Top 5 Jury Duty Tips
When that summons comes in the mail, the first thing that usually comes to mind is, “@#%$!” But when you live at 53BP, jury duty really ain’t so bad, especially when the courts are a convenient 3-minute walk away! Last week, I was summoned and selected for a panel. My case was scheduled to go to court today, but after hours of waiting we were informed the parties had settled and we could go home. I was kinda looking forward to getting into that Law & Order vibe. Oh well.
Should you be summoned to Brooklyn Supreme Court, here are some tips to make the experience more enjoyable:
1. *There’s a lot of waiting. A lot.* Bring a book, magazines, newspaper, or video iPod, which I highly recommend. But make sure you charge that baby up good. Mine died halfway through the season one finale of LOST. That sucked.
2. *The juror’s lounge is more comfortable to sit in than the central jury room.* It has large windows that face out over Adams Street, and you’ll have a great birds-eye view of the construction on the new Marriott Tower. Get there early so you can score a seat facing the windows.
3. *You will be shown a video about what it means to be a juror. Try really hard not to laugh.* It starts out with some actors dressed as the colonial Americans, re-enacting the early judicial processes. I got a real giggle out of this, but nobody else seemed to. There’s also a segment with an 80’s-looking Diane Sawyer. Hot!
4. *You get one hour for lunch.* This is great opportunity to hit the Montague Street restaurants. I met my best friend, who is a lawyer, for lunch both days. We ate at Nanatori for Japanese, and Mr. Souvlaki for Greek. Try the excellent moussaka! Or, if you prefer, eat at home at 53BP - you’re only a 3-minute walk away!
5. *There’s an additional restroom near the empanelling area.* The juror’s lounge one gets really packed.
It’s too bad our case got dismissed because, honestly, I would have liked to see the process in action in the courtroom. I think it would have been fascinating… maybe in four years, I’ll get my turn.
March 25th, 2006 at 9:56 am
hah, i totally remember that video. isn’t there a scene where they drown some guy or burn someone alive? i just remember a violent scene. it cracked me up too. yeah, being in the court room can be v. interesting. i guess it depends on the case. after six weeks there, i feel like an expert on chop shops as that was the subject of my case. though there were constant interruptions, which was frustrating.