My Very First Jury Summons

Paul says I must be the only person in all the world to be disappointed not to be picked to serve on a jury.

But there it is. I'm a little upset. And the worst part is, I never even came close to being chosen.

I once got called for jury duty in college, but when the court learned I lived 2 1/2 hours away I was immediately excused. I didn't even have to show up.

Unlike most people, this time I was actually excited to get a jury summons and eagerly showed up at the Kings County Supreme Court in downtown Brooklyn on Wednesday morning. I was armed with a book and expected to get a day or two of reading under my belt before listening to a case and deciding someone's fate.

I wasn't asking for anything too serious. No death penalty. No homicide. Maybe a good drug case, that's all.

How the day really went:

8:00 a.m.: Showed up at the courthouse, followed by about 200 other potential jurors. Comfy chairs-- I could get used to this.

8:45 a.m.: Watched a cheesy film filled with bad acting about the importance of jury duty.

8:45 - 10:30 a.m.: Read.

10:30 a.m.: Got called to a jury room with 19 other potential jurors to be questioned for a landlord-commercial tenant dispute.

10:30 a.m. - 12:40 p.m.: Listened to six people get questioned. Four were chosen for the jury. Two more jurors and two alternates are needed-- I still have a chance!

12:40 -2 p.m.: Lunch.

2 - 3:30 p.m.: Six more people -- none me -- are questioned, and the final four jurors are chosen. We remaining eight are dismissed.

3:30 - 4:15 p.m.: Read.

4:15 p.m.: Excused from jury duty. For eight years.

I was pretty bummed. I wanted to raise my hand with a "Pick me, pick me!" all day, and here I didn't even get questioned.

The brightest part of the day: Seeing Kings County Clerk Nancy Sunshine. Can't say she was too inspiring, but who doesn't perk up at a last name like that?