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SOME THINGS YOU HAVE to do yourself.
A 2017 study concluded that spending money on time-saving services is correlated with greater life satisfaction. A subsequent article confirmed the finding. Rich or poor, we can boost our happiness by having others do undesirable tasks.
These studies confirm what HumbleDollar readers already know: Wealth is a tool that, if used wisely, can increase our life’s satisfaction. Pay a yard service to mow the lawn. Spend money on housekeeping services. Hire someone to do the shopping, cooking or laundry.
Now that I’m retired, I have plenty of time for activities I loathed to do while working. But thanks to a modicum of wealth, I have the choice to complete these tasks myself or pay others to do them.
Sometimes, however, there are time-consuming obligations that can’t be delegated. Last month, I received that dreaded letter. No, not an IRS audit notice. Rather, a summons for jury duty.
I contemplated if there was a way to escape this obligation. Unlikely. I have no prior criminal record and I’m not a student. I’m not yet 75 years old, nor do I take care of small children or elderly relatives. While I could possibly claim the immoral character exemption, it would be tough to provide proof.
My assigned session was scheduled for 8 a.m. midweek in the heart of downtown. I’ve been retired for a year, and forgot how much construction workers enjoy slowing rush-hour traffic. Nevertheless, I managed to arrive a few minutes early.
I entered the recommended city-owned garage. I’m partially colorblind, so all seven levels look identical to me. I took a picture to remember where my car was parked. There are a dozen similar photos on my phone, constantly resurfacing on my device as curated parking memories.
Security procedures entering a Texas court house are more draconian than those adopted by airport Transportation Security Administration workers. Shoes and jacket must be removed, pockets emptied, suspenders dropped. This is followed by a walk through a metal detector, the hand-wand check and a thorough pat down. Good thing I wore thick argyle socks, as the floor was unexpectedly sticky.
First order of business was to check in at one of the kiosks. Good news awaited. All potential jurors were given a debit card and told we’d receive a guaranteed $30 for the day. That amount rose to $58 if chosen to sit for a case.
My frugal side screamed, “Pick me, pick me.” Wait a minute, no. The cost-to-benefit ratio of losing my retirement’s free time was certainly not worth the gained dollars. Earning money by combining stress with lost time certainly wouldn’t increase my happiness quotient.
I entered the assigned jury room, noticing that the majority of early arrivals were retired, easily identified by the way they carried hard copies of well-worn library books showing Dewey decimal codes. The room steadily filled with harried workers, disheveled homemakers and annoyed professionals rushing to arrive before the clerk closed the main doors. The group was from all walks of life.
I understood my civic responsibility to serve as a juror, but what if I were actually picked? What if I were chosen as foreman? Would I make a fair decision? My anxiety rose as the minutes ticked by, with thoughts of being sequestered in small claims court arguing over the validity of suing the local TV station weatherman for wrongly predicted thunderstorms.
I immediately calmed when a clerk mentioned there was free coffee available. The word “free” put my mind at ease, even though I’m well aware my taxes fund the county court system and its free coffee.
The jury pool waited for what seemed like an eternity. The entire room felt edgy. A faint tinge of perspiration wafted through the room. Good thing I wore a COVID mask.
Over time, I noticed the group transformed from complete strangers to one that was bonded by common experience. We all held the same trepidation, uncomfortable with a common unknown. Our fates were linked in a manner regardless of social status, wealth or occupation.
My number wasn’t called in the first group, nor the second, nor the third. Each set of numbers was accompanied by an adrenaline rush, which I can only describe as akin to hearing ping-pong balls announced in a bingo hall.
My heart raced each time the clerk returned to the podium. Maybe I should have conferred with my cardiologist prior to committing to this obligation. The free coffee was no longer having its anti-anxiety effect.
The clerk returned a final time to thank the remaining potential jurors for our service. The “poolers” let out an audible sigh of relief. A bald man in front of me gave a whoop, and I swear the woman in the charcoal grey sweater seated in front evoked the Lord’s name.
I felt proud to have completed my civic duty, and carried that feeling with me through the rest of the day. Nevertheless, I secretly wished I could have paid someone to complete my obligation. It would have boosted my life satisfaction.
