Orange County, Now

The headaches and inconvenience of jury service are legendary, but what if you could work or watch the big screen while you cool your heels? After $1.5 million in improvements, the Orange County, CA, Superior Court just unveiled its new jury assembly room:

"There are two dozen workspaces equipped with modem connections [-what, no broadband?-] so prospective jurors can keep themselves busy. A network of seven large-screen televisions and a video projection system also have been installed to make the waiting game less grueling." [Via The Daily Journal]

This is all pretty neat, but what's even better is Orange County's commitment to keeping potential jurors away from the courthouse engaged in less civic-minded pursuits until absolutely necessary. Using a dial-in number and its Web site, the court lets those on jury duty know if they actually need to show up that day, and if so when. This cuts way back on the interminable waiting at court.