Part of the conversation that is being bandied around on the news channels is the fact that many of these cases, of course, will be “jury trials.” Though I have never served on a jury, I’ve been called in a couple of times for jury selection. I didn’t get picked. (It took me back to my junior high school days when players were being picked for basketball in gym class.)

As I remember, the main thing that kept me off of jury duty was because I had some sort of relationship with one or more of the scoundrels involved in the case. By scoundrels, I mean attorneys. If any of my lawyer friends read this, I think they know me well enough to understand that I say scoundrel in the best of possible connotations.

All this court trial stuff, and jury talk in the news reminded me that years ago I got a letter from Christine Durham. I was quite impressed. It’s not every day that I get a letter from someone so high up in the world. Christine M. Durham was the chief justice of the Utah Supreme Court. Would it surprise anyone who knows me to know I may still have that letter?

The letter was addressed to Merrill Ray Ogden. (Yup, the chief justice knew my middle name) I felt important as I read the personal salutation of the letter. “Dear Prospective Juror,” it read. I thought, “Well, well, well, the high judge knows me well enough to invite me to be a juror.”

I think that she actually may have done some background investigation on me in preparation for sending me the letter. I feel that way because of this sentence in the letter: “No special knowledge or skills are needed to be a juror, only your personal experience.”

Without a background check, how would she know that I have no special knowledge or skills? If knowledge and skills are not required, that just leaves personal experience as the qualification. I scratched my head over that one. The prospect of the courts depending on my personal experience to be a juror gave me a bit of an unsettled feeling.

But lo and behold, Justice Durham anticipated that very feeling. Here’s another excerpt from my letter. She wrote, “The thought of jury service may be a bit unsettling and you may be inconvenienced; however, most citizens find jury service rewarding.”

Working through my unsettled feelings, I suddenly remembered what personal experience I could draw upon for jury duty. Of course! – why didn’t I think of it before? I have lots of personal experience that qualifies me.

I’ve seen more movies and television shows about the legal system than you can shake a stick at. Get outta here! Of course, I’m qualified!

I’ve seen enough episodes of “Perry Mason” and “Matlock” alone to settle my unsettled feelings down. I’d be right at home in the jury box.

I don’t watch a lot of television, but I have been attracted to lawyer shows for some reason over the years. I watched “L.A. Law” when it was on. The title character on “Ally McBeal” was one of my favorite attorneys ever on the tube. I was also a fan of that quirky “Boston Legal” show with William Shatner in it.

There are lots of movies that have to do with court and juries. “Twelve Angry Men” has the entire movie taking place in a jury room where the jurors debate the “reasonable doubt” concept in a murder case.

“Runaway Jury,” was based on a John Grisham novel. It makes the viewer wonder how smart it is to leave courtroom justice in the hands of people with “no special knowledge or skills.”

In any event, I calmly waited to be called up to jury duty. I’ve seen the TV shows. I’ve seen the movies. And, I have read most of John Grisham’s legal/courtroom novels.

Waiting is not a problem. Chief Justice Durham even wrote to me that, “Courts try to be efficient but often delays occur, so please come prepared to spend time waiting. You are welcome to bring a book or work with you.”

Christine made me feel good with her closing comments to me. (I felt like I was on a first name basis with her by the time I finished reading the letter.) “Thank you in advance for your public service. I hope you welcome the prospect of jury service. It is an important civic duty and an important civic right. Our justice system cannot function without you.”

Imagine that – the system can’t function without me. And to top it all off, if I were to serve, I’d get $18.50 for the first day and $49 for each additional day. I checked and it seems that the rates are the same today as they were years ago.

I don’t think money is the reason to be motivated to be on a jury. It would seem that we are in greater need of people doing their “civic duty” by working in the restaurants and fast food places in Sanpete.

Have you noticed how short-staffed all the food places are these days? In any instance, do your duty Sanpete. And remember, we’re all important regardless of our “knowledge and skills.” — Merrill