Civic duty
Massachusetts isn't kidding about the average length of jury duty being three days. It's not often that things actually work out actually on the average, but it did this time.

I won't give the details of the case, although it was the second one I was called for while at the courthouse. The first was a case of credit card fraud, and the defense used one of their free dismissals on me. It was kind of an amusing bit of questioning, though:

"Have you ever been the victim of identity theft?"

"You mean..."

"Someone acquiring your credit card or social security number and exploiting it."

"Oh. Then, no."

I'm sure me being in the information technology industry didn't help matters. You never know what our attitudes are going to be about internet security, after all. It depends on our personal experience. In a previous life, I had some dot-com experience that would make me totally sympathetic to the idea that five thousand dollars in home electronics could be shipped to someone and paid for by another credit card without him knowing why - there were some bad start-ups in the nineties. Other places I've worked at not only put that idea to rest but would make me feel vindictive about it - violating a database is just a monstrous thing. Throw the book at 'em.

So, I wound up on a civil case. No details about it from me; even more than a criminal case, talking about that seems tacky. Fortunately, it was done with quickly, pretty open-and-shut. Finished that at about three this afternoon.

I actually bumped into Agent Jones on the way out; he was evidently getting some records for one of his other open cases. Much as I'd like catching Korpin to be the entire focus of the FBI's efforts, that's not going to happen. Nice to see him, though I don't think I'll ever get used to being greeted by a tap on the shoulder followed by "hey, sexy", especially in a place where I don't expect to know anybody.

-Marti
- posted 10:20 PM - - (archive use only)