Finally knocked it out. I've been procrastinating since my first call to jury duty about fifteen years ago. I haven't had a mailbox at my home about that long, so it took a while for them to connect to me. The summons is offensive for a number of reasons even though I think good citizenship is important. Today, I finally wrote a letter back to the county clerk.
Dear County Clerk,
I received your “Summons to service” some time back and thought I might provide some feedback for you. The threatening letter and the overall tone reminds me of the McCarthy era where folks are accused of deeds they haven’t even committed. It is as if the prospective juror stands indicted for being a citizen who has a civic duty to perform, but hasn’t had the opportunity to perform it yet. It almost invites defiance.
So…I appeared as I always do with a bit of an attitude. When selected to be a juror, I got a very pleasant surprise. The judge asked most of us questions and the direction was clear as day to me. In spite of my misgivings, he was bending over backwards to produce a fair trial and not coerce anyone. I was very impressed, and happy to be part of the process!
If the court has had difficulty in the past compelling citizens to appear for jury duty then perhaps a change in venue. The court actually serves the people and I predict if you treat them with respect you will achieve better results.
Sincerely,
