Someone over at LivingSocial’s Social Studies blog got jury duty—which naturally means they had to write a cheeky guide to making it through the process.

Do you get to watch TV?
No.

Why not?
Because, as a court clerk explains, last year someone complained about the PG-13 nature of what was being shown on the TVs. Since then, the policy has been to keep the TVs turned off.

What was being shown on the TVs?
Daytime television, including Judge Judy, which was thought to have “unfairly influenced” potential jurors, says the clerk.

So then what are the TVs used for?
You will watch a ten-minute “orientation video,” which explains the importance of the jury process and concludes with this gem: “Remember, if you are not selected for jury service today, it is in no way a reflection of your personality.”

(There is WiFi, though.)

Also, apparently former Mayor Adrian Fenty was present on the same day to do his civic duty (and talk about bikes) before being sent home. Is being a former mayor one of those jobs—like law and journalism—that seems to get people dismissed right away?

Photo by JCardinal18 via Flickr/Creative Commons Attribution Generic 2.0 License