kengrubb
Member
I got called for Jury Duty in July, but timing was bad for the project I'm working on. Boss asked me to reschedule for September, and King County (Seattle, Washington) will automatically reschedule (at least once) within a year of being called. Just pick a week. I said the week of 9/11. My own little battle against terrorism by exercising the duty on which I've wanted to serve for 21 years.
Summons said to report by 8:00, but folks were still filing in about 30 minutes later. Nothing really got happening until almost 9:00.
I was WAY overdressed in a suit and tie. Cutoffs, scandals and even a few tube tops were present. Oh well. Made for some nice eye-candy. Days 2 and 3 I dropped down to slacks, shirt and tie.
Being that I was gonna be packing, I set out early and got to the Courthouse about 7:15. I have heard some horror stories from folks in the past, but I experienced none of that. Washington is a Bring Your Gun To Court state.
I found the Deputies professional, courteous, helpful and discreet. Monday morning, Day 1, the first Deputy I encountered said to go ahead and remove my holster and mag pouch as well when I checked my gun. He smirked and said, "If you wear the holster around the Jury Room, someone will freak." I smiled, nodded, and said "Got it." Discretion is the better part of concealed.
I came in at the Third Avenue entrance, and it's a lot closer to the weapon storage room than the Fourth Avenue entrance. Jury Assembly room is also right there across the hall from weapon storage.
The security screeners at the front entrance are there scanning bags, looking at stuff tossed into the bins (like knives on keychains, and yes they were looking), and there's an armed Deputy standing back and off to the side watching the entrances and exits making sure folks do the right thing.
They seem to have something of a discreet codeword in use so as not to rattle folks. Before going thru the metal detector, tell the screener, "I need an escort". The screener gives an index finger up high sign to the Deputy and then points at me. Deputy motions for me to come on thru the metal detector. He asks to see my photo ID and Concealed Pistol License, then radios for an escort at the Third Avenue entrance. I didn't have to wait more than maybe 2 minutes at most.
Escort and I go down the hall to the weapon storage room. Outer door was labeled something innocuous. Deputies had a keycard to buzz themselves thru the inner door and into the room. There was always at least one armed security guard in a backroom at a position of rather good cover--perhaps in the unlikely event someone who should not be in there trying to get in there.
There's a notebook in alphabetic order of checked weapon sheets. Just fill an empty one and put it in the notebook under the tab of your last name. Fill out name, CPL number, weapon make and model, date and time, and sign it in. Once you have a sheet started, all you need to do is date, time and initial in and out your gun. There's rows on the back for check ins and check outs. If you're on jury duty, testifying or whatever, you're covered.
Took off my belt, removed the mag pouch with mag in it, removed my holster with gun in it. Put the gun and mag pouch in the locker, close it up, take the key give it to the Deputy. A couple of them locked it in the locker themselves. Most had me do it. But the key still goes to the Deputy. Each locker is numbered so remember your number. They were also quite good about remembering who had a gun in what locker number. We walk back out to the entrance, and the escort Deputy gives the key to the Deputy there at the front entrance where it remains in that Deputy's custody until you leave.
I go back thru the metal detector, empty out my junk (keys, cellphone, pen, etc.) into the bin. Bags and backpacks thru a scanner, and me back thru the metal detector. Found out the buckle on my Kramer gunbelt sets off the metal detector.
It's a whole 5 minutes in all. No hassle, no problems, no worries. By the middle of Day 2, they were a little more relaxed around me and started joking with me. One of them even started talking guns with me. He observed my "little Glock" (Model 23) and said he used to carry one on-duty, but switched to the 22. I said yep that extra sight radius would definitely be worth it. Said for off-duty he carries a Glock 27. Most of 'em carried Glock 22s, but I did see one Sig Sauer.
I noticed guns AND KNIVES listed on some weapons checksheets. Carried one of my Benchmade folders in on Wednesday along with my gun. I like a low tech backup weapon that doesn't jam unless it lodges in a rib. No worries and no hassles checking a folder knife, a gun and an extra mag.
