I got my original jury duty summons a few months back, but it occurred during our already-planned vacation, so I was able to file for me (one! only!) postponement.
Friday evening I checked, and my juror number was one of the ones selected to report in, so this morning I reported in at the Arapahoe County Courthouse.
After checking in at 8 a.m. and filling out a questionnaire, I hung out in the jury waiting area, reading a book and watching some Discover reality show about fishing trawlers.
Around 9, forty of our names were called, and each of us given a number. I was #15. Everyone else (there were probably 70-80 there) was dismissed.
We were informed there was a single civil case being heard. We got to watch a 10-15 minute video about jury select, trials, judges, etc. It was pretty well done, if a bit heavy-handed on the Patriotic Duty thing. (I believe it’s a patriotic duty, I just don’t need my nose rubbed in it.)
Shortly thereafter, three more people were let go, and then we were marched upstairs, and put in an ordered line.
#1-14 were seated in the jury box. #15-17 (including myself) were seated in three chairs in front of the jury box. The rest were seated in the spectator seating.
The judge introduced himself, and the plaintiff/attorney, and defense attorneys. He gave a brief overview of the case at hand — elderly lady suing for damages (physical injury, pain and suffering, etc.) from an auto accident. The defendants (a 16yo teen and her mother) had already admitted responsibility for the accident, but were contesting whether the injuries she was claiming were attributable to the accident. The defendants were out of state, being represented by their attorneys.
As part of the voir dire, the judge asked the jury pool a wide array of questions to confirm our eligibility, our impartiality (relationships with anyone involved, etc.), our ability to serve, did we know anyone else in the jury group, and so forth. Then plaintiff’s attorney asked questions of the jurors — what we thought about law suits for damages, anyone know someone in the health care industry, anyone suffer from chronic pain, anyone been in a car accident, here’s a point of law and now what do you think of it, etc. The defending attorney then did same.
I got to raise my hand relating to relatives in health care (wife, brother-in-law), though that covered probably half the people in the room. The defense attorney also asked me about my answer to a question about what I watched on TV (mostly TV dramas) to be sure I (and everyone else) didn’t think courts were like Law & Order or Perry Mason (nobody volunteered that they did).
After that process, with nobody dismissed by the judge or suggested as such by the attorneys for cause, the judge dismissed the extras at the back of the room, leaving the 14 in the box and the three of us in front of it. This was to be a 6-person jury, and each side would get to dismiss four without cause. As it turned out, we three in front were extras, and unlikely to serve.
While the attorneys decided on who to boot, the judge explained how judge get their job in Colorado (judicial review board goes over and investigations nominations, then provide a limited number of names to the governor, who makes the appointment; they they are voted on at the next general election to be retained or not, and voted on thereafter at intervals depending on how major the court is, up to every decade for supreme court justices).
Ultimately, the hit list was passed up to the judge, who read off (including we three up front) who could leave. And the remaining ones were empanelled. (It’s unclear — because I didn’t count — whether there were were any alternates on the jury beyond the six; interestingly enough, according do the video, in Colorado alternates don’t know their status until they are dismissed before the jury goes to deliberate.)
And then I came home.
I’ll admit, I’m a bit disappointed. TV dramas aside, I find the law fascinating, and enjoyed the one jury I’ve sat on (in 1995). Also, I consider it my civic duty to serve as a juror, inconvenience or not (just like voting). In fact, one of the questions one of the attorneys asked was who wanted to serve; surprisingly, only I and a handful of hands from the back were raised. Everyone else seemed too consider it a burden, or something to be gotten out of (though nobody seemed eager to disqualify themselves), and there were lots of murmurs of relief from the others in the pool as we headed to the elevators.
Which strikes me as remarkably short-sighted, and a bit disappointing in and of itself.
Oh, well. I’m sure the opportunity will come up again.