George Harris, Kansas City Star Reader Advisory Panel

The summons for jury duty arrived several weeks ago. Though I already had things on my schedule, they could be rearranged. The bigger problem was that I’d been called to jury duty previously but had never before been selected to serve from the panel of potential jurors.

It’s annoying to waste time and go through the Kabuki dance with the attorneys in voir dire, the process of selecting jurors from a larger group of people. Because of the nature of my work, I frequently testify at trials and meet lots of lawyers. They all tell me they prefer not having jurors who are too familiar with the system. But that could be code for “George, you’re too danged opinionated, and that’s why you’re never selected.”

Whatever. As a health care provider, I’m entitled to ask for a release from duty. I don’t like to do that though; everyone should be willing to serve. So I reported Monday morning for jury duty. I had a headache, but I went.

Jurors were instructed to report at 8 a.m. We watched a short film about jury service hosted by baseballer George Brett and broadcaster Elizabeth Alex. And we got a few brief instructions from a judge.

Then we waited around until 11 a.m. to go to the court room so the lawyers could start questioning us. Through the questions and answers, the attorneys get to know the potential jurors and make judgments about who they want to hear the case. We took a lunch break and returned for more questioning.

The attorneys asked the usual questions. Do you think you can decide impartially? Do you know any of the litigants?

But then they got to the good stuff. This was a case of alleged sexual abuse by an adult male of a child.

“Can you listen to testimony about sexual issues?” they asked. “Can you be objective about such an issue?” And then the tough one: “Has anyone in your family or anyone close to you been sexually abused?”

In a room with 65 people, half raised their hands. I know sexual abuse is widespread, but it is nevertheless shocking to see and hear so many others in a group speak about it, many with tension and emotion. Some were willing to speak in front of the group, others wanted to do so only with the judge and attorneys. I acknowledged that I have testified in cases of sexual abuse as an expert witness.

Around 4:45 p.m. the jurors were selected, and, no surprise, I wasn’t on the list. I thought I was free to return to my own work the next day.

Alas, no. Not enough people had reported for jury duty, so those who weren’t selected were required to return the next day for a panel of potential jurors for another trial. We were told to arrive at 8:45 a.m.

At 9:35 a.m. we were herded into another court room with another judge to go through another voir dire with more attorneys. I decided I’d done my duty already and told the judge I was a health care provider and asked to be released. He said he’d talk with me about it on break.

The voir dire continued. “Do you have anything against lawyers?” (or words to that effect because the defendant in the case was himself a lawyer) etc. etc.

We went on break, and when we returned, the jury had been selected. No surprise, I was not chosen.

The judge apologized for making us come back a second day, again explaining that other “ignorant and inconsiderate” citizens had ignored the call to jury duty. He encouraged us to write our legislators about the lousy pay of $6 per day for service.

But instead, I decided to write about jury service here. It’s a pain in the neck, and the pay is lousy, but it is a privilege to participate with other people who are obviously, sincerely serving as citizens, often regarding matters that are personally difficult. I had a headache Monday, but many people present had permanent medical problems, such as arthritis and heart conditions.

Raising the pay to $12 or $20 per day wouldn't help much, in my opinion. And there isn’t any solution I can imagine that would require lawyers to select me or allow me to avoid being called when I know I won’t be selected, except to ask for exemption because I’m a health care provider. Anyway, I think psychologists and doctors and other health professionals should be willing to serve.

However, the courts could do a much better job of respecting the time of people who show up for jury duty. Over a hundred people showed up that first day for two jury panels, and we sat twiddling our thumbs for well over two hours at the beginning of the day. A smaller group of us sat for nearly an hour the next day before court began.

The system runs at the pleasure of the judges and lawyers, not the citizens. I know the explanation: Judges have emergency calls and hearings, there are negotiations in chambers going on, etc. etc.

But if the courts want citizens to serve gladly, they simply need to find a way respect our time better.

I can deal with the voir dire Kabuki dance. Forget the pay raise. Just don’t waste over three of the twelve hours I’ve committed to doing my civic duty.

If you're called for jury duty, take a book to read. But even with the wasted time, it's still well worth doing to see our justice system and good people in action.