By Eileen Burkhalter Smith 

I received a summons a couple of weeks ago for jury duty.  This will be my second “service” on jury duty since law school.  My first summons arrived months after I began practicing law.  I was sure that my explanation that “I am a lawyer” would get me out of service.  As you can imagine, it did not.  It also did not get me a position as foreman of a jury for an incredibly exciting criminal matter.  Last time, I spent two days sitting at the Courthouse waiting to be placed on a jury.  I was released without even getting into the courtroom.

Nevertheless, I was surprised when another notice came a couple of weeks ago.  I know people who have never been summoned—but it just happened to me twice.  I am actually looking forward to it a little.  It will be nice to be the one making the decision instead of trying to persuade others to do so.  Easy for me to say now…

I wonder if that is how one California lawyer originally felt, who served on a jury for 40 days and then eventually broke a deadlock just to get out of there?  California disbarred him for doing so .  I guess he will not be so thrilled to receive his next summons.