Did my civic duty today -- reported bright and early to the Bronx Hall of Justice for jury service. I was pleasantly surprised by the many changes since my last service some years ago. First of all the new building is so much nicer -- rooms are light and bright and clean. There are also some welcome amenities such as TV, wifi, and low-cost vending machines. Best of all, the court system is trying its best to make it a bearable experience for jurors. But the wheels of justice grind slowly so there will always be a lot of waiting around. However, there at least is a recognition by staff that we are not a burden but a benefit to the system. Of course, more still needs to be done and there are some staff members who did get the memo but most things have changed for the better. I am still in the potential jury pool so will let you know how I feel after a few more days. Would love to hear about other experiences. UPDATE: So I served for two days and came within an inch of being put on a three-week murder case. I guess they did not need a lawyer mucking things up. I was glad to offer my services as a juror, and overall found it to be a very good experience. The Court system has improved tremendously when dealing with prospective jurors. It has some things to correct but if you served on a jury 5 or more years ago you would notice the huge change. I won't be called for another 5-6 years so will be interesting to see the progress then.
During your visit to the courthouse, did you happen to see any Bronx politicians being arraigned? I think they usually get hauled into court in the morning, and the judges like to get home by late afternoon.
ReplyDeleteThe changes made for jurors are good. Too bad so many shirk their responsibility by lying in order to get off of a case.
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