Well, it’s that time again. You received your jury summons, you made the call, and it’s confirmed: it’s your turn to serve jury duty at the Larson Justice Center in Indio again. Here are five things you should know before you go.
Get there early
Unless something truly crazy is happening, you are not the only one who has been called for jury duty on your selected date. A whole lot of other people are too and the lines can end up being quite long as not only is everyone showing up at the same time, every single person has to go through a metal detector and have their bags inspected.
If you get to the Larson Justice Center early, you won’t have to stress out about getting into the building and, something way more important, you won’t have hard time finding a place to park.
Parking
The parking situation at the courthouse is ridiculous. There, I said it. Someone had to. But, unfortunately, no one cares. The biggest thing to know: AVOID THE PARKING GARAGE!!! It looks tempting and like it would make the most sense, but you have to pay to park there and screw that.
The rest of the lots around the courthouse are a mix of regular parking and 4-hour parking – and they do mark the tires and check the time on those, so be sure to move your car every 4 hours or find a spot in the regular parking. Your best best is probably going to be the lot to the east of the Larson Justice Center or, if you have to, park in the Applebee’s lot across the street.
Where do you go for jury duty?
Head to the Indio Larson Justice Center, 46200 Oasis Street, Indio. You will know you are at the right place if you see an Applebee’s and a Del Taco across the street.
Get checked in at the front and head upstairs to where everyone on jury duty checks in. DON’T SKIP CHECKING IN!!!
Once they know you’re there, don’t settle for the immediate waiting area. It’s crowded and uncomfortable. Instead, wait on the patio outside that room (if it’s nice outside) or go to the next room over with all the tables and stuff. Look for a seat next to a plug to charge your stuff.
What to bring
Be sure to grab that piece of paper they sent you to summon you to jury duty as it makes it easier to check in. Also, they have Wi-Fi these days, so bring a tablet or a laptop and a pair of headphones. You’re going to be sitting around a lot, so you can get some work done or catch up on your Netflix this way.
Remember, you’re going to have to get through security and a metal detector, so if you bring a snack, don’t bring a metal fork or knife – and don’t be a jerk who brings in something delicious smelling like KFC that is going to torment everyone else in the waiting area.
Remember, you also have to dress up a little bit as it’s jury duty. No, you don’t have to wear a prom dress or a tux with tails (though that would be awesome), but you can’t wear shorts, tanks, tops, and flip flops. You can check out the dress code here.
Finally, if you are bringing the kids with you, you can learn more about the Children’s Waiting Room here.
What to expect
Anything and everything. You might check in, watch the retro 90s jury duty video and then be immediately excused or you may spend an entire day in the jury selection process – and, if you get selected, possibly months on a jury – so, expect the unexpected. And, if you have a hardship that would prevent you from serving on a jury, you’ll have to plead your case to a judge and only a judge at the appropriate time.
Mostly, just expect your first day at jury duty to be a lot of waiting around, running into a few people you known, and to be bored off your ass for hours on end – but, hey, it’s part of being a good American and you might end up being on my jury, so thanks in advance for the not guilty verdict.
For all the official information on jury service in Indio, head over here.
