Civic duty

[cactusjack]

I spent most of the day in downtown Phoenix at the Sandra Day O'Connor Federal Courthouse. It was my week for jury duty. I have never actually had to appear for jury duty, even though I have been summoned a few times. It was a pretty interesting process. The case was a federal criminal trial of a Mexican citizen charged with conspiracy to harbor illegal aliens and a count of harboring illegal aliens. That's all I know, since I didn't make it past the jury selection process. I guess getting robbed at gunpoint while working the night shift at a convenience store 22 years ago somehow makes me an undesirable juror. Go figure.

It's safe to assume the accused was either smuggling someone or had some connection with a drop house. Both are common crimes here.

The courthouse building bears a mention. It's 6 stories tall and has a lobby 6 stories high and as big and wide as a football field. Seriously. It was like the inside of an airplane hangar. And all glass, including the roof. In Phoenix! It was hotter than hell in that lobby and they actually have misters going which made it humid as hell, too. Fortunately, the jury room and the courtroom were air conditioned. They have this 6 story high round "special proceedings courtroom" at the west end of the lobby. That must be where they hold the big time trials. Outside it is a 10-foot tall bronze statue of Justice O'Connor. Impressive.

It was an educational and interesting way to kill most of a day, avoid work, and earn $40 (+ mileage) in the process. I highly recommend it.

[blowndodge]

It's more fun when you actually get to hang somebody too!!!!

[Yellow Jacket]

$40 plus mileage? ? ? Geeze, we only get $25 here and that's it!

Of course, some employers also want you to fork that over to them if they pay you while you're off for jury duty.

[cactusjack]

Originally Posted by Yellow Jacket

$40 plus mileage? ? ? Geeze, we only get $25 here and that's it!

Of course, some employers also want you to fork that over to them if they pay you while you're off for jury duty.

I think Superior Court only pays $10-$15 a day here. Federal jury duty pays more. I'm lucky in that my employer pays me for a full day, AND I get to keep the jury pay.

[cheriann]

I have only gotten something in the mail for jury duty once, and it was where I had to call in each night for a week to see if they needed me....thye never did and I was bummed! I would like to experience it at least once!!!

[waterman]

Cherri, don;t feel so bummed. It generally is not that interesting. Been called to court several times but never sat thru a trial. All of them were settled before trial.

[rlfaubion]

I've had several jury calls, but they disqualify me with one of their form's check boxes. I like to think of it as educational travel - they politely call it a checkered past?

[jagugator]

The only time I ever got called was while I was 3 months into a 7 month deployment. I think I was in Hong Kong when the wife informed me I had to be at the VA Beach courthouse. Fortunately they are very understanding about the military.

[ken]

I, apparently, got the letter several times over the past 30 some years but never had to serve as I was stationed abroad with the State Department. I would never have qualified in any case as I was a cop in the late '60s. Still, I think it would have been an enjoyable and educational experience.

[goldstar225]

I've been called and actually made it to the jury box. This was a civil trial involving a traffic accident. The defending attorney excluded me. I guess that he didn't want a cop with experience in working traffic accidents to be on the jury.