Well, if you live in a small county. 
I’ve lived my entire life (70+ years) in Los Angeles County, and I’ve never met anyone I knew – even a little bit – any time I served on jury duty. And I’ve been on jury duty at least 10 times.
I was on jury duty and was picked in the initial group of forty (?) potential jurors. After we were seated, I noticed an acquaintance also in the group; I knew her because her kids and my kids went to the same school. Early on in the questioning, she was asked if she knew anybody else, whereupon she pointed to me. When asked how she knew me, she responded “Railer and I have children together”, leaving out “in the same school.” Everybody got a good chuckle.
Neither she nor I were chosen for the jury.
LOL. I love those little nuggets of humor in the process. They are rare, but appreciated.
Here we go again. I was called a couple of months ago but go deferred because the trial would have extended into a planned vacation. I have to go back in an hour to await my fate again.
The last one would have been interesting. Dude allegedly went on a crime spree. Two misdemeanor counts of shoplifting at a Ralphs. Two weeks later two counts of misdemeanor shoplifting plus witness intimidation at a CVS. A couple of weeks later two counts of misdemeanor shoplifting somewhere else. Three weeks after that felony shoplifting at the Apple Store. It seems crazy that he would be not guilty of all of them.
I’ve been called back in, reporting in again Monday morning. We’ll see how this one goes! I’ve now been asked to report three times this period (I’m on the list from May to August), but the second time was cancelled within minutes of receiving my text notification.
They are calling out 78 names to go to the courtroom. My name was 4th.
Have fun! Do good! 
Well, my friends, I’m going to have to go dark for a bit. See you on the other side.
I am permitted to say that I am still part of the jury selection process.
I have been called to jury duty thrice. Twice the case was continued that morning so thank you for your service and buh-bye. The third time I made it to the second day of voir dire about 10am and the attorneys asked each of us if we thought we could judge the case fairly. I said I am a mathematician so if the expectation is that I decide only on the facts then I can do that. The defense attorney dismissed me then and there.
I am permitted to say that I am on the jury.
I hope it’s a case that engages you, doesn’t traumatize you and doesn’t take up months of your time. Good luck!
Also hoping the attorneys and witnesses are articulate and not mumblers or soft-spoken, that any exhibits are easily understood, that the lawyers know how to try a case efficiently, and that the judge runs a fair but tight ship.
I second that!
Been called 3 times, never served.
Once, in NC, when I was fresh out of college. A bit of an a office curiosity, as nobody else had ever been called. I think they used driver’s license records as their source to pull people from.
Went to the courthouse, sat in a room for a bit, got called into a courtroom for selection, and IIRC (this was 40+ years back) they had selected the 12 jurors, but then the case settled or was dismissed, so nobody had to serve. We all went home. Biggest annoyance was that I finished the book I’d brought, well before the hurry-up-and-wait was over.
Second time, I was to call the night before, 2 weeks in a row (one day per week). First week, didn’t need to show. Second week… er, I forgot to call until the middle of the workday. Luckily, my group was not needed that week either.
Last time was last year. I had to reschedule the week once because we had a vacation planned. When I did have to show up, it was around the time the Depp defamation trial was winding up, so the courthouse lawn was infested with reporters. I sat around for an hour or so, they called one group in for a trial, and sent the rest of us home.
My husband did serve on two trials; one was a shoplifting case (they acquitted due to insufficient evidence) and the other was a real estate / tax fraud situation (found guilty, though IIRC it involved a fine versus prison time).
It’s over. It was a case of Misdemeanor Battery in jail between two prisoners witnessed by one deputy. The victim didn’t testify nor did the defendant. Just like on my other jury, I volunteered to be foreperson. Unlike on the last jury where the judge read the verdict, I had to do it this time.
We found him guilty and it was the right decision but I’m depressed about it which was no different than last time. There were three men and nine women on the jury and when we took the straw poll at the beginning, it was me and the other two men plus one woman who were leaning towards there being enough reasonable doubt for not-guilty but we were all convinced after a bit over an hour.
It’s a very interesting process but there is no joy in it.
Thanks for your service and for sharing about it. I think yours is one of the best descriptions about the experience I’ve ever heard.
Just my opinion: I wish more people would treat jury duty with the sense of duty that you have. It is boring, thankless, sometimes a little costly and often disturbing. Sometimes life changing.
And it is such a necessary, important part of our justice system. Thanks again.
Aaaaaaand just got called for jury duty for the end of July.
Aren’t you the lucky one?
Hope it goes well.
I appreciate your kind words very much. My fellow jurors in both cases very much impressed me. It was the most random group ever and we all took it very seriously.
I’m in the pool for my county until September 2, but no appearances required yet.
I was on a Federal Grand Jury back in the late 70’s for 18 months. Had to appear in downtown St. Louis 4 days or so a month. We were investigating price fixing in the animal feed industry. 18 months and they gave up.
Served on one Petit Jury in St. Louis County. Young woman charged with theft by deceit for trying to pass stolen person checks. Guilty