Verdict

We have completed our jury service for the court - the judge read the nicest little speech to us - and we have been dismissed. We are now allowed to discuss it with our friends and family though we can't get paid for any information we supply for ninety days. So don't send me any money for this particular entry. (All the others are okay though.) So here's the tell-all at it's juiciest.
That was the most inefficient court I have ever been called to. At least here in The Jungle, courts keep pretty good hours as it is; in at 10:00, break for lunch at 12:00, back at 1:30 and done by 4:00. (Yes, I realize that the judges and attorneys do other things when court isn't in session, researching cases and precedents and whatever.) But this place, except for the first day when all the jury had to report at 8:00 for the instruction and waiting period (where we wait and wait and break for lunch and then wait some more) we started at 1:30 and were done by 4:00. That seemed a mighty waste of time. (Again, I realize that the legal peoples were doing other things.) But to have the thirty-five of us come back for THREE days just to select the jury seems a bit much.
During the jury selection - and then into the trial - I noticed a few things that make me think this particular court is like a "training" court. Firstly, it was a misdemeanor that we were observing. That's not damning evidence in and of itself but it adds to the case. Secondly, the judge was very young, as were the attorneys, and they shared a large number of glances and smiles and conferences in the hall - sidebars, but I have never seen them done that way before. Also, the judge read nearly everything for us out of a book. Unless it is a new policy I felt she just wasn't familiar enough with the wordage yet to have it memorized. I gather she was really busy too - multitasking - because she was always writing and many times when a lawyer objected she would have the last question read back so she could get caught up with the proceedings. Again, not convincing on it's own but...And the prosecuting attorney was nervous; his hands were shaking whenever he stood up to speak.
Then, and this is the juiciest part, there seemed to be something going on between the two attorneys. They talked about each other in their statements, complementing and making cute remarks. I assume this could have been a tactic by both sides to get us to like them and see they were "real" people too, but in addition they frequently chatted across the desk from each other, asking questions - when the district attorney was talking to the jury the defense attorney objected and said "I don't think you can't ask them that," like she didn't know for sure. They would trade smiles, comments and little jokes, and then, during closing arguments, the defense attorney called the D.A. by his first name. That was a little odd. We talked about it later, all of us having to take a second and realize who she was referring to. Interesting indeed.
Oh, the testimony and evidence took a day and a half and we deliberated for about two hours I think. Fairly clear once they gave us the law. Guilty. We don't get to stay for sentencing but for a misdemeanor it's only a fine or some community service right? The defendant did not look too surprised nor upset when she heard the verdict.

This is me, reading a lot into the body language of the court.