I made my first visit to the Skagit County Superior Court this morning. Fortunately, I was not there as a defendant, but as a juror.
This was the first time that I’ve had to report for “jury duty,” and it was certainly an interesting experience. I was at least prepared – the jury selection process can involve a lot of waiting, so I made sure to bring reading material, and was glad to have it. My biggest mistake was trying to bring my pocket knife into the courthouse; I was stopped at the metal detector and asked to bring it back to my vehicle, so no harm done.
Unfortunately, the case was not a pleasant one. Perhaps none are, but as a father of three young girls, this particular charge led me to indicate that I was afraid that my objective judgment might possibly be clouded by my emotion. I stated it only as a fear and not as a fact, so I was not immediately excused, though I was unsurprised when, in the end, I was not chosen to be on the jury.
They’re not letting me off the hook that “easily,” though. I have to call back again Friday night to find out if they need me next week. To be continued…?