Dear Mr. Chief Justice.....

If you are my facebook friend you are aware of the drama this past week. If you weren't paying attention let me fill you in. Jake was scheduled for jury duty. Fine, great, whatever, a shorter day than normal so dinner with my husband, awesome. We had a snow storm the week of Christmas and we had returned from PA the day before he had jury duty. So he didn't have time to clear off his car so he took my van. I didn't think it was a big deal at the time since he wouldn't be there past 5 or 6pm right? So at 8am he went off to jury duty leaving the kids and I to fend for ourselves. No problem. 

Like I said earlier we had just gotten back from PA the day before so we didn't have much around the house to eat, I should say we had nothing the kids wanted to eat. But they got over that. 

So at 10am the heat stopped working. We have oil heat and we had run out. Everyone I called said they couldn't come till Thursday (this was Tuesday) then I found a place that would deliver Wednesday. That's better than Thursday but the temperature was still dropping quickly. But we decided to make the best of it. I bundled the kids in a few sweaters and a few pairs of socks. It wasn't so bad. The temperature kept dropping now around 50 degrees. Still warmer than outside with no wind inside. So we're still doing fine. 

Well at 5pm I was pacing back and forth in the kitchen waiting for Jake to call telling me he was out of jury duty and that he would be coming home. I didn't receive that call at 5pm. But hey, maybe the trial went over. But they wouldn't keep the jurors past 6pm right? Well, time ticked on, we had no vehicle, no heat and no sign of hubby. By 8pm I started getting frantic. I called my mom "there's no way he's still at the courthouse! No judge works past 8pm! And no one would keep 12 people in court without letting them call their families!" She calms me down a bit and we hang up. I'm calling all the numbers I could find online. No one answers because they close at 5 pm! No kidding?! So if you close at 5pm where the heck is my husband?!! 

So I dress my kids for bed, feed them more macaroni and cheese and put them to bed at 7pm, still no word from Jake. Tick, tick, tick. It was 10pm and I was on the phone with my mom again in tears. "I need to call the hospitals, the police, anyone! There has to be someone who knows where my husband is! We just had a snow storm, what if he got in an accident and he's dead or unconscious or something?!! Let me hang up I need to call around!" Just then my other line starts ringing, Thank God! I won't go into depth with my language when I heard his voice but I went from thank God you're okay, to why didn't you call me?!! I was a sobbing mess when I heard his voice. And when he got home (around 10:40pm) I held him for a good 20 minutes. I had been frantic with worry. 

I wrote a letter to the Chief justice (thank you Holly for your editing help!). And sent it today. My prayer is that some steps will be taken so this doesn't happen to another jury and in turn their families.

Here's the letter I sent:

Rebekah Sauer

00000 Xxxxxx Ave

Richmond, VA 00000

December 29, 2010

 

The Honorable Leroy Rountree Hassell, Sr.

Chief Justice, Supreme Court of Virginia

100 North Ninth Street

Richmond, Virginia 23219

 

Dear Mr. Chief Justice:

 This letter is to bring to attention the lack of care and respect for the people and their families who served on the jury of the 13th Circuit Court of Virginia on December 28th 2010.  My husband Jacob Sauer, who was summoned to jury duty on that day, arrived on time at the courthouse (8:45 a.m.). At the discretion of Judge Jenkins, the court proceedings did not conclude until after 10:00 p.m.  During this time, my husband and his fellow jurors were not permitted to call their families to let them know they would be at the courthouse to such a late hour.

 Given the snow storm last week, I am sure you will understand that after 6:00 p.m. with no word from my husband, I became very concerned. I called the courthouse and his cell phone but got no answer.  After 10:00 p.m., I was nearly frantic with worry and was considering calling the police when I received a message from my husband that he was on his way home.  Circumstantially, our heater had broken and my husband had our family car, so my three children and I were more than usually anxious to have him home.

 I respect the judicial system and understand wanting to finish a case, but the jurors should have been given time to call their families to tell them they would  be home late and that they were okay. If there was a concern about confidentiality then post a guard at the phone to be sure the case stayed confidential. Alternatively, provide an after-hours clerk or automated hotline that families can call for the status of the case or to leave a message for a juror.

 I am shocked and appalled by the treatment of these men and women and their families. My hope is that this letter will bring this issue to the attention of those who can make the necessary improvements.

 

Respectfully,

Rebekah Sauer