filed in Daily Life
What Defines Us?
This afternoon during jury selection for a murder trial, I sat for hours in the courtroom, heart racing, wondering whether I’d be called to serve. As the judge interviewed those ahead of me, I thought it’s not often we’re asked to state in a loud, clear voice, whether we’re married or not to a group of strangers. But in court today, it was one of the questions we were required to answer: Area of residence, occupation, marital status, occupation of spouse, number of children. The jury was chosen before the judge got around to me, and for so many reasons, I was thrilled.
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I know that sense of relief–went through it last May. Well, not for a murder trial but for a federal case asking for damages including loss of consortium which obviously I can’t weigh in on.
Over the weekend, I went to an exhibition about the founding of the U.S. and it made me think about the responsibilities of citizenship. Having a jury of our peers in enshrined in The Bill of Rights. Next time I’m called, I’ll try to have a better attitude.