If....I ever get on, I'm taking a rope with me ....just in case the judge needs one.
I served on the Muskogee County Grand Jury in 1977. We met every day for close to four months, 8-4. I learned a great deal about the political activities of Oklahoma. We had an assistant DA working with us each day, and in one case where we indicted a past OK highway commissioner, the Asst DA dropped the charge after we adjourned. That DA went on to a career in democrat politics and can now be seen on a local TV program each Sunday.
Got called up in Texas about 38 yrs ago, I was about 22, sat on a jury for 3 days for a civil trial, boring as hell, I even saw the judge nod off a few times and then he’d call for a recess. Called up a couple more times in the following year and got out due to work conflicts and boss called to fix it ?? Fast forward until 3 yrs ago and got the federal summons, had to call every Friday to see if I had to show up on Monday mornings, it was holiday season and no one wanted to have trials then I guess and I never had to show up !
I was selected for Jury duty about 8 months ago for Creek County. Been in the State/County for 18 months at the time. Talking with my MIL, she has been in Creek County for the past 50 years and has never been selected. What a bunch of BS.
So, were told to report to the County Court House at 10am in the morning. Room full of people estimated to be about 150 people. Judge got up gave a speech then several of the other court staff gave theirs talking about the process, etc. I was getting more irritated as they spoke. Then finally the judge gets back up and says. Please report back tomorrow for some further info and jury selection or whatever. If you were chosen for the first of two cases they had pending you could be there for up to a week plus. If not chosen you'd have to come back and go through the process again to be selected.
By this time I was fuming. I waited in the back of the room until everyone had left and walked up to the clerk and asked to speak with the judge. THey got him to come back to the courtroom and I chatted with him. Told him I was a bit upset as I was made to take a day off work to come sit in the courthouse and listen to a half hour speech about the process for jury duty then you send everyone home. Said I have 7 employees that count on me to be there and there is only one other employee that has the access I have to our systems and it's not fair for me to be off work today for information that could have been provided in an initial email to the jury pool. Then there is no guarantee I'd be selected to be put on a jury and if not I'd have to do this all over again for the second trials jury selection in a couple weeks. In a polite way i told them it was an asinine process that inconveniences a lot of people for no good reason. He told me he understood and didn't disagree with me and felt I was sincere so he excused me moving forward. He probably felt he didn't want a pissed off juror seated on the jury so let me out.
It's really a shame the process they use is so outdated and they couldn't get their crap together to make it easier for everyone. Anyways, rant off.
So, were told to report to the County Court House at 10am in the morning. Room full of people estimated to be about 150 people. Judge got up gave a speech then several of the other court staff gave theirs talking about the process, etc. I was getting more irritated as they spoke. Then finally the judge gets back up and says. Please report back tomorrow for some further info and jury selection or whatever. If you were chosen for the first of two cases they had pending you could be there for up to a week plus. If not chosen you'd have to come back and go through the process again to be selected.
By this time I was fuming. I waited in the back of the room until everyone had left and walked up to the clerk and asked to speak with the judge. THey got him to come back to the courtroom and I chatted with him. Told him I was a bit upset as I was made to take a day off work to come sit in the courthouse and listen to a half hour speech about the process for jury duty then you send everyone home. Said I have 7 employees that count on me to be there and there is only one other employee that has the access I have to our systems and it's not fair for me to be off work today for information that could have been provided in an initial email to the jury pool. Then there is no guarantee I'd be selected to be put on a jury and if not I'd have to do this all over again for the second trials jury selection in a couple weeks. In a polite way i told them it was an asinine process that inconveniences a lot of people for no good reason. He told me he understood and didn't disagree with me and felt I was sincere so he excused me moving forward. He probably felt he didn't want a pissed off juror seated on the jury so let me out.
It's really a shame the process they use is so outdated and they couldn't get their crap together to make it easier for everyone. Anyways, rant off.
The jury pool I’m in had our ‘Friday Meeting’ this morning. So I guess maybe enough people complained about the wasted day they moved it to the day they select jury.
Had Federal duty that went to trial for four days over Valentines day 2022. Due to Muskogee being slammed due to McGirt had to drive to OKC for the Jury duty as both Muskogee and OKC was nearly full due to that ruling. It sucked.
Just for fun. Sitting here looking around the American jury pool is made up of:
1 Asian
3 Afro
5 Native
1 Middle Eastern
Crap Load of Anglo
1 Asian
3 Afro
5 Native
1 Middle Eastern
Crap Load of Anglo
Since I’m approaching 70, I have hopes of aging out without being called again. I was on a civil trial in Canadian County in 1988 & a criminal trial (murder) in 2019 in Tulsa County. The process was respectful of my time in both counties and I was selected as foreman in the criminal trial. The jury waiting room in Tulsa County could use some better seating.
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