I started picking another jury in a state court proceeding last week. After two days, we had selected three jurors. We need three more, not to mention the alternates. Odds are, it will take another three days to select the eight people necessary to hear this case. Question: Why take five days to do work that could just as easily and well be done in one day?
I have raised that question on these pages before. Near as I can tell, no one listened. I am not hopeful anyone will listen now either, even though the state’s budget crisis lingers. But why not change a jury selection system that is time-consuming and wasteful?
