My uneventful first summons ever for NJ jury duty

If you've never been called for jury duty before and fear that that day might come, there's something you should know. You might be fearing for nothing.

Now, if you've never been called for jury duty before but can't wait for that day, there's something else you should know. Prepare to be disappointed.

Those are the two messages I have for those who haven't been summonsed yet but either want to get on the jury or don't want anything to do with it.

Before I share why my first time being summonsed was very uneventful, I've gotta ask - Have you ever been called to serve on a jury? Were you selected? And what was the process like? Please feel free to share your experiences in the comments. Even if you've never been selected before, I'd love to know if you dread that day or if you can't wait for it to come.

I, for one, was really looking forward to experiencing it for the first time. To see how the court system works from a jury's perspective and be a part of hearing and deciding on a case.

I went all the way through my 30s without ever being summonsed. Only now at age 40 was I finally called upon to serve. Although many around me gave me tips as to how to get out of it, I really wanted to go through the process and experience it myself.

I got the notice to serve on the county level, which from my understanding would most likely be a civil trial. I got the notice in the mail about a month in advance of the trial date.

There were instructions on the notice to answer some online questions and watch a video in advance of the day I would have to show up in person. And, not to make the courts seem dated, but I think it's safe to say they can move away from saying we're watching a DVD... we're kinda past that in 2024. Just sayin'.

Anyway, so I did all of that, which I would say took around 40 minutes total. Then, the waiting game came. I wouldn't know what to do until Sunday evening prior to the scheduled appearance date.

So that time came, and I received a text to check my email for instructions. In that email, I was told to "resume normal activities" the next day. Sweet, I wouldn't have to sit in a room all day long.

But then Tuesday came, then Wednesday, then Thursday, and nothing. Finally, Friday rolled around and to my disappointment, I wasn't needed. That's literally it. And although I was disappointed I never got to experience it, there is something I have to commend Monmouth County for.

Thank you for not forcing us to waste a day sitting in a room only not to be selected. I was preparing for that reality, but instead, I was notified the night before if I needed to show up, which I appreciated.

Yes, this was disappointing for me, but I'm sure others who were called who didn't have to show up were jumping for joy. So don't sweat it if you get called as you might be able to get out of it without trying to get out of it.

I don't know if the state court operates the same way as Monmouth County does, or if other counties in the state keep it that simple, but the text and email communications were very welcomed as opposed to sitting around at the courthouse all day.

So for now, the communication and that early portion of the process is all I can speak to. However, should I get called again and actually make it to the courthouse, I'll be sure to share that experience with you once I'm able to.

The above post reflects the thoughts and observations of New Jersey 101.5 Sunday morning host & content contributor Mike Brant. Any opinions expressed are his own.