Jeffrey K. Actor, PhD, was a professor at a major medical school in Houston for more than 25 years, serving as an academic researcher with interests in how immune responses function to fight pathogenic diseases. Jeff’s retirement goals are to write short science fiction stories, volunteer in the community and spend time in his garden. Check out his earlier articles.
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I had my one and only jury duty call some 20 years ago, and was seated on that jury. Thinking about Jeff’s comment on jury duty compensation, the only thing we got was free parking in the county garage. We were on our own for any of the downtown eateries at lunch during the 3-day trial, although they did buy us pizza and soda for lunch on our final day when we were deliberating. The worst part of jury duty was waiting in the jury room before going into the courtroom where they only thing we were allowed to watch on the TV was HGTV.
I serve as a trial court judge. Jury selection days are the most interesting part of my day. Like Jeff writes, folks get up early, drive for hours, have to deal with city life, and are often a bit resentful about being dragged into the court process. But something interesting usually happens pretty quickly. Most jurors take their role very seriously, and want to do the right thing in the case. People generally ask good questions, are diligent in showing up early, and give me great feedback about the process.
And the lawyers/litigants who wanted their “day in court”? Particularly in civil cases, they become very dubious about how strong their claims are, and question why they’ve allowed a group of random strangers to make decisions about their careers, their business, or their injuries. Looking at a group of folks who couldn’t get out of jury service is a strong incentive to settling cases.
Thank you for the great insight from the other side of the bench. Much appreciated!
Last time I was called I reached the stage where potential jurors can be questioned by the lawyers. I was asked if a police officer came in and said it was sunny outside and someone poorly dressed came in and said it was cloudy, who would I believe. I said they probably came in at different times and would believe both. She then asked if they came in at the same time who would I believe then. I again said both , that they were probably looking in different directions. She said if they claimed to be looking in the same direction who would I finally believe. I responded that in reality both would be entering with their heads down looking at their phone and would have no clue what the sky looked like. The judge chuckled and I was dismissed.
At 60 and retired, I recently had to head to the courthouse for the first time for jury duty. Assigned to a judge in the first group, I sat through two days of jury selection before I knew I was serving on a murder trial. The estimate for the trial was 2 weeks, but I ended up serving a total of 7 days, a fascinating experience. I was surprised that the closing arguments were as dramatic as some I’ve seen on fictional TV shows.
Picked for a jury? Me? Absolutely. I’m just flattered that someone wants my opinion.
The one time I actually served was a theft case. The woman had stolen an item from the local Goodwill valued at exactly $2.74. The manager insisted on pressing charges. The woman insisted on a jury trial. It took seven hours, counting our deliberations. Oooooookay.
Another time I was picked for the initial jury pool on an assault and battery case. A pregnant woman was accused of beating her boyfriend with — I’m serious — a candlestick. (No, I never found out whether her name was Miss Scarlett or whether it happened in the parlor or the library.) She claimed self-defense, and the boyfriend wouldn’t press charges or testify.
The judge warned us that the trial could take two weeks, and as a busy consultant I couldn’t afford the loss of 80 billable hours, so in the second round of interviews I told the prosecutor — truthfully — that I occasionally taught women’s self-defense seminars for companies in Silicon Valley. Specifically, I said, I coached them to use any available object within reach to defend themselves against attack, and to keep swinging it until the danger was over.
“Juror 27 is VERY excused, Your Honor.”
Chuckle from the judge.
Years ago, in 1972, the second week on my first “after my military service ” job, I was called for Jury Duty, in NC. I was selected and in a 5 day period, I sat on three different cases. Two were DUIs and I was assault. As a Vet Nam Vet, I was actually surprised at not being eliminated during Jury Selection, but I was not. (All three were found guilty.)
In the late 1990’s, while living in TX, I served again, for 2 days and was dismissed for the rest of the week.
In 2010’s I lived in PA and was excused, as I was a College Professor.
Lastly, in 2022, I was called again, in NC, but excused because of my age, and I also believe because I answered Yes on a few of the questions on the pre-trail selection forms. (Related to being a veteran or former LEO, or being related to one.)
Serving on a Jury is never an easy task, but like you, I did get the feeling that I did my civic duty. I just wish I could serve on a really controversial case, like the current bogus cases against President Trump, but my chances of ever getting on such a Jury are between ZERO and NO WAY Jose.
Had I been on either of the NY Juries President Trump would never have been convicted…ala “Twelve Angel Men,” with me as the hold out. Or so I can dream.
