One of my coworkers was going to observe a jury selection this morning, so I tagged along. I had never been in any of the courtrooms at the county courthouse, and I was pleased to see that they are old in a good way--venerable, not dilapidated. They're also kind of small, and when we arrived the room was jammed with potential jurors, most of whom had already been waiting for half an hour or more. We sat and waited with them for another forty-five minutes while attorneys furtively slipped in and out of the judge's chambers. Just as a riot seemed imminent, the bailiff called the room to order and introduced the judge. He sat down just long enough to tell us that there would be no trial because the parties had reached a settlement. Everyone was free to go. My colleague and I hiked back to the office, crestfallen.
I'm not even a lawyer yet, and I'm already disappointed when people settle their differences without resorting to a jury trial. What will become of me?
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