Jury Duty-Mississippi Style

So, here I am, living in MS for my 3rd year, having been a registered voter the entire time, then I vote and BANG I'm called up for Jury duty! I'm not so upset about the idea of going to jury duty as to the fact that I have ONE other person to work my department if I get picked because one of my employees is on vacation and, well, I Just don't HAVE any other ones! So, I go in with the other 130 people (one of whom is another employee from my Lowes) and watch a bunch of them get excused. I think, well, this may not be monetarily detrimental to me or my business, but I'll give it a shot and see if they'll let me go because I have a lack of people to work my department and because I have interviews to do this week...let's just say it's a no go.:( They said, "Why don't you just stay...there's no guarantee that you will get picked." (NOTE: DO NOT fall for this one next time)

I try to enjoy the knowledge that this new experience might bring to my life despite the strain on my time and my department. I decided to take some notes on my experience. The only other courtrooms I have been in were in California, so my comparisons aren't really well versed, but we all have ideas in our heads, right? The courtroom we were being picked in was in the OLD courthouse, so it was all scratched wood, but clean, official, and much like the courtrooms in John Grisham movies-plus a few plastic folding tables.:) The court room in California was so disorganized and tiny and crazy, while this one was big and beautiful and very much on schedule...of course, we weren't actually in session and it's circuit court too (maybe that makes a difference?). I Loved that we could actually hear the judge with an actual speaker system and the judge was so very "Southern" and gentlemanly too! It was so interesting to watch the circuit clerk and the sheriff greet all the folks that they know. The fact that the sheriff was there was really surprising too; he stayed for the calling of all the numbers and everything. Nice guy, Mr. Byrd.
I was surprised to hear the announcement that Pastor so and so was going to say a prayer before the proceedings started...I guess they get away with that in the South? Seems like this would not be normal practice, though. Maybe it's just odd to me because I am from the North. Hm. Overall I just had no idea that so many people were involved in the process of picking jurors! I ended up being #6 and the first group of 36 were to be involved with the Civil case as apposed to the Criminal case. I was a little disappointed, but I really didn't think I would get picked anyway, so I went along quietly, praying to be out by lunch...the case was about a contractual dispute, which I know nothing about, so I thought I would be home free, thankfully, because, when we made it into the courtroom in the new courthouse where we were going to be trying the case, I really didn't understand a whole lot of what the judge and lawyers were saying. The lawyers asked their questions and this one very tall, thin older woman from California kept standing up and saying all these hilarious things, like, when she was asked if her experience as a legal secretary would impede her judgment she said: "NO, I hope it would improve my abilities!" HILARIOUS! I only had to answer one of the 10 or 15 questions that the lawyers asked, so I figured I was back to work tomorrow...they called us back in and I was the 5th person they picked for the jury! DAMN!

While I tried to concentrate on all the boring interviews with the owners of the companies and NOT think about what wasn't getting done at work, I was wondering how we are supposed to be impartial. Where does a person's knowledge turn from just knowledge to affecting judgement on a case? How are we NOT to be biased or opinionated? Are they just talking about negative judgement? OR lack of knowledge? I just don't understand the whole process...or, I didn't until, after just 2 days of court, we all went in to deliberate. THEN It all made sense, because the collection of knowledge, emotions, practicalities, and translation of fact all comes together as the jury deliberates. It was SO interesting to listen to everyone and to find that, despite the fact that I know nothing about construction or contracts, I was one of the ones speaking up and making sense! Overall, it was a great experience, it didn't actually interfere with my work because I used it as my 2 days off, and I feel like I have done a service to our country and fairly ended a dispute between 2 people (who were really very stupid and needed to be suing and completely different company TOGETHER rather than suing each other).
Another Life Experience.