Spring Break
Jury duty: one boring responsibility
The Kyo Protocol
Sarah Kyo
Issue date: 1/23/08 Section: Opinion
As people get older, they encounter milestones along the way. They're signs of the increasing amount of benefits and responsibilities that come with adulthood and being part of the community.
I had such an experience during the winter break. On a dark and rainy Thursday morning, I waited at a bus stop in my hometown for a 7 a.m. bus that would take me and others to downtown Sacramento.
While most of the other people on the bus were probably commuting to their workplaces, I was on my way for a possible day at court.
While attending San Jose State University late last fall, I found out that my parents had received a letter in the mail, summoning me to court to possibly be selected to become part of a jury. I postponed my participation until I could return home.
For weeks, up until that time, I kept wondering whether I would become a juror, what kind of trial would it be and, more importantly, how many days, weeks or even months the trial would last.
Another thought that came to mind was what it would be like to serve on a jury. The film "12 Angry Men" sprang to mind.
My "Law & Order" moment, though, was far from dramatic.
I arrived at the courthouse by 7:45 a.m. and waited in line to check in with one of the workers. After filling out some paperwork and figuring out how to insert my name tag into the plastic sleeve, I took a seat, waiting to see if I'd be one of the chosen ones.
After a brief orientation, waiting made up much of the day. One group of potential jurors was called at 9 a.m., while another was called in after 10:30 a.m. In the meantime, the rest of us found different ways to pass the time. A few slept, while others read anything from a free alternative weekly publication to a "Harry Potter" book. I had brought along my copy of Jane Austen's "Sense and Sensibility."
We were also shown one PG-rated flick after another. First came "RV" with Robin Williams. Then a couple of hours later, it was "Night at the Museum," featuring Ben Stiller and, yet again, Robin Williams.
I had such an experience during the winter break. On a dark and rainy Thursday morning, I waited at a bus stop in my hometown for a 7 a.m. bus that would take me and others to downtown Sacramento.
While most of the other people on the bus were probably commuting to their workplaces, I was on my way for a possible day at court.
While attending San Jose State University late last fall, I found out that my parents had received a letter in the mail, summoning me to court to possibly be selected to become part of a jury. I postponed my participation until I could return home.
For weeks, up until that time, I kept wondering whether I would become a juror, what kind of trial would it be and, more importantly, how many days, weeks or even months the trial would last.
Another thought that came to mind was what it would be like to serve on a jury. The film "12 Angry Men" sprang to mind.
My "Law & Order" moment, though, was far from dramatic.
I arrived at the courthouse by 7:45 a.m. and waited in line to check in with one of the workers. After filling out some paperwork and figuring out how to insert my name tag into the plastic sleeve, I took a seat, waiting to see if I'd be one of the chosen ones.
After a brief orientation, waiting made up much of the day. One group of potential jurors was called at 9 a.m., while another was called in after 10:30 a.m. In the meantime, the rest of us found different ways to pass the time. A few slept, while others read anything from a free alternative weekly publication to a "Harry Potter" book. I had brought along my copy of Jane Austen's "Sense and Sensibility."
We were also shown one PG-rated flick after another. First came "RV" with Robin Williams. Then a couple of hours later, it was "Night at the Museum," featuring Ben Stiller and, yet again, Robin Williams.
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