You’re probably expecting me to say that I learned about the American justice system, that guilt and innocence are not always absolutes, and that the courthouse desperately needs a better coffee shop. But the biggest lesson I learned from four weeks of jury duty is that people really want to get out of jury duty. Bad.
I was fascinated by the lengths some people will go to in their determination to get out of serving on a jury. If any of them would stop and think about it for a second, they would realize it’s one of the easiest ways to get out of your daily grind job with zero risk of getting fired. The day is not just short, it’s courthouse-short. The breaks are long and often. You get an hour and a half for lunch. You are the most out-of-the-loop people in the building, so while all the important decisions are made, you get to wait in the hallway and read the book that you brought. (You brought a book, didn’t you?) Every time you turn around there’s a holiday to observe. Wherever you work – and I mean wherever – you’re going to work harder and longer than when you’re on a jury.
So what’s up with the things people will do and say to get out of such hell? [Read more…] about What I Learned From Jury Duty