Kevin, you do realize that Trump’s lawyers had equal say in picking the jury, yet he was convicted on ALL counts, and rather quickly I might add. The evidence was overwhelming. Out of 23 comments YOURS was the only one to make this political…congrats.
Kevin: I believe I’ve asked you before to avoid political pontificating when commenting on HumbleDollar. We have a tradition here of avoiding such stuff, and I believe the site is a far better place because of it. Please steer clear of politics in future. There are plenty of sites where such commentary is welcome. This isn’t one of them.
Isn’t it interesting that every jury sitting through weeks of testimony and then judging that particular defendant has decided against him unanimously on every charge — not a single vote on any count to absolve him — yet someone who has heard and seen none of the evidence can instantly determine the cases are “bogus” and dream of being a holdout for purely political reasons.
America’s civic, legal and moral fibers remain under attack from this movement. We can only hope on this Independence Day that they can hold out without snapping completely.
Serving on a jury can be a huge inconvenience, that is true. But it is also one of the greatest privileges for any citizen of a democracy.
I practiced criminal law for almost 40 years, and despite the fact that lawyers are almost always struck from juries, I served on two, and that was during my years of active practice.
The first time was in a civil case, and even though, when questioned, I honestly said I couldn’t be fair to one side because of a past experience that bore on the nature of the case, I wasn’t struck (!). The trial took 8 business days to conclude, and I was trying to keep my practice afloat during lunch hours and in the evenings. It was a pain, yes, but also an honor and, despite my initial protestations, I did my level best to be fair.
The second time was in a criminal case, and I was an active practicing criminal defense lawyer at the time. I knew the prosecutors, the defense lawyer, the judge, and all the court staff. It soon became plain to me that the State’s case was sorely lacking and I was a “Not Guilty” from the first vote, along with one other juror. Among the other 10 jurors, there was a strong feeling of “Let’s just convict the guy and get out of here.” One juror actually said he wanted to get this done quickly so he wouldn’t be late to his son’s baseball game! If you’ve ever seen one of my all time favorite movies, “Twelve Angry Men”, you get the picture.
We ultimately ended up with 5 “Not Guilty”(s) and 7 “Guilty”(s), and with no further movement possible, the judge declared a hung jury. The State had been seeking a lengthy prison sentence for the defendant, but after we hung, agreed to a plea bargain on a reduced misdemeanor charge and a sentence of time served (he’d spent months in jail awaiting trial). I think rough justice was done.
Once again, I was scrambling all during the trial to keep up with my practice. But the honor and importance of serving made it well worth it. I hope my fellow HD citizens will see it the same way the next time they’re called.
I had dreamed about being selected for Jury in a sensational trial (O J Simpson’s, anyone?) so I could boast about it with friends and relatives for a long time. Never happened.
My jury story was almost comical. This was a civil suit concerning wrongful accusations of theft by a lady who was using a self-serve gas pump. The questions:
You are excused.
At one time I seemed to get a jury summons every other year. I politely declined on the grounds that I wasn’t a citizen (I think they had started using the list of people with drivers licenses rather than the list of voters). Later, after I became a citizen, I declined on the grounds that I would be out of the country. Finally I ran out of excuses and wound up on the jury for a federal case against a bank robber. I was not particularly impressed with the prosecutor but the evidence was pretty compelling and we had no trouble reaching a verdict.
I am now excused on the basis of age. I would be happy to serve again, but not when it involves getting up early and driving to downtown Raleigh in rush hour traffic.
I’ve been called and picked three times, but haven’t served once because of unusual coincidences:
First case was a well-publicized home burglary murder case decades back when the police were less careful about sharing their evidence with the press. After months of reading about it, I had come to the conclusion that the suspect was guilty beyond a shadow of a doubt. I was selected for the jury and the first question the Judge asked was, “Have any of you read about this in the newspaper?” I timidly raised my hand only to realize mine was the only hand up! Just couldn’t believe I was the only one who had read about it, but I was dismissed. (Yes, he was convicted.)
Second one was a child molestation case involving a stepfather. I was sitting on the jury when the first witness was a woman I knew fairly well. I quickly realized she was the child’s mother and again timidly raised my hand. After explaining that to the Judge, I was dismissed. (Can’t remember the final result of the trial.)
