Civics Notebook: Jury Duty in Providence

Just recently I was summoned to jury duty in Providence, Rhode Island. Although some people may get annoyed by this inconvenience but look at as a break from your normal routine and also a learning experience. Most of us only see the court system from television, books or movies. This was actually my second time reporting to this same location so I wasn’t a total stranger to the procedure. I thought I’d share some of my thoughts on the whole experience.

Getting There

I took advantage of the free parking and shuttle service that is provided a short distance away from the courts. It really makes sense to use this service if possible. Traffic and parking near courts is quite congested and busy. As is common in most urban areas is that parking is at a premium. On street parking is very limited and some nearby parking lots will cost you some dough. Why spend money and deal with the hassle of finding a spot?

Security

To be warned their is security checkpoints at entrances which there is a metal detector and x-ray screening(for belongings). This can be a minor hassle coming and going from the building. All belongings watches, belts, wallets, purses, backpacks and so on must go through the scanner. I’d advise to travel light and come and go from the building a limited number of times. Don’t worry about the screeners they aren’t same group as the ones strip search 95 year old women's diapers in the airports.

Lunch

I’m not much of a lunch time eater but there are small eateries in the area. The courthouse does have a small snack bar. You could bring a lunch if you like. I didn’t notice any name brand fast food or coffee shops nearby.

Take a walk

The John Brown House: Founder of Brown University

The surrounding neighborhood was actually quite interesting. The courthouse borders Rhode Island School of Design, Brown University and the historic Benefit Street. Across the street is also park which borders the Providence River where one can hang out. It’s surprising how much is packed into this small area that is all within short walking distance. This was how I spent my lunch breaks.

Jury Selection

On the second day I was one of many selected to be to go through the process of selecting a jury. Your group is selected at random and you are brought up a courtroom where you meet the judge, prosecutor, defense lawyer and defendant. Our particular case was a criminal trial which required 14 jurors(12 plus 2 alternates). The process is somewhat tedious but the judge we had was friendly and full of humor at times. From the jury pool names were picked at random. The judge, prosecution and defendant’s lawyer asked a series of questions. Some people were excused for one reason or another. Finally when they had the right number they were sworn in and the rest of us were released. To be honest I was kind of disappointed to not be selected. I thought it would have been an excellent learning experience, maybe next time.

Summary

Like I said I looked this a break from my routine. Keep in mind their is a lot of waiting. In the lounge there are different rooms with TV’s around with some snack and soda machines. There is also a library room with plenty of books to choose from with a couple of PC’s for Internet use. Try to take advantage of opportunities around this time. It can be a rewarding experience if you want it to be.