogurt that didn’t make this morning’s photo shoot, as well as a generous handful of candy corn that I snacked on this afternoon. I’m tellin’ ya, that stuff is like crack…well, I’m assuming?
Today while at work, I also got a pretty freakin’ awesome manicure which I’ll be sharing with you all tomorrow. I’ll give ya a hint…it’s nice and festive!
Questions for the Evening:
Have you ever been summoned for jury duty? If so, have you ever had to actually serve?
Would you want to serve on a jury?
Emma @ Microcosm of Life says
I never have been summoned. How old do you have to be? How do they decide who to summon? It’s such a weird system to me, haha!
RunEatRepeat says
It’s so funny you wrote this! I noticed one of my co-workers had “Jury Duty” under her name on the schedule and I told everyone about how I WANT jury duty.
Kathryn says
I have gotten a summons, but as a stay at home mom, I get excused.
Gina @ Running to the Kitchen says
You don’t want jury duty believe me! It’s not nearly as cool/fun as it sounds and you spend most of your day just sitting around waiting. The only good thing about it, is the people watching in town hall/court. Some interesting characters float around those parts…
Courtney says
See, I LOVE people watching, so this would be perfect
Ashley says
I’m totally in the same boat – I want to serve on a jury too! I’ve gotten the letter twice, but never been called in, which always made me a little sad. I always thought I was the only person in the world who actually wanted to serve on a jury – apparently I’m not alone =)
Courtney says
Haha, you are definitely not alone! I’m right there along with ya ;)
Lauren @ Chocolate, Cheese and Wine says
I was recently summoned for jury duty but I had to get out of it because of a business trip. I really, really want to be summoned again though.
Brittany says
I’ve received the letter for jury duty once but never had to actually go. One of my co-workers is on it this month too!
Can’t wait to see your festive nails. :)
Courtney @ The Granola Chronicles says
I’ve never had jury duty either! Although the reason for that is probably because I’ve moved all over the place over the past few years!
Sweet and Savvy says
I Think it’d Be Really interesting to serve! It’d definitely be case dependent though.
Sylvia @ Frolic Through Life says
I’ve gotten the letter three times and I deferred my jury duty once because of school, but I’ve never actually been called in to serve. And quite honestly I don’t tbink I would want to go anyway.
Julie H. of Spinach and Sprinkles says
I’ve never done jury duty or been summoned. I do think that it would be cool- but I’m such a softie, I don’t think there are many cases I could emotionally handle.
Hope says
You are so lucky that you’ve never been picked! I had to go to jury duty for my local court. I sat there all day. Then I finally got picked to hear a trial. Luckily, I didn’t get picked because it ended up being a pretty big trial and the people served for a long period of time. I got summoned for Federal Jury duty over the summer and luckily, when I called they didn’t say my number and said I didn’t have to go in. I hate how I always get called! My fiance never gets called either. You guys are lucky! I’m jealous ;)
TeenyLittleSuperChef says
I’ve never gotten a letter for jury duty either and I’ve had 12 years worth of being able to go. I’ve always kinda wanted to see what it’s like and perform my citizenly duties and also kinda happy that I’ve never been summoned. Would be a good excuse to get out of work for awhile, though.
Erica @ For the Sake of Cake says
I had jury duty once & it was not fun! I actually got picked to be on the jury, but the case was really stupid… I think it was over a random fist fight? Anyway, the case ended up being two days & they kept us really late the first night… until like after 8:00PM! It sucked! I think if it was over something I’d consider important, I’d be more interested though!
Care @HealthierGirl says
I’ve been called 2x (once in PA and once in NJ). I went in each time and was selected only once. It was a really interesting experience. Our judge was really good and quite informative. We deliberated for several hours and even went back to ask questions as it wasn’t a cut and dry case.
After giving our verdict, the judge came back and told us that he thought we made the right decision given the information we had been provided by the prosecution and defense. Turns out that there was more to the story and if we had convicted it would have been pretty devastating for the family BUT the information we would have likely needed to convict wasn’t provided by the prosecution. All in all … it was fascinating and heartbreaking at the same time.
