Gotta do what you gotta do

While there are several posts online recommending complete disregard for jury summons, I don’t have stones for that.  I also have a propensity for getting in trouble when others breeze right on by.  If, on ten occasions, I am pacing with nine other people speeding, the cops will pull me over, ten out of ten times.  Additionally, I believe there are few things as inefficient as state government and I really don’t want to contribute negatively to the overall system.  Finally, If I find myself on a jury someday, I would want someone like myself to be available for that selection even though I detest having to be a part of something so inefficient and poorly executed.  At its core, its this jury of peers that makes our government "of the people" and I would find it immoral to shuck this responsibility.  Of course, I still hope to never be summoned again.

Pain Avoidance

Getting There

The address is 185 Central Ave.

Get a ride, Avoid Traffic

If you can get a ride, I recommend it.  Marta constitutes as a ride.  If you are driving, avoid the Interstate.  My Google Maps got me close.  You’ll see quite a lot of people entering a building on the West side of Central Ave just north of Mitchel St. 

Arrive Early, Avoid Lines

Get there early.  When I arrived, there were hundred of people standing in a coiling line.  Its like airport security except you can leave your shoes and belt on and there are a lot more armed police there to take you down if you get out of line. 

I can only assume that 20 minutes would have saved me a lot of standing and being barked at by the officers greeting the assembly.

Once upstairs, there is another line to wait in.  You’ll be checked in and can proceed to your seat.

Getting Connected

If you brought a laptop, as I did, there are tables.  There is "free public wifi" but my mac couldn’t connect to that.  However, there is also another strong, non-secured signal.  I had no problem getting connected. 

Power is at a premium.  If you sit at a large table, there are a couple of outlets.   Bring a compact power splitter (surge protector) and you’ll be a hero.

Settled In

Ok, so getting there and getting to a seat was not a lot of fun.  I felt very bad for the people sitting on the floor and standing through announcements and "the video".  However, everyone was so very polite and respectful that I almost felt privileged to be there.  In this forum, every person is genuinely appreciated and no one makes any claims that the system isn’t flawed.  In fact, they joke about it.  They make you realize that the flaws are, in fact, the strength of our system.  Its that malleability in our government that empowers change.  On the other hand, change is definitely needed in the juror recruitment process.  It is inexcusable to call over 400 people into a room with fewer uncomfortable chairs than jurors and then make them all sit there, all day, while highly compensated lawyers abuse their role as legal representation and disregard the cost of unpreparedness both to the court and the individuals who should be at work, school or with their children rather than doing absolutely nothing all day. 

This entry was posted on Wednesday, September 10th, 2008 at 6:37 pm and is filed under Blogging. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.