Lessons from Jury Duty

1. essential items include a book and 500 mg. of tylenol
2. leave your explosives, large belt buckles, and tape measures at home
   
3. if you deliberate over dinner time...they order pizza for you...they choose the toppings
   
4. if you speak out during jury selection the lawyers approach the bench and then the judge tells you that you can go home.
5. if you speak when spoken to-they make you stay.
6. when the judge starts the day with, "This is actually my first trial with a jury...." you know it's going to be a long day.
7. When the Bailiff says...this is the second criminal trial we've had in this court since January...it's going to be an even longer day.
   
8. long deliberation: when the other five jurors come to an opposite conclusion than you
9. "reasonable doubt" does not mean no doubt at all...just enough doubt that a reasonable person would come to.
10. It makes it hard to come to any solid conclusions when the three witness give three contradicting accounts.
11. 5:30 a.m. is not a pretty time for me...ask Nathan
12. If you're reading "A Prayer for Owen Meany" and are finding similarities with the movie "Simon Birch" it's because the ARE the same. different name.
13. Don't look at evidence pictures from the emergency room while eating meat lover's pizza...just don't.
14. If someone attacks you in your trailer park...run away and call the police...don't attack the dude with a metal pipe repeatedly and then hide the pipe under your sofa. It will save six people a lot of time and the State of Indiana $40.00 per juror.