Emmarie @ Bananas and Beer says
The one time I got called, and actually started going through the juror selection process. I was totally interested in it, but wouldn’t have been a good juror, cause the defendant worked at my local coffee shop and I saw her everyday.
Maria@La_Piattini says
I have yet to be summoned…I feel like I should knock on wood right now! I think it may have to do with moving around so much- I’ve lived in about 4 different places in 4 years so maybe that’s why- they can’t find me!
jen says
i think you’re the only person who actually wants jury duty! haha. i got summoned once in college and thankfully didn’t get pick for the jury. now, i probably wouldn’t mind getting off of work to go!
chelsey @ clean eating chelsey says
I’ve never been summoned either! I WANT to! I guess I’m not that cool.
Faith says
I haven’t but my husband has and he LOVED it! He said it was a lot of fun and he felt a sense of pride afterwards that he’d done a good job for his community. {dork} He was shocked and disappointed at how many people tried to mess up the jury selection process or were just down-right nasty. The attorneys really had a tough time . He said it definitely made him think differently about the whole process and it did for me too.
Cute~Ella says
I’ve been summoned and didn’t have to serve either time, although I would do it. Now that she’s retired, my mother would like to serve often. She gets a stipend and it breaks up her schedule so why not?
Dione says
I have NO desire for jury duty. I have to go to court for a work related thing on Monday (unless the guy pleads guilty, which I hope he does cause I really don’t want to go). I am a lab tech and I turned over some samples to the police one day and I have to go for a chain of custody. This happened two years ago already, and the case was delayed once. It’s just annoying. So no, I have no desire to ever serve on a jury, I would probably say or do anything to get out of it:)
Katy (The Singing Runner) says
I was summoned 3 years ago, but was excused since I was going to school in another state at the time. I feel like I missed my opportunity. :(
Ashley @ My Food 'N' Fitness Diaries says
I’ve never been summoned for jury duty either! I’d be a little nervous my first time since I’ve never done it before, but I think it’d be pretty interesting too! I would be really excited if I got a good case.
Colleen @ Jimmy Choos on the Treadmill says
It’s only been two years since I’ve been old enough to serve jury duty, but I’m kind of curious, too! I think it would be really interesting, especially if it was a case that really challenged ethics and morals.
colleen @ thegiftofmondays says
too funny!!! i am 42 and have never been asked to do jury duty either although i want to so much!!! i take that back, i did get summoned for jury duty in florida right AFTER i moved from there to north carolina…i was like, really??? i’ve been waiting my whole life and you ask me two weeks after i move? what are the chances???
Meg says
I got a summons once but they didn’t end up needing me to even come in and be considered. I was sort of curious when I got the summons, but since they didn’t even need me, it was sort of overrated.
Stephanie @ StephSnacks says
I have actually never been summoned! It’ll happen at some point I’m sure.
Emily @ Perfection Isn't Happy says
I’ve never been summoned either! I think it would be fun though…if the case wasn’t too depressing. I’m sure it’s really difficult when families or kids are involved!
Courtney says
Agreed…I don’t think I’d want something like that. Maybe a blatantly obvious robbery where nobody was hurt and the robber was a dummy? ;)
Krissie J says
I’ve never been summoned or had to serve and have nooo desire to do so. I don’t want to waste vacation days on what could end up being stressful and unpleasant. :)
Ari @ Ari's Menu says
I got summoned during a slow time with work so I thought it could be fun, but I ended up getting cut so it was just a big waste of my day. I don’t think you’re missing too much–my friend Jason always gets chosen and he says it’s interesting, but you can’t talk about it and I love to gossip so I feel like what’s the point if I can’t tell everyone the secrets? :)
Rosa - Fitness Food Fulfilled says
I was summoned to a grand jury once for the sentencing trial of a guy who had commited 3 murders. I had lived in the area that it happened (before I moved to the Bay Area) and remember the massive manhunt for him. It was so scary! I was able to get off due to financial hardship (it was a six week trial and I was living on my own), but had I not, I would have stated that I was biased from living in the area and given him the max sentence. I was even scared to be in the same room as that lunatic since he was present when the jury was being selected. Yikes!
