You Can't Serve On A Jury If You Don't Get A Notice

Ah, it's as American as Mom, the Fourth of July and Apple Pie. Just not as fun.

There's a pretty good chance if you've been upright and taking oxygen on the planet for quite a number of years, you've gotten the notice in the mail. You know the one, Greetings from some department of the city, county or state. Something about the privilege of being able to serve on a jury, and you time for that privilege has come.

I've had more than one of those notices in the mail, somewhere in between the letter from the place that wants me to try their fantastic new hearing aides (they've come hot and heavy in the mail the last few years) and the letter from the credit company that has an amazing...I said AMAZING...offer for me (just don't check what the interest rate is once those absolutely free balance transfers are done).

Yep, I've gotten them...but have never served on a jury. I'd report to the courthouse and be in the 'pool'. Never selected, though. I'm thinking the lawyers took a look and said 'Nah, I think we're good without that guy, thank you'.

No, thank you, sir.

But what if you gave a trial and the jury didn't show up?

There's the lawyers, there's the defendant, the Judge is sitting up there, the stenographer and almost everyone else. I said almost.

Uh...anyone see the jury?

Down in Winston-Salem, North Carolina everyone was there for the trial, but someone forgot to mail notices to the 1,700 or so prospective jurors. I guess someone in the print shop forgot to mail them out (maybe a disgruntled former juror?).

So, what to do? Ask for volunteers, which they did. But only 19 people showed up, not enough prospective juror's.

You Can’t Serve On A Jury If You Don’t Get A Notice