Who loves getting called in for jury duty? Probably nobody. The great state of New Jersey can call…read moreon residents every three years, and I was lucky enough to have been called three and a half years ago. I went through the process and was chosen as juror #7 for a civil case, which just so happened to settle that same day before we even went to trial. So after one day, I was done. I didn't have to do anything. I just sat in a lot of different seats.
Fast forward to last month. I received another summons in the mail, that unmistakable green rectangle sandwiched in between a magazine and the 89th piece of mail from another car insurance company assuring me they can, without question, offer me the lowest rate in the state.
Much the same as the first time, I found myself in Jury Management with 150+ other people just as "excited" as me to be here. I brought my laptop with me; I was determined to get work done as I expected to sit here most of the day. I got there early enough to snag a seat at a table and be lulled into productivity with the constant sound of HGTV in the background.
10:50am - the first case. I am the seventh person called. Goodbye, productivity. Time to really earn the $5 I'd be getting in a few weeks.
I'm not sure when this courthouse was built, but it reminds of of my elementary school. Solid shiny brick with a gray/tan color scheme throughout, old wood everything, with the retro signage fonts and numbers/letters unchanged since the day this building was completed. Everything about it seems official, and there's a procedure for everything. Walking up the stairs (I'm not waiting for the elevators with 100 other people) I thought about all of these things and wondered what the case might be.
Packed in, we were told this was a criminal case that would last 3 weeks. It took several hours to go through all of the people with excuses for not being able to serve. Some were legit, some not so much. In any case, I had no excuse, so I just sat there.
After that process, I was the 7th person called up to speak with the judge and the attorneys and answer the questions they had. Without any red flags, I was chosen as juror #4. The selection process took the rest of the day, and all of the following day. People around me were switched in and out, challenged and dismissed, but I was cemented to that seat. Before long, the process was complete, and I was officially sworn in as juror #4, along with 15 other Hudson County residents.
Over the course of the next three weeks I became very familiar with this courthouse. I was there almost every single day. I heard testimony. I saw evidence. I saw very detailed photos. I saw raw emotion in the friends and family sitting and watching, reliving a tragedy from three years ago. In all of this, I sat in my chair with a straight face, listening, learning, and never jumping to any conclusions. As instructed, I did not speak with anyone about the case. I did no research. I internalized everything I saw, heard, and thought about it for three weeks. This was physically and emotionally exhausting.
Despite that, I felt incredibly lucky to have been chosen.
I, along with 11 others (after selection of four alternates) were solely responsible for the fate of the case. Real people, real life, real actions, real consequences. I never doubted the reality of the case, but being in the jury box offered a new perspective that was extraordinarily humbling.
Why am I telling you this?
The building is old. It's hot in the winter, and even hotter in the summer. You need to go through metal detectors each time you walk in. Jury management is a pretty boring room. Jury duty takes takes you away from your normal life. You're not in control of anything. Despite all of that, as they will undoubtedly tell you in jury management, it's an honor to be able to do this.
I learned a lot being here for three weeks. The case was tough, but I don't second guess our verdict. Because of our decision, someone is going to prison for what may very well be the rest of their lives, and a family can now rest a little easier knowing justice has been served.
I don't mean for this review to sound like an infomercial for government work or jury duty. It's not. Being called for jury duty isn't the worst thing in the world. If you are selected, and can serve, it will likely be an experience that will stick with your for the rest of your life.