"I consider Gay and Kathlyn to be my teachers." -John Bradshaw
Jury Duty
Jury Duty
The DMV records in our community pop my name out like a Swiss clock at every possible interval, so this week I had the opportunity to participate in democracy. Its current form, at least.
This usually involves getting lots of computer clean up accomplished and planning priorities, sorting my little red book with its to do list, etc. And this week that did occur. Just as I finished a mountain of old email deletions, my name was called for a jury pool.
Our particular hoard flowed up to the assigned floor and room, and after ticking off several paragraphs of admonitions and rules, the judge dismissed all of us, save those with serious excuses, to come back the next day. I trek back and into the courtroom for the selection process the next day and get called in the first group of 18. And here’s where it gets really interesting.
We all receive a list of questions that might influence our participation one way or another in this case, which is a domestic violence case. As the judge interviews each person I am amazed to realize:
• Over half of our random group has experienced a crime against our property or person.
• Well over half of us have known people who have experienced assault or domestic violence, or have close associations with those who have.
• A few people knew people who had been convicted of murder or attempted murder.
No wonder our prisons hold more people than all other countries combined. I thought, this is the result of no culture of accountability, and wondered what could happen if more people adopted our Conscious Living and Loving Initiative
Our particular hoard flowed up to the assigned floor and room, and after ticking off several paragraphs of admonitions and rules, the judge dismissed all of us, save those with serious excuses, to come back the next day. I trek back and into the courtroom for the selection process the next day and get called in the first group of 18. And here’s where it gets really interesting.
We all receive a list of questions that might influence our participation one way or another in this case, which is a domestic violence case. As the judge interviews each person I am amazed to realize:
• Over half of our random group has experienced a crime against our property or person.
• Well over half of us have known people who have experienced assault or domestic violence, or have close associations with those who have.
• A few people knew people who had been convicted of murder or attempted murder.
No wonder our prisons hold more people than all other countries combined. I thought, this is the result of no culture of accountability, and wondered what could happen if more people adopted our Conscious Living and Loving Initiative
.
When I finished giving my answers to the judge she asked if there was anything that might influence my objectivity on the panel, and I said that in addition to my work with relationships that I was an expert in body language and could pretty much tell when people were lying (this got a laugh from the jury pool). It didn’t get me excused, though, just generated a long lecture on the difference between personal experience and being an “expert.” I began to get a little dizzy but held my own and kept breathing. What did spring the door open was my schedule for next week, when I plan to go to a conference out of the country. I wouldn’t be available should the trial go into another week. So, just like that, out the door.
I know you know the old Shakespeare quote about lawyers. It seems that today the snowball of legalese, interpretations, levels of litigation, are swamping our resources. I vote for each person taking healthy responsibility, being authentic and leading with appreciation. That would change our legal system faster than any new law.
When I finished giving my answers to the judge she asked if there was anything that might influence my objectivity on the panel, and I said that in addition to my work with relationships that I was an expert in body language and could pretty much tell when people were lying (this got a laugh from the jury pool). It didn’t get me excused, though, just generated a long lecture on the difference between personal experience and being an “expert.” I began to get a little dizzy but held my own and kept breathing. What did spring the door open was my schedule for next week, when I plan to go to a conference out of the country. I wouldn’t be available should the trial go into another week. So, just like that, out the door.
I know you know the old Shakespeare quote about lawyers. It seems that today the snowball of legalese, interpretations, levels of litigation, are swamping our resources. I vote for each person taking healthy responsibility, being authentic and leading with appreciation. That would change our legal system faster than any new law.
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