Ways To Spend Time During A Long Day Of Jury Selection
When you're called for jury duty and make plans to visit the courthouse for the selection process, you have to understand what your next few days might be like. While it's possible that you could be dismissed early in the selection process, allowing you to return to your daily life, it may also be several days before you learn your fate. You won't be sitting in the courtroom for this entire time — rather, it's common to be called to the courtroom for a short period of time, dismissed for a stretch, and then asked to return. All this means that you'll need to find some ways to spend time during what might be several long days. Beyond the usual ideas of reading and listening to music on your mobile device, here are some suggestions.
Catch Up On Work
If you're anxious about the time that you're spending away from work as you go through the jury selection process, consider what work you might be able to do. It's possible that you need to occupy several hours between courtroom sessions, so this can be a productive period for you if you plan in advance. Talk to your manager about what projects you can continue remotely. With a tablet or even your smartphone, it's often possible to send a number of work-related emails, contribute to a presentation, or perform other similar duties.
Learn About Legal History
If you wander around the courthouse long enough, you might find an interesting location for spending some time. Many courthouses have extensive historical displays for visitors to check out. For example, there might be a room or even a hallway with historical markers, framed articles, and other attractions to check out. This might not be the type of information that you'd readily seek out, but you could find that since you're already in the building, you can spend some time learning about different cases or legal issues in the area's history.
Look In On Other Trials
There's never an excuse to be bored when you're spending time at a courthouse. While you might be thinking about your own jury selection process, there's no harm in seeing a jury in action by dropping in on a trial that is underway. Many trials are open to the public, so it's possible to check out some courtrooms and sit in the gallery for a period of time. This may especially be appealing if you enjoy watching legal dramas on TV, as it can be interesting to observe the legal process in real life.
