Banned From the County Courthouse
Several years back I answered a call for jury duty at the Fayette County Courthouse. As a citizen of the United States and Fayette County, I felt it was my responsibility to go. I was retired and didn’t have anything else exciting to do. That day, I was blessed when the parking garage gate was open. I was able to park for free. I made my way to the courthouse and entered into a courtroom for roll call. I was amazed at the inefficiency of the officials. Instead of someone checking people as they entered, marking them on the roster and assigning a juror badge number, the juror pool sat and waited until the room was full. One by one the names were called and given badges. It was at least an hour wasted and sitting on those hard oak benches irritated my sciatic nerve.
Our group was assigned to report to another courtroom. We sat on hard oak chairs for another hour. The ache in my back worsened and my foot began to go numb. After the judge sat on his throne and lawyers made plea deal one after another, we were excused to wait in the hall. By then it was lunchtime and we were dismissed to find food nearby. When I returned, my pain had worsened. I hunted the office of the lady who was in charge of the jurors and told her about my problem with the progressive numbness in my foot. She said if I stayed until three PM, she would excuse me from jury duty.
While I was talking with her, I mentioned, “The last time I was here, the prosecutor didn’t do his job.” She looked startled. I shared, “The accused stole an air conditioner for the aluminum and the prosecutor failed to say whether it was commercial or home model and whether it was functioning or not. We could only judge the accused with scrap metal prices for the aluminum.”
At three I left AND would you believe it, the very next week, I received another jury duty summons. I sent back a scathing letter telling the courthouse that they could send the sheriff and all his deputies, but I wasn’t coming back. I also explained that I’d already been there and my sciatica problem. They sent a return letter saying it was no longer necessary for me to serve as a juror. I’d been banned.
Because my address is Acme, I also get jury summons from Westmoreland County. When I received one from Westmoreland, I returned it saying I lived in Fayette. When they responded I needed a doctor’s excuse, I phoned them. The reason for the continuing snafu is the list is generated in Harrisburg. Enough said.