Jury duty

My introduction to US justice system was through The Law and Order as well as Law and Order: Special Victim Unit TV series. The shows will have scenes shot in a justice court, with prosecutor and defendant lawyers presenting arguments to a group of lay people called the jury. All defendants have the right to a trial by jury which goes back to June 15, 1213. Then, King John of England granted part of the civil liberties designed to prevent too much power being in the hands of the king. The jury is ideally fair and impartial to determine the facts of the evidence in the case.

Well, I was summoned by the Circuit Court for Baltimore City to serve as a juror on Jan 5, 2010. Failure to comply with the summon may result in 60 days imprisonment, $1,000 fine or both after a hearing. This was my second summoning. However, with the current summon, there was not an option for me to check the box, stating that I am a non-US citizen. Other criteria to serve as a juror include residing in Baltimore City, persons who are under 70 years, and did not commit a felony.

Hopefully the Jury Commissioner's Office can strike me off their list after I fax to them my documents.