Jury duty

 I have been summoned to jury duty next week.

In the New York State court system,  that means I am on standby.  I have been given a juror identification number. Every night I have to either call the court or check the court’s website to see if I have to report to the courthouse the following day. If my number is called, I have to report to the courthouse.  If it is not called, I get credit for serving even though I’ve never left my house.

It’s a much better system than having throngs of potential jurors waste time in the bowels of the  courthouse when there is no need for them to serve.

Years ago, lawyers were exempt from serving jury duty.  But that changed in the 1990’s, and so I must serve, just like everyone else, if my number is called. 

But no one is ever going to choose me to be on a jury.

The very first time I was called for jury duty was in the 90’s …I didn’t have to report…until the very last day of my service period … a Friday.

There were four lawyers in the room, one plaintiff and three defendants, for an auto accident case.  And as soon as the lawyers started speaking, I knew that I was not going to be chosen for this jury.  Why?

— the accident took place in an intersection I drove through frequently 

— one of the parties to the lawsuit lived in the same town as I did

— the attorney for the plaintiff asked every potential juror if they knew anyone who worked in the property/casualty insurance industry

So it was my turn to be questioned.  The plaintiff’s attorney asked me where I live, and when I told him, I could see him scribbling notes on his legal pad.  Then he asked me what I did for a living.

“I’m a property and casualty attorney for the *** Insurance Company.”

And that was the end of my jury service.