Are you on a long trial, Tim?

My trials are only beginning.

Oh, that one? At least through the rest of the week, maybe longer.

Can you say what kind of trial it is?

I'm not supposed to talk about it all. So no.

Well, hope it's at least interesting.

I was actually really impressed by the people I served on a jury with earlier this year. People were not thrilled to be picked, but they took it really seriously once we were picked.

I got bounced from my only jury call for being a law student. At the time, I was really bummed. I still like observing trials, but you can get some really tedious civil cases that can be hell on a juror.

I had to go in to be in the pool last winter. I showed up, and followed my little group into a room where a woman was suing the company that owned her apartment complex after she fell during the winter.

When they asked if any of us had ever fallen on someone else's property, I was among those who raised their hand. Then they asked if any of us have ever entertained thoughts of suing the property owners. I was one of two who raised their hands. When the lawyer asked me about that, I replied that I'm clumsy and have fallen down a lot, and at times it could have been avoided had the property owners maintained things better. But then I usually rationalized it out as I also had some responsibility in the issue, and in matters of my own safety, so I had never actually gone through with suing.

I was not surprised when I was not picked, after managing to take both sides of the argument in one sentence.

When I was called for jury duty, one of the guys in the jury pool violated the judge's orders and was "disciplined accordingly." The judge didn't get specific but I really wanted to ask for details.

I was one of the defendant's peremptory challenges.

It's entirely possible that voir dire weeded out the people in my pool who wouldn't have taken the experience seriously. I know some of those people answered the way they did in order to try and get out of serving.