Dateline>City of Angels

Well, my number came up. Again. I’ve been summoned to jury service.

Thanks to the current system, jury prospects now get to call an automated number the night before their service is scheduled to begin. A computer voice tells you whether you actually need to show up or simply remain “on call.”

In the past year every one of my friends or family who’ve called the Superior Court’s SRV-JURY line have hit the jackpot. Not a single one had to make a personal appearance. Feeling the odds were in my favor, I dialed the number this evening — and came up Snake Eyes. I have to report downtown tomorrow at 7:45 a.m., sharp. Damn!

It’s not that I eschew doing my civic duty. It’s that in the past few years I feel I’ve done more than my share, serving in three separate court cases — including a month-long stint on the County Grand Jury. Interesting and educational, I admit, but I’ve seen enough courtroom drama to last me for at least another year or two.

Being a freelancer, I suppose I’m easy prey. Never held back by work or hardship, I’m always able and (usually) willing to serve. Court officials insist they don’t target people like me for repeat performances. Still, I remain suspicious…