Khushboo says
I am such a fan of legal shows and so the idea of serving jury duty sounds so interesting…Seeing the amount of people who dread jury duty, I am sure the reality of it and my vision of it are not in sync at all!
Brittany says
I actually have done jury duty at the teen court for volunteer hours. It was actually kind of fun to hear all the stories and stuff. Is it a candy corn manicure? I saw one online and I thought it was adorable!
Amy says
My Mum and Dad have never been summoned for jury duty in their whole legally adult lives; however the year I turned 18 (legal age in Australia) I got summoned twice in 3 months!
TheBloggersBrother says
i wanted to be on the jury when i got called to go down, it was a murder trial, but they didnt pick me :(
Courtney says
I got summoned once and I thought it would be cool… you go through rounds of questioning and I got to the last round when they explained that the case was about domestic violence and they went through the list of things the guy was there for (all the things he beat his gf with…) and he was sitting in the courtroom staring at us… scared the ish outta me and after that I wanted NOTHING to do with it! I got out of it somehow and would prefer not to go back!
Kelly says
Trust me…it is not as glamourous as it sounds.
Chelsea M says
I’ve been summoned three times! I only had to sit on a jury one time and it was SOOO boring! (clearly not a fan of the judicial process!)
However my sister once got summoned when she was only 8 years old!! My dad had to write back that she had to attend ELEMENTARY school and could not serve :) still a funny family joke.
Ray says
Served last year and was selected. Sat through two days of testimony. When the time came to pick who of the 13 jurors would be the alternate (i.e. the person who had to sit through the whole thing but not be part of the deliberation and decision), I was picked. So I got to leave. A bummer to go through that whole process and not see it through till the end. But the lady next to me whispered as I was leaving that she would’ve voted for me to be the jury fore-person, which I did not want to do. So maybe a blessing in disguise. In the end, the verdict was the same as I was thinking – guilty.
Kim @ The Family Practice says
I agree! I had to report for a Federal case and was so excited! Unfortunately, I had a really high juror number and they ended up selecting a jury before ever getting to mine :(
The whole process was fascinating though and I did get far enough to hear the basic facts of the case. We’ll get our crack at it sometime Courtney!
Brooke @ Waiting to Rise says
I have been summoned 2 times. However, most juries won’t let me serve once they know I’ve graduated from law school. Something about that JD just throws them off a bit… ;)
Carrie says
Ive had Jury Duty once and I got selected to be on the case. Luckily it was only for 3 days because I was in college at the time. It was a DUI case, and I was the only one who thought the guy was guilty, (but I think everyone just wanted to leave so they were all agreeing with each other) but that is just it, you cant go home until all the people agree. I was even in tears, but they finally convinced me that since it was everyone against me that I would never win so I just gave in….
kristen@ livinlifeinlouie says
I did get summoned once, but my number didn’t get picked. my mom gets picked ALL the time!
Beverly-Ann says
I just got the dreaded letter last week also!
Jen says
I was summoned 4 years ago and got picked for a pretty highly publicized case against a high school teacher accused of sexually assaulting a female student. We found him not guilty on all 3 counts (if he was not guilty of 1 then he could not be found guilty of the other 2). The girl’s story just didn’t hold up (not to mention her dress, appearance, etc…) and none of it was really credible. No evidence to prove anything. We made our decision in less than 45 minutes. Actually, when we were finally able to all talk it was just an instant “no way” all around.
The hardest thing with it was that you can’t talk about it… AT ALL. Of course it is at your own discretion but still… it is so hard to just keep it all in! Since this was a pretty highly publicized case here in my area it was kind of hard, had to walk out of the room when the news came on, stuff like that. I absolutely LOVED the experience though and can’t wait to do it again if I ever get picked. Our group was VERY diverse, both ethnically and age wise. They actually picked a girl from the original panel that was a former student of this man, I found that interesting since really it could have been a conflict of interest. After doing it, I get really angry with people who just want to moan about getting summoned… I learned a lot from it and it was just a really cool experience to see our judicial system at work!
Shannon says
No, I have never been summoned to jury duty before. I think it would be cool to- it depends on the case.