Justice system propaganda

We were just shown an orientation video. It starts out very patriotic, both for the U.S. and for California, which it says, and I quote, "is the greatest state in the Union". Later, it turns from direct patriotism to how good being a juror will make you feel and even mentioning that many jurors keep in touch after their trials are over. That drew a few chuckles. I spent a lot of the video trying to decide whether the judge in the video might be one of the two judges I know from my childhood. Turns out I do - she looks just like an older version of her daughter, with whom I went to high school.

Now we sit and see whether they need us. It looks as if there may be wireless, so I suppose I should have brought my laptop.

I am really hoping they won't select me. I am generally interested in being on a jury, but this is not a good time. I have deadlines at work that don't just magically go away (perhaps I can get some of them extended some, but I don't know), we have the finalization hearing for our adoption of Zachary in a few days, and I'm taking a vacation a few days after that. I'm not going to make a good juror right now.

A friend of mine said to wear a tie-dye and play up by liberal Berkeley roots. I may well do the later, if it seems appropriate, but, as the son of a lawyer, I couldn't bring myself to do the former.

Another friend tells a story about showing up to juror selection in a Bart Simpson t-shirt with the words "I didn't do it, nobody saw me do it, nobody can prove anything.". He claims to have been excused as a result.