I need to be ready to report the week beginning November 23... the week of Thanksgiving! And get this, they don't even give you a postage-paid return envelope for the mandatory Juror Profile Questionnaire (but you do have the option to fill it out on-line).
If they use me, this will seriously cut into my Thanksgiving preparations!
As I was reading through the form with all of the instructions, I saw a box on the back side that says "ATTIRE - Jurors should dress appropriately in keeping with court room decorum."
Immediately a little light of excitement went off. Perry Mason!!!!!! Della Street!!!!!! I just love that show. My grandmother was the biggest Perry Mason fan on the planet; she drooled over him. That show was on constantly, in reruns, from as long as my memory goes back.
I can show up to dressed in perfect 1950's courtroom attire... a nice wool dress or suit (like the Thanksgiving dress I'm planning to make). Conservative, but not prudish. Serious but feminine. I could even wear a hat and gloves.This inconvenience suddenly turned into opportunity!
My son was laughing at me. Maybe the hat and gloves would be too much. But then again, why not? No episode of Perry Mason is complete without a courtroom surprise!
14 comments:
Ha! I love this idea. Report back!
Jury duty is something most people try to get out of, never understanding that a "jury of our peers" means we all need to serve. Great job deciding to have fun with it.
I was in Federal Jury Duty in Los Angeles this past August. I wore a black gabardine skirt, a fine gauge knit black sweater with a small white edge to it (think collegiate) and black handtooled 40's wedges. No hose as this is LA in August and I'm eccentric, not insane ;)
I was hands down the ONLY remotely appropriately dressed individual there. lots of jeans and t-shirts. baseball caps (in court - doh!) a few gents with khaki's and golf shirts - the modern biz casual, I suppose.
really, it was sad state of affairs. and go figure, they didn't pick me - but that's because of my job and the case in question. or maybe my hair *wink*
I have been summoned twice for jury duty during Thanksgiving week, and have never been called in. No one wants to ruin their holiday week. (I can't guarantee anything, but I'd say your chances were small.)
I hope you post a picture of what you wear, gloves and all.
Oh what fun. I absolutely love the idea and can't wait what outfit you pick out to wear!
I enjoyed this post! I would love to see you really dress to kill (no pun intended here!) for your jury duty. Also, I'm intreiged by the "Ivy League" fabric you mentioned. I have been looking for some herringbone coating. Was it from an online source?
I say go for it. Since people are likely to not "get it", they might think you're a little crazy/unpredictable and kick you off the jury. No attorney likes an unpredictable juror.
I love that someone else thinks the same way as I do. When I found out I was going on a cruise, the first thing I thought about was my clothes...my Hubby was thinking about the shore excursions & the food!
LOL, seriously, you show up in 1950's court room attire complete with hat and gloves and they will use one of their peremptory challenges to dismiss you if you get selected.
Go for it!
I just found your blog and will be checking back regularly....good luck on the sewing room organization project.
I'm sure you will look fabulous when you report for jury duty, but make sure you are comfortable since you will probably sit in a the jury room all day...and bring a good book with you!
Go for the hat and gloves, elbow length. It might get you excused.
Really, I did my duty this spring and got dismissed before lunchtime, so you never know. Good luck.
Now that I'm unemployed, I watch Perry Mason every day at noon on our local "rerun TV station". I just love the costumes and makeup on the female characters. Della is a great look inspiration!
Update: First, I can't believe that I unknowingly had "moderate comments on"... I'm very belated in reading much of this.
I did serve two days; nothing went to trial and we went home 11:30 one day and 1:30 the other. I never made the suit, but I did dress nicely both days: skirt, sweater, etc. Nobody else was dressed like me! Many were extremely casual, jeans, t-shirts, etc.
I now hope I get the chance to do this again! Suit and all!
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