2003

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through the res t, you

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notice a white piece of correspondence tucked in with a catalog and some other bills. It looks unfamiliar. You wrinkle your brow. The return address says it's from the local circuit clerk or the clerk of a federal court. You wonder, for an instant, what business vou have with these folks. Then it hits you like a hammer: Jury duty. Likely as not, the next word you utter can't be printed in a fam ily newspaper. Across Mississippi m unpreced ented numbers, people have come loathe jury ser– vice. They seek to avoid it in every way possible. This is frustrating for judges - vet} frus– trating- because while everything else hav– ing to do with courts and justice can be tin– kered with, nothing can replace the role of 12 citizens, good and true, willing to hear conflicting evidence and make hard deci– sions. But that reality must compete with another: Today, we can' t - or think we cant - miss work. We might have a doctor's appointment made months in advance that showing up at the courthouse would cause u; to miss.

get he rde hot or to benches. More often than not, t.. s Sit and \ and wait. Fill out a form, and \\ att more. Yes, judges and attorney!: wtll around to offering their prurnrnons lS a crime, punishable by ruee davs in the Grav-bar Hotel and a 51000 fine. But the rna~ locked up here \vas openly defiant. Would a judge really lock up a preacher who "as booked to conduct a revival in another county and whose summons ''got lost' in the mail? The law provides several specific excus– es for those who want th m. Am·one 65 or older ca., opt out of sen - ing, period. People can gE • excuses f or farn-

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