I just dropped my highschooler off at the court house

She survived and fortunately was on a PG rated very short trial.

Would she have been able to postpone jury duty if it was going to interfere with school?

An 18 year old is legally an adult.

Yes she would have been able - but we figured it would be postponed for summer and then she would miss out on her club softball potentially. This is her last year and it costs good money - plus it is getting her ready to play college ball.

I know typically academics come first, but I also thought it would be easier to get out of a long trial (had she been selected for one) during the school year rather than summer.

So overall it ended up working well for her so she is free for at least another 3 years and she learned a little of our court systems.

Yes of course she is. But she is just shy of turning 18 and as a parent is by innocent child.

I know she is aware of adult things - but honestly she isn't even like most typical teenagers - she likes to be conservative. She stopped going to team dinners with one of the varsity teams she played on because in her words they said inappropriate things.

She is sort of more mature and less mature in many ways - more mature in that she doesn't get dragged into drama, knows what she wants and doesn't follow the crowd. She knows herself. She is less mature in that she likes younger kid things - like movies, entertainment and what she enjoys for fun.

So even though she is legally an adult (and most 18 year olds fall into this) she isn't an adult in her maturity (and I don't think she wants to be).

And I am joking about PG 13 thing. Just watching your baby walking into the courthouse all by herself....doing such a grown up thing.

I read somewhere that the brain doen't fully mature until 25. I've no idea if that is way off or real data. I don't trust it, as a generality, but maybe as good observation.

I'm 50 and don't expect to fully mature for some years yet...

This experience should help her mature, she was treated like an adult and by all accounts she behaved like one. You must be very proud, albeit relieved it's over.

Just luck of the draw?

I would have been thrilled to have been chosen at that age. But I was off to basic training after graduating high school.

Yes I agree it was a great learning opportunity for her.

And yes I am proud of how she handled herself ---- but I was proud of her before.

I am very fortunate -- she is a good kid. (better than I was at her age, but don't tell her that).

I'm not likely to, if I could that would have to make me some sort of creepy stalker, and I don't have the energy for that.