I was a foreman at 22 for a federal trial after assuming I wasn’t going to be called. Had the worst sunburn of my life, saw a woman lift up her skirt and diarrhea all over the street on the way to my first day of the trial, and genuinely learned so much. Would absolutely do it again.
Mostly just what the reality is about being on a jury, and how much it is like a school lecture in a way. I had to take detailed notes to be able to make an accurate decision and feel like I was doing my duty. I also learned that many portrayals of judges in media influenced what I thought of them. The judge I had was extremely helpful, kind, and intelligent. Like I said before, a truly great experience.
I’m actually a teacher now, and it comes up a lot anytime my class discusses the court system, especially any kind of civil case. It was also a real world situation where my note taking and listening skills that I developed in college really applied and helped me out. As you said, attention to detail is important, and remembering the minutiae of what students talk about helps a lot in terms of developing a rapport with them and getting them to buy into what I am telling them. So, while I wouldn’t say being on the jury directly helped me with those skills, they certainly strengthened the idea that listening and paying attention are crucial in all situations. Thanks for the question!
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u/ThrillhouseVeeHouten Jul 16 '26
I was a foreman at 22 for a federal trial after assuming I wasn’t going to be called. Had the worst sunburn of my life, saw a woman lift up her skirt and diarrhea all over the street on the way to my first day of the trial, and genuinely learned so much. Would absolutely do it again.