My day as a Cook County juror

Today my number came up. I was summonsed to Cook County's 2nd District Circuit Court in Skokie, Illinois to serve as a juror. Luckily for me, the courthouse is just ten minutes from my home, so I left Morton Grove at 8:45am. Then the nightmare began. Traffic was backed up on Old Orchard Road, and it took me ten minutes just to get into the multi-level parking lot. Skokie, except at Christmas time near the big mall there, is not known for traffic jams.

The courthouse has three entrances, but the one on the east end was closed, which left the north and west entrances for the poor souls like myself waiting in the cold. After waiting five minutes in line on the north end, I noticed a lot of people heading west. The line was shorter there, but still, it took me 30 minutes to get inside. My Cook County taxes, and they are quite high, were at work. Well, not really.

Of course if lawyers and coutroom workers had to wait in line, not only would have that east entrance have been open, there would be no lines at all.

Like an airport, it's a requirement for those entering the building--employees and attorneys excepted--to walk through a metal detector before entering, which is why I didn't wear a belt, bring my iPod, and I left my house keys in my car. Empty out those pockets!

I finally made it into the juror room, where we were greeted by video featuring Chief Judge Timothy C. Evans, a former Chicago mayoral candidate, and an explanation of what can a juror can expect--sans the half hour waiting in line in the cold--by a mustachioed Lester Holt--probably recorded about ten years ago when he was still with CBS 2 Chicago. Holt's with MSNBC now. I wonder if he knows his video is still being shown to potential jurors?

Then we waited...waited...waited....and we were excused for lunch. When I got back, there was a much shorter line this time--I was stuck outside for just five minutes--it was back to the juror room. And another hour and ten minutes of waiting.

At 2:40pm, about forty other prospective and I were sent a courtroom. Sixteen were called by name to sit in the jurors' booth--and I was one of them.

Each one of us were asked a whole bunch of questions. I can't get into the details, but at the end of the first round, and one sidebar, I was excused.

The case I would've heard? Well, all I'm going to say was that it was a criminal trial.

There was no long line to leave. But I'm $17.20 richer for the experience.

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