If I had a lot of regular business at the court, I'd probably get a paddle holster and use a belt that won't set off the metal detector.
Summons said to report by 8:00, but folks were still filing in about 30 minutes later. Nothing really got happening until almost 9:00.
I was WAY overdressed in a suit and tie. Cutoffs, scandals and even a few tube tops were present. Oh well. Made for some nice eye-candy. Days 2 and 3 I dropped down to slacks, shirt and tie.
Being that I was gonna be packing, I set out early and got to the Courthouse about 7:15. I have heard some horror stories from folks in the past, but I experienced none of that. Washington is a Bring Your Gun To Court state.
I found the Deputies professional, courteous, helpful and discreet. Monday morning, Day 1, the first Deputy I encountered said to go ahead and remove my holster and mag pouch as well when I checked my gun. He smirked and said, "If you wear the holster around the Jury Room, someone will freak." I smiled, nodded, and said "Got it." Discretion is the better part of concealed.
I came in at the Third Avenue entrance, and it's a lot closer to the weapon storage room than the Fourth Avenue entrance. Jury Assembly room is also right there across the hall from weapon storage.
The security screeners at the front entrance are there scanning bags, looking at stuff tossed into the bins (like knives on keychains, and yes they were looking), and there's an armed Deputy standing back and off to the side watching the entrances and exits making sure folks do the right thing.
They seem to have something of a discreet codeword in use so as not to rattle folks. Before going thru the metal detector, tell the screener, "I need an escort". The screener gives an index finger up high sign to the Deputy and then points at me. Deputy motions for me to come on thru the metal detector. He asks to see my photo ID and Concealed Pistol License, then radios for an escort at the Third Avenue entrance. I didn't have to wait more than maybe 2 minutes at most.
Escort and I go down the hall to the weapon storage room. Outer door was labeled something innocuous. Deputies had a keycard to buzz themselves thru the inner door and into the room. There was always at least one armed security guard in a backroom at a position of rather good cover--perhaps in the unlikely event someone who should not be in there trying to get in there.
There's a notebook in alphabetic order of checked weapon sheets. Just fill an empty one and put it in the notebook under the tab of your last name. Fill out name, CPL number, weapon make and model, date and time, and sign it in. Once you have a sheet started, all you need to do is date, time and initial in and out your gun. There's rows on the back for check ins and check outs. If you're on jury duty, testifying or whatever, you're covered.
Took off my belt, removed the mag pouch with mag in it, removed my holster with gun in it. Put the gun and mag pouch in the locker, close it up, take the key give it to the Deputy. A couple of them locked it in the locker themselves. Most had me do it. But the key still goes to the Deputy. Each locker is numbered so remember your number. They were also quite good about remembering who had a gun in what locker number. We walk back out to the entrance, and the escort Deputy gives the key to the Deputy there at the front entrance where it remains in that Deputy's custody until you leave.
I go back thru the metal detector, empty out my junk (keys, cellphone, pen, etc.) into the bin. Bags and backpacks thru a scanner, and me back thru the metal detector. Found out the buckle on my Kramer gunbelt sets off the metal detector.
It's a whole 5 minutes in all. No hassle, no problems, no worries. By the middle of Day 2, they were a little more relaxed around me and started joking with me. One of them even started talking guns with me. He observed my "little Glock" (Model 23) and said he used to carry one on-duty, but switched to the 22. I said yep that extra sight radius would definitely be worth it. Said for off-duty he carries a Glock 27. Most of 'em carried Glock 22s, but I did see one Sig Sauer.
I noticed guns AND KNIVES listed on some weapons checksheets. Carried one of my Benchmade folders in on Wednesday along with my gun. I like a low tech backup weapon that doesn't jam unless it lodges in a rib. No worries and no hassles checking a folder knife, a gun and an extra mag.
If I had a lot of regular business at the court, I'd probably get a paddle holster and use a belt that won't set off the metal detector.
Went upstairs, paid my property taxes and came back down. She had not returned from the lockers yet, so I had to wait a minute. 
