When you’re not even good enough for jury duty

I was all excited when I got the juror summons from the Ocean County Superior Court since I had always wanted to serve on a jury. I think it would be, at the least, an interesting couple of days watching the process I’ve seen on television so many times unfold. Even if I didn’t get seated on a jury, I figured whatever room they put us all in would be good for some people watching.

I was supposed to report this past Monday (9/26/16) at 9:00 am. On Friday, I eagerly checked the website, which I assumed would be a formality (I had already programmed the courthouse’s address into my GPS in anticipation), and found out that half my group needed to report Monday morning, but the other half (the half I was in) did not. There were instructions on how to check the next day, but it was the same the next day: no jury duty for me. So I figured today would be the last chance I would have to get called. I checked the site at noon, and here is the message I received: “All Jurors in Group 4 Your Service Is Now Completed”. Completed?!!??! I didn’t DO anything. I never even made it into the courthouse!

All my dreams of riveting arguments, compelling testimonies, and judicial insights evaporated. I wasn’t even good enough for jury duty. I wasn’t even good enough to make it to the juror’s waiting room, much less serve on a jury. Oh well, I guess it’s back to watching Night Court reruns for my legal fix.

-Bill Doyle

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