It's Not Like Law & Order

Yesterday, I came home from doing some tutoring to find a subpoena in my mailbox, demanding that I appear before the Grand Jury to testify in the robbery case on Monday at 1:29pm, which creates a bit of a problem because I'm leaving for Spain at 12:55pm. I exchanged multiple phone calls with the assistant DA and she's made arrangements for me to give my testimony before the judge at 9:00am. That testimony will then be shared with the jurors and used in the case against the robber. Apparently, they are recommending prison time for the man as he was out on parole when he committed the crime. From what they tell me, he has a long history of robbery, drug charges, etc. Although it's going to make my Monday morning incredibly hectic, I wanted to try my best to appear so I'm pleased that the DA found a way for me to give my testimony. Although I'm sure they wouldn't have forced me to appear and thus miss my flight, it was strange to get a subpoena demanding that I show up in court. In any case, the whole process is most certainly not like on Law & Order where suited detectives personally deliver a very serious document in an official-looking envelope, and warn you that you must stay in the country. My subpoena came in the form of a wrinkled, half-sheet of paper stuffed haphazardly in my mailbox. It really had none of the authoritative vibe one expects after watching way too much court T.V. And where's my police protection? Where's my practice testimony and coaching from the DA? Oh, right, this isn't an NBC drama and the case involves a stolen purse, not the dealings of an international drug cartel or human smuggling ring.