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Jury duty from this side

January 6, 2014 By Christine Field

This post may contain affiliate links.

If I had a dollar for every time I have been asked, “How can I get out of jury duty?” I would have a lot of dollars. Maybe six-month’s worth of Starbucks purchases. juror

The task of jury duty is well despised. Indeed, when I reported this morning to swim in a jury pool of about 200, at least a quarter of them were kvetching.

Since I got my jury summons about three weeks ago, I have been looking forward to it! Granted, I no longer have small children at home and I am between jobs so time is only a minor factor. When I was homeschooling the kiddos full-time it would have been an extreme hardship. Now, it sounded like an adventure.

True, the waiting around time is dreadful. But you are not summoned to be entertained. Bring lots of things to do with you and you won’t resent the time incursion quite so much. Just this morning:

1. I finished reading my first Vince Flynn novel: Pursuit of Honor;
2. Completed two hours of my required legal continuing education by watching videos on my computer;
3. Got my email box under control;
4. Sketched out some design sketches for my website; and
5. Read half of Jab, Jab, Jab, Right Hook by Gary Vaynerchuk.

I did get called to get questioned for a six person jury on a car accident case. When the lawyers discovered my husband was police chief, I got excused. They didn’t even get around to the fact that I am an attorney! In fact I was in front of the same judge with a case for a client last week. I’m not sure what this says about the relative bias of police officers and lawyers, but I’m sure it says something.

Has today been a waste? Today has been a privilege. Why?

If your conduct was questioned in some other legal system, you might be simply shot, fed to hungry dogs, have bodily appendages cut off not excluding heads, or rot in a god-forsaken prison for decades.

The very things that annoy us about our legal system are also the things that make it exceptional.

The pivotal idea of affording someone a TRIAL is inconvenient. It requires a tremendous amount of resources from paying to heat the building to paying the salaries of all the players in the courtroom.

Preserving your rights and ensuring your liberty is a messy business. But it is part of the trusted form of government that we have been blessed with via the Sixth (criminal juries) and Seventh (civil juries) Amendments.

Those rights are only preserved when citizens step up to the plate to perform their civic duty of jury service. Without a willing citizenry, this incomparable system does not function.

How, therefore, can you complain about jury service?

Most of us are unhappy with the government intrusion into our privacy, our healthcare and our pocketbooks. The executive decrees and governing by Tweeting we are currently experiencing concern all of us. The times and its politics are hacking away at the wall that protects us from our government – the US Constitution.

But I believe we are headed for an awakening. It is a complacent citizenry that has led to an unwatched government out of control. We are starting to wake up to the damage done by the attempt to fundamentally change America. We are waking up and we are pissed.

What are we left with? The imperfect, perfect form of government provided in the United States Constitution. In the end, it is that masterful document that will be responsible for restoring sanity and greatness to America.

Got a jury summons? Quit bitching and go serve. Your involvement keeps that wall of protection strong.

Filed Under: Giving back, Purpose and Passion Tagged With: citizenship, jury duty, US Constitution

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Hi, I’m Christine

Have you been a wholehearted mother, but time, toddlers and teenagers have moved on? If you are wondering what comes next for you, you’ll feel right at home here.

Or, are you a mom for whom family life has been non-Pinworthy and parenting has been downright painful? I hear ya. There are many of us around.

Are you looking for a life full of exploration and adventure after the nest empties, but maybe you have no idea how to go about doing that? Stick around! We’ll explore adventures together to help you gain more clarity for your own path.

After a couple decades of writing books and articles about parenting, homeschooling and adoption, speaking to homeschoolers and other parent groups, and reaching out to the mom in the trenches who was trying to make the best of it - my kids grew up. Some grew up and grew away. I was determined to find a way out of the pain, emptiness and lack of direction.

For many of us, the journey starts with something we moms are not accustomed to. After years of caring for and serving others, sometimes we forget the beauty and wonder of US. We need to spend some time getting to know the parts of ourselves that have lain dormant, and take the time to explore interests and passions that we set aside.

I’d like to invite you to get the “What’s Next for Mom” workbook and jump into this growing tribe of Moms who are emptying the nest and filling the life! Let’s reignite your Mojo after Mothering!
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About Christine

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At Real Mom Life, my passion is to provide resources and reassurances for moms facing the surprising challenges of family life. In my writing and speaking, I explore solutions to unexpected issues in adoption, homeschooling, special needs, and more while encouraging moms to extract the maximum joy out of each day. Read More…

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