by Thomas Love

Created on: May 11, 2009   Last Updated: May 19, 2009

The American Jury System: Reaching a Verdict with Juror 14

Why, you ask, would you ever want to serve on a jury? Why indeed, I asked myself that May Day as I viewed my latest jury summons. I had now been picked for a jury pool for the third time that year. Granted all were different courts, but surely I could find some reason to avoid serving or the selection process would take someone else.

It was inconvenient, I lived at the far edge of the county, some twenty miles from the county courthouse, and I had to miss work for who knows how long. My wife had served on a murder trial shortly before and images and events still troubled her occasionally. My last three experiences were settled out of court after we had been empanelled and maybe this one would be as well, I told myself in resignation.

I arrived at the special parking lot to take the downtown jury bus that Monday morning and I noticed quickly the seats were full; yes it was standing room only. At least the sun was not out in full force. Texas late spring days are often humid, and well, I would simply just make do. I stood and clung to the rail. We disembarked in front of the courthouse and I noticed that the lines were long going through metal detectors at the top of the massive stairs. I recalled not that long ago there had been a shooting in a courtroom at that same building and I was glad only the bailiffs would carry guns inside.

Down the long hall and turning left, I entered the sign in and waiting rooms. There we two large almost filled rooms with television monitors and a judge in front with armed bailiffs. I signed in and found a spot in the far back of the second room where I would wait until lunchtime, listening to different courts and lists being called.

The room was thinning by late afternoon and I had hopes that about 3PM of not being picked, but alas I heard my name being called. Report to the 6th floor, 199 Criminal Court to Judge Wilson's bench, we heard and filed down the hall into the elevator.

I handed my paperwork to the bailiff and was assigned as Juror number 14. That was now my identity, I was now Juror 14. We went out into the hall outside the courtroom while the District Attorney and the Public Defender discussed the case with the Judge. Soon, they called out our numbers, Juror One, then there was a long pause. Finally they resumed with Juror 2, he acknowledged his presence, and they then went down the list to Juror 50 and asked if everyone's number had been called.

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