Paralegal
Many of us have experienced it: being summoned for jury duty. The first feeling is usually anxiety, but then I see the dates. It turns out our firm has a trial set for that same court during that time. I think I’ll be excused since I work with the attorneys on the case. However, after checking with them, I learn their trial is likely to be postponed due to a preceding criminal case. Oh no! I previously served on two criminal juries years ago. You might think my legal experience would make me an unlikely candidate as a juror, but because I work in civil, not criminal, law, I seem to be in the running on criminal cases.
On the scheduled day, I arrive at the courthouse alongside 67 fellow citizens where we make small talk while the bailiff and court administrator help us feel comfortable. When the judge arrives, he immediately rearranges us based on a random selection from a computer program, and I find myself potential juror #29. Initially, I feel safe as those before me are not dismissed, but my confidence fades as voir dire continues and more jurors are released. I don’t mind serving, but the judge warns the trial could last up to three weeks, a long time to be gone from work when we’re finishing up discovery to get ready for a trial ourselves. The court selects a panel of 12 jurors plus two alternates, and I am called as Juror #11, marking the third case on my criminal trial punch card.
The trial begins the next day, and I quickly understand that this case is much more serious than the last two I was involved in. The case involves a gang-related shooting, with the accused facing multiple charges, the most serious being First Degree Murder. The witnesses include law enforcement personnel, forensic science techs, eyewitnesses to the shooting, and friends of both the decedent and the defendant. We analyze video recordings from local businesses and nearby homes that show the events leading up to the incident and the shooting itself. We start off well, but the pace slows as attorneys have lengthy discussions about the evidence, which we cannot see. As a result, we are sent back to the jury room, where we wait for a long time. Minutes turn into hours, and we receive longer lunch breaks while the attorneys argue in front of the judge. I was optimistic the trial would finish in two weeks, but with the constant delays and more time spent in the jury room than the courtroom, it seems we are moving into a third week.
As a litigation paralegal, I’ve been involved in many facets of trial. This has given me a good grasp of how trials generally proceed. However, this criminal case is different from my usual experience. I wonder why jurors can’t ask questions after each witness like they can in civil trials. Why do we have to wait in the jury room while they spend hours going over evidence? Can’t they just dismiss us for the day and continue without us? With our phones and laptops taken away to avoid snooping distractions, we start to bond, and soon someone makes a paper airplane, leading us to toss it around to pass the time.
As we move into the third week, it’s clear we are nearing the end. We have heard a lot of testimony, and now, as jurors, we must make some important decisions. After the closing arguments, the judge informs us that all evidence has been presented and it’s time for our deliberation. However, before doing so, he must select and dismiss an alternate juror. We lost one juror earlier in the trial, leaving us with just one person to choose from the remaining 13. A device like a bingo wheel is brought in, filled with slips of paper containing our juror numbers. The judge explains the history of this tin box in detail. The Clerk spins the tumbler, it stops, and she opens a small door to retrieve a number, which she discreetly hands to the judge. He unfolds the paper, and before he utters a word, I see my number through the other side of the paper.
A sigh slips out before I can stop it, and I feel a wave of heat rush to my head. I can hardly believe this is real. That morning, I had dreaded this very moment, the thought nagging at me that I might be the alternate. When the judge calls my number, I raise my hand, eager for him to spot me quickly. I just want this to be over. Before I can leave, the judge reads instructions, warning me to stay off the internet and avoid discussions about the case, as I might be called back. This guidance is directed at me as I sit in the jury box, with everyone in the courtroom watching – the attorneys, the defendant, the spectators to the trial, and my fellow jurors. The spotlight feels unbearable. I feel my eyes welling up and I silently plead to hold it together. Finally, he finishes and tells me I can go. He then asks everyone in the courtroom to “please stand for juror 11” as I make my exit, marking the end of my jury duty.
I return home feeling defeated and immediately log onto my computer to check my work emails. As the afternoon goes on, my mind keeps drifting to the group discussing the case. Thinking they’ve likely had enough time to make a decision, I return to the courthouse at 4:30 p.m. They announce the verdict just before 5:30 p.m., and it closely aligns with my expectations which is comforting. Afterward, I’m able to reconnect with the jurors and speak with the attorneys and judge, which helps relieve the heaviness of what started as a really tough day.
If you find yourself chosen as a juror, I have some helpful tips to share:
- Leave your laptop at home; it will be taken along with your phone when you enter the jury room.
- Be kind to the bailiff, as you will see them frequently.
- Get ready to meet a variety of people with different views and beliefs. Keep conversations light since you’ll be together for a while.
- Bring cards or board games to help pass the time, as you may be in the jury room for long stretches while lawyers discuss evidence.
- One word: snacks!
- And if you are selected as an alternate, remember you are not alone. Consider it a new adventure that maybe you’ll be asked to write about in a blog post.