Third one involved a suit against a pharmacy and a pharmacist who was accused by the child’s mother of providing excessive A.D.D. drugs to her minor son. During the opening statements, I heard it was against the company I worked for and a fellow pharmacist I knew well. You know the drill by now, I timidly raised my hand and was dismissed. (Both were found not at fault.)
I’ve only been called twice but excused similarly: as a nurse, I was excused as someone with professional knowledge about what may or may not have been a back injury from a car accident. In the second case, I was praying to be selected as I hated the job I had and looked forward to being paid my usual high hourly rate, minimally reduced by the pay from serving but, like you, Bob, I belatedly realized that I had visited the home of the defendant several times when I was a visiting nurse. He was dressed up for court and only when the plaintiff’s attorney asked him the names of his children (? ), did I realize why he looked vaguely familiar. In my case, avoiding the job I hated for a day or two would have increased my life satisfaction but it wasn’t meant to be.
You said, “My anxiety rose as the minutes ticked by, with thoughts of being sequestered in small claims court arguing over the validity of suing the local TV station weatherman for wrongly predicted thunderstorms.”
Thanks for the great laugh today, I actually wonder if it’s happened yet!
Jeff you have humorously described my own experience with being summoned for jury duty.
Have a happy 4th!
I was picked for jury duty again soon after I “was retired”. Turned out to be a terrific experience on a horrible case to hear. We had a great judge, a wonderful bailiff and perhaps the best set of jurors anyone could ask for. The retired subset of us with free time is getting together for a lunch later this month.
David, Thank you for your willingness to serve!
Thanks, Jeff, for a humorous look at this call to duty. And thank you Jonathan, for publishing Jeff’s piece on this day. The jury system has its roots in Anglo-Saxon England, part of our American heritage. Likewise, the freedom many think of as uniquely American has its roots in freedoms worked out in England over centuries, especially the Revolution of 1688 and the Bill of Rights of 1689, a century before the English in America followed suit.
I noticed that Jonathan commented in the Forum of the need to recognize the role immigration played in the creation of the U.S. Indeed, most of us or our families came from somewhere else a short time ago, as history is reckoned. And who can blame them, or deny that there is something different about America, when it continues to be a magnet for people all over the world seeking a better life?
But if we are unique, isn’t it due in large part to our decision to set aside our differences and embrace the qualities that we share–a desire for that better life, for respect from others in our persons and our property, respect for our ideas?
People have always squabbled, and will until the end of time. Thank you Jonathan, for creating and maintaining a spot where the fussing usually stays within the bounds of civility. It seems that elsewhere, any public discussion quickly moves to the extreme ends of the ideological spectrum, to arguments bordering on the ridiculous and permeated with logical fallacies, as my daughter loves to point out.
If we are going to celebrate an Independence Day, and I do, let’s also celebrate independence from entrenched opinions motivated by self-interest. Let’s recognize that our country was born out of unity, and that unity is the path to a bright future.
You are eloquent, Ed — and absolutely right. Thank you for a great response.
So beautifully said, Ed. Thank you. We were born out of unity because former immigrants were willing to let go and were anxious to assimilate—to become Americans.
Newer immigrants no longer have to make that decision, now that technology encourages people to stay in constant touch with the land they left and TV stations broadcast in the old language.
As you said, unity is the path to a brighter future and a stronger one. What makes Americans unique is that we are all something else—a product of our heritage as well. But Americans united is the goal.
Ed, I agree with your sentiments that we all need to embrace the qualities we share and celebrate, as one united nation, our great country. We also need to acknowledge and celebrate our differences, which only serve to strengthen our country. Happy 4th!
Same to you, Jeff, and forgive me for stereotyping—the body is my business, but I’m still trying to grasp how a medical researcher can have such a well-developed funny bone!
😉 It must be genetic.
I was delighted when I hit the magic age to be exempt from jury duty.
The last time I was called many years ago I was picked for the jury. When the lawyers challenged the jurors I was asked if I would tend to believe the testimony of a police officer over someone else. I said yes. Why, I was asked. Because that’s the way I was raised I replied.
This juror is excused.
I’ve been called twice, and sat in the box for questioning by the attorneys once. For that case, I didn’t realize until I was sitting in the courtroom that it involved a well-known land-swindler who had filed against the school district. My father was school superintendent, and also present, so I was disqualified.