Ellie Mae

Ellie Mae
Beautiful Ellie Mae

Freddie, the French Bulldog

Freddie, the French Bulldog
Lazing on a sunny afternoon

The artist

The artist
Ollie Mac

Ollie and Annie

Ollie and Annie
Azorean grandmother

Acrylics and watercolors

Acrylics and watercolors
Cannabis and sunflowers

Papa and Ollie Mac

Papa and Ollie Mac
Priorities, Baby

Acrylics and watercolors

Acrylics and watercolors
Hollyhocks

Mahlon Masling Blue

Mahlon Masling Blue
My friend and brother.

Mark's E-mail address

bellspringsmark@gmail.com

Tuesday, January 24, 2012

I'd Like to Help You Out...

I'd Like to Help You Out...
It’s not all peaches and cream when you’re dealing with a lifelong disability such as panic disorder.  There are also unpleasant ramifications, such as the inability to be confined in small rooms with many people, making the serving of jury duty physically impossible.  But that condition didn’t evolve with me until shortly before my retirement, around five years ago.
Like everyone else, I have been notified a dozen or more times, that I needed to report to the County Courthouse for jury duty.  Like everyone else, I have reported to the proper place numerous times, only to be told that my services were not required.  I have also been lucky enough to find out via phone that I did not need to show up.  What I have not done is serve on a jury itself.
I actually think it would be kind of interesting.  However, all of the years I taught, being summoned was a sentence worse than death, because of the hassle of making plans, writing them down for the sub, clarifying for students precisely what my expectations were, and what the consequences would be upon my return, if said instructions were not followed. 
Then, if at the last second, the summons was dismissed, the sub had to be informed, and the sub plans set aside for use at a different time.  Serving as a juror is almost always a major headache.  It gets in the way of your routine, and causes ripples of inconvenience to encircle you.  And what about the poor citizen, for whom the jury was assembled?  How much chance does he/she stand if one or more of the jurors has greener pastures to graze?  I can just hear the dialogue.  Hurry up and find him guilty, so that I can get to the game.  Or innocent.  Whatever, just hurry it up.  Would I want my future hanging in that guy’s balance?  How can that situation be avoided? 
I think the judicial system should hire full-time jurors to hear the cases. There are many advantages to this plan, the most obvious one being that county officials no longer would have to beat the paths searching for a few good people.  Then there is the advantage of the jurors themselves becoming more knowledgable on the court proceedings, plus the fact that they would not have to have their minds some place else, at least no more so than anyone else on the job.
Think about it though.  If you were a full-time juror, then you would have a lot of off-days, because trials are always being postponed, or cases being settled out of court, at the last minute.  Then full-time jurors would get the day off, with no one being inconvenienced.   I would much rather have a jury comprised of full-time jurors, than by people being summoned, at great personal discomfort, to serve on my jury.  I can’t help thinking that a feeling of resentment at being there in the first place, might cloud some people’s perspective.
While teaching, if I were called for jury duty, my mind would be out in the hall, trying to find out if Billy had thrown any chairs through the window yet, or whether the instructional assistant had actually made it in this morning, as opposed to the past two.  I would be worried that I forgot to mention that the attendance book had to be sent up to the office by nine, or that the designated students be released to go over to the garden to water our bed of garlic.
How beneficial can that be to the poor defendant on trial?  That person deserves to at least have the attention of the twelve citizens who are about to decide his fate.  Removing this responsibility from the shoulders of an unconcerned population, and placing it in the hands of people, who are paid full-time to hear these matters, makes the most sense to me.  Then I wouldn’t have to send notes to the jury commissioner, like the one I sent a few weeks ago.  It went like this:
To Whom it May Concern:
Thank you for thinking of me; I would be delighted to assist you in your desire to incarcerate the miscreants of our area, especially on Halloween.  Unfortunately, I suffer from panic attacks.  The idea of being sequestered in the midst of a group of people (strangers, or otherwise) is enough to put me in a state where I might commit some dastardly deed, and be the next to be tried.
It is unfortunate that you folks have such a poor system of filing, that you have once again misplaced my folder, with the two different substantiations of my medical problems.  This might be a good time to upgrade this particular facet of your notification system.  Someone is sleeping at the switch.  That means you keep contacting me fruitlessly.  It seems like a waste of time to me.  Buddha only knows, time is money, and money does not grow on trees.
In any case I have decided that this is not my problem.  I have conformed to your demand for my doctor’s verification twice.  It involved two separate trips to Willits to accommodate your requests, and I am afraid I am not up to the task a third time.  Strike three, I’m out.   If it means you are going to come up and arrest me, then let the festivities begin.  Tell them not to use the siren, because it makes the dogs go off, and tell them to bring their own water pipes.
Ultimately, even if I were able to finagle my way down to Ukiah, I am afraid that the nice judge would fail to view my need to ingest in my doctor-prescribed medication with any degree of tolerance.  Or is it possible that he/she does provide a smoking lounge for those of us who need to utilize the water pipe periodically, in order to function with any degree of proficiency?
In either case, I remain respectfully, and sincerely yours,
Mark D. O’Neill
I felt bad, but not that bad.  I got a permanent dispensation by return mail.  I like my plan to hire full-time jurors, and in these tough economic times, we can always use more jobs.  That way, folks like me, who struggle with elements of the process, will be spared the necessity of pleading for exemption, leaving the matter to the experts.  Sounds like a two-fer to me.

