How does one live 51-plus years and never serve on a jury? Not only have I not served on a jury, but I've never been screened.
My career in journalism took me to different newspapers roughly every four years for 12 years, so I guess the wheels of jury justice never caught up with me. In the fall of 1988, I received a jury notice from Ingham County, Mich., but I already had moved from Lansing to Little Rock, Ark. Almost 24 years later, St. Louis County has summoned me for jury duty.
While many people try to avoid jury duty, I have always wanted to serve on a jury. I don’t care if it is a murder case, civil lawsuit, or involves a high-profile defendant—I want to serve. In fact, I want to do more than just serve on a jury; I want to be the foreman. This wouldn’t be work; it would be educational and enlightening.
The jury adventure begins Monday, July 30, at 8:30 a.m. Many know this, but for those who don’t (including me), service is normally a minimum of two days. If I get selected, then I would have to serve for the duration of the trial.
Appropriate dress is “casual,” but shorts are out. I’m going to wear a tie. After the first couple days of a trial, in my opinion, anything in the realm of casual is acceptable.
Reading material is allowed for the waiting area, as are audio devices with headphones. I’m not sure if laptops are allowed, so a call to St. Louis County is in order. (The literature received by mail and website doesn’t specify about computers.)
I know that an employer doesn’t have to pay you if you serve on a jury. That’s being cheap and ignoring the importance of civic service. An employer does have to let an employee serve and, according to statute, “shall not terminate, discipline, threaten or take adverse actions against an employee on account of that employee’s receipt of or response to a jury summons.”
Parking is free for potential and sitting jurists. Now how often is there free parking in Clayton?
Commentary by Alvin Reid
