Classic Rant 1,324 (November 17, 2014): Jury Duty Today

Today, I have been granted jury duty.

I don't mind serving jury duty--it is my responsibility as a citizen of this country to do so--but others mind, including my place of work.

As I described in a recent post, I went through hell a few years back when I had jury duty, and I try to get out of it to avoid such skirmishes when I can.

Their feeling is that since we have a small company, any cog in the wheel that misses work because of jury duty holds everyone up.

My feeling is that it is not only my duty to serve, but since I work for a place that constantly writes about the quality of life of service members and their families, they should understand that this is an obligation that the citizens of this country must uphold for everyone's quality of life.

They will pay me for three days--that's it--and after that, I am on my own.

I have to get out of it, because my quality of life--in the form of sick and personal days, of which we get very few--will be abridged if I don't get out of this.

It used to be easy for me to get out of jury duty.

I would just say "child support," and I would be let out immediately.

Whatever court it is does not want to interfere with that.

My daughter is 26 now, so I can't use that defense.

I also know it is more difficult to get off of jury duty now than it used to be.

But that is my goal/plight today, get off jury duty, and while I am none too happy about it, it is something that I must do.

Perhaps it will be easy, as it was several years ago, when at about lunch hour, they dismissed us for the week.

Perhaps it will be like the last time, when I literally had to beg to get off a jury I was assigned to.

Whatever the case, I am not looking forward to this situation at all.

Let's see what transpires.