9 comments:

  1. I know I inspired this post! Me and my jury summons for this week which is playing havoc with my life - every appt I make at work has the "jury duty" caveat attached - and heavens forbid if I get on a trial that goes on for some time. I REALLY like the idea of full time jurors. Is there anywhere in the country where that is done? It makes so much more sense. ONe of the things about which I am keenly aware is the info now on jury selection and manipulation. That so bugs me. Make me feel as if the process is a farce in some ways.

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  2. It does not seem equitable, that for some people of responsibility, the imposition of jury duty is so imbalanced. Unfortunately, the very positions of which we speak, are those most desirable on a jury, people who will listen with intelligence and compassion. It's time to recognize that like gun control, circumstances have changed since these institutions were designed, and they now need to be restructured.

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  3. I appreciate your circumstances and will fully agree that the jury system is foiled. Although I am called periodically, I have never served on a jury and never intend to. I will be clear with the judge that in my view, it is not my place to sit in judgement on my fellow citizen. The judge can do that, as that is what he/she is hired to do; E.G. make judgements. My fellow citizens who feel so disposed may also sit in judgement, but I will not. I will make it clear I can sit on the jury, but in advance I will also say I am a public defender's dream come true, as my verdict will automatically be, "Not Guilty!". So, well written post about some issues in the court system in America.

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  4. Awesome perspective, Bro. In the immortal words of Rowan and Martin's Laugh-In, "Here come de judge, here come de judge

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  5. This post really has my brain buzzing about the pros and cons of a full-time paid juror system. Hmmmmm.

    I have only ever been called once and the timing really amped up my paranoia about the Big Brother-ish nature of the process. Numerous other people in my life had been repeatedly sent the pre-survey thingy that our county sends out and, despite living in the same county for (at that point) about twenty years, I had NEVER received it. A week after I bragged about that, I received a summons for FEDERAL court jury duty two hours away in Buffalo. I successfully pled economic hardship and haven't heard from either county or federal court since. (Though this comment practically guarantees a summons in the mail tomorrow.)

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  6. Interesting suggestion. I had not heard this proposed before, and it could work, I bet. Your letter was priceless! Glad it got the desired action.

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  7. I have served on a jury - - and it was a blast. Probably because ever since I can remember I have loved courtroom dramas, police shows, etc! I was in my element. of course, if it had been a more interesting case I would have liked it even more! but still, fun!!

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  8. MM: One time? It pays to have friends in high places…Now why would your post elicit a summons?
    Thanks, Melanie-desperate times require desperate measures.
    Judy-I know you are right that it could be fun, if it were just the intellectual component of hearing information presented,and gauging reaction, et al. It is the unrelenting awareness that all aspects of your life, outside your mental framework, are being controlled by external forces that creates the problem. I guess it all boils down to control, or lack of same.

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  9. Historically, every time I brag about not having been called, I get called. Granted, I only bragged once and was shortly thereafter called. So it's a small sample, but based on that sample, there's a 100% chance I'll be hearing from somebody soon. :)

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