“It is much more important to know what sort of a patient has a disease than what sort of a disease a patient has.” - Sir William Osler






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Jury Duty II

I decided to split this post.

So, anyway, we're finally in the courtroom. The judge is female and seems really nice. She's given to making jokes and seems anxious to make sure that we are at ease and that we understand everything. She starts from scratch with the now-standard speech about the importance of jury duty: "Thomas Jefferson said..."

Oh, no! Not again! I think. Thankfully, this part is brief; we are introduced to the attorneys, support staff and the plaintiffs and then we get down to business. Eighteen names are called and one of them is mine. We file into the jury box and sit. The judge proceeds to ask each of us a series of questions:

- where we live
- our marital status, and if we have kids
- what we do for a living, and what our spouses/kids do for a living
- whether we have "yes" answers to any of the questions on a handout she's given us
- whether we've been on a jury before

"And what do you do for fun?" is her last question. After explaining that I'm a physician and the details of my job, my answer is a dry one: "Sleep, Your Honor." That gets a laugh from my fellow jurors.

"Not in my courtroom!" she replies with mock indignation.

The questionnaire is a long one, and covers all sorts of possible juror conflicts. The case in question is a motor vehicle accident where the plaintiffs are suing for damages, including injuries. As soon as I hear this, I realize that I will almost certainly get kicked off the jury. I take care to emphasize my familiarity with physical therapy, and elucidate the number of patients I have in rehab facilities who are getting therapy. The judge asks me if I see patients who have been in motor vehicle accidents; I say yes, quite frequently.

The process takes all day. We got into the courtroom at about ten-fifteen, broke for lunch from 12 to 1:30. I took advantage of this by walking uphill to the new downtown cathedral, which was dedicated late last year. Our Lady of the Angels is stunning. I'm not one for modern church architecture, but I like what I see. As I walk around the perimeter peering into the individual chapels, I see a mimeographed flyer pointing to one chapel: "For the Victims of Sexual Abuse." Cardinal Mahoney's token gesture. I peek inside and see picture after picture of children -- Oh God, I can't take this -- and keep walking fast.

There is a noon Mass going on, on a Tuesday. There are about fifty people in attendance. I am impressed by this. But I keep going, have to get lunch and get back to the courtroom.

To bring this to a close, after the judge finishes up the initial round of questioning each of the attorneys take turns asking questions. I am asked several, as I mentioned above. She and the two attorneys confer in chambers. When they come out, seven people are called and told that they are not needed and to return to the call room downstairs. I am one of them!

By the time we check in downstairs, it's almost four. Within ten minutes, we are dismissed for the day. I'm free! My day is over and I haven't been picked. Hallelujah!

posted by Dr. Alice at #