The West Wing
S3E12
· The Two Bartlets

Donna's Jury Duty Dodge Plea to Josh

As Josh parts ways with Leo and strides toward the bullpen, Donna intercepts him, urgently pitching a scheme to evade jury duty by claiming bias from her lawyer-saturated life—boss, personal lawyer, and boyfriend all attorneys—while dodging contempt charges. Josh swiftly shuts her down with a sharp, principled retort equating jury service to basic civic duty, barring complainers like her from critiquing verdicts such as O.J. Simpson's. This snappy, flirtatious exchange spotlights their mentor-protégé chemistry laced with romantic undercurrents, injecting levity and rhythmic relief after Josh's duty-over-romance sacrifice, priming the narrative for escalating campaign tensions.

Plot Beats

The narrative micro-steps within this event

1

Josh and Leo part ways, and Donna approaches Josh seeking advice to evade jury duty, briefly lightening the mood.

tension to levity ['Bullpen area']

Who Was There

Characters present in this moment

4
Josh Lyman
primary

Resolute and firm, channeling post-sacrifice determination into authoritative banter

Strides toward bullpen after parting with Leo, pauses to hear Donna's pitch, then sharply rebuffs her with a principled retort on civic duty before walking away, leaving her at her desk; embodies resolute authority in motion.

Goals in this moment
  • • Reinforce Donna's civic responsibility
  • • Dismiss distraction to refocus on work
Active beliefs
  • • Jury duty is essential to democratic legitimacy
  • • Hypocrisy undermines public critique of justice
Character traits
principled decisive mentoring wryly flirtatious
Follow Josh Lyman's journey
Donnatella Moss
primary

Urgently scheming with frustrated levity, masking dread of civic drudgery

Intercepts Josh urgently as he enters bullpen, pitches elaborate evasion scheme with lawyer bias excuse in rapid-fire delivery, stands rebuffed and stranded by her desk as he departs.

Goals in this moment
  • • Secure Josh's endorsement for jury dodge
  • • Evade jury duty without legal backlash
Active beliefs
  • • Personal connections justify bias claims
  • • Clever excuses trump burdensome obligations
Character traits
cheeky persistent playfully manipulative vulnerably insistent
Follow Donnatella Moss's journey
Leo McGarry
primary

Pragmatically resolute, stepping back after counsel

Parts ways with Josh in hallway transition, exiting the interaction as Donna intercepts, his presence bookending the prior heavy conversation.

Goals in this moment
  • • Release Josh to his path
  • • Conclude personal advice session
Active beliefs
  • • Duty demands personal sacrifices
  • • Subordinates must prioritize work
Character traits
pragmatic paternal detached
Follow Leo McGarry's journey
Amy Gardner
primary

N/A (mentioned off-screen)

Referenced indirectly via Donna's scheme as Josh's assistant's 'boyfriend' lawyer context, not physically present but invoked in evasion ploy.

Follow Amy Gardner's journey

Location Details

Places and their significance in this event

2
Donna's Desk

Endpoint where Josh abandons Donna post-rebuke, her workstation in late-night clutter framing her stranded frustration; anchors the exchange's close, symbolizing her embedded role in Josh's orbit amid vulnerability and persistence.

Atmosphere Intimate desk clutter amid hush, laced with playful tension
Function Anchor point for rebuff and departure
Symbolism Hub of administrative loyalty and personal pleas
Access Personal workstation for Donna, staff-adjacent
Lamplight in cluttered setup Snow-flecked window nearby
West Wing Bullpen

Serves as open expanse where Donna joins and intercepts Josh mid-stride from hallway, hosting their snappy, flirtatious exchange amid clustered desks; pulses with late-night staff rhythms, contrasting heavy prior drama with workplace levity and undercurrents of loyalty.

Atmosphere Fluorescent-lit bustle with echoing steps and casual interruptions, injecting rhythmic relief
Function Site of spontaneous interception and banter
Symbolism Embodiment of relentless West Wing grind blending personal quirks with duty
Access Restricted to White House staff
Clustered desks humming under fluorescents Open layout enabling fluid intercepts

Narrative Connections

How this event relates to others in the story

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Key Dialogue

"DONNA: The trick, obviously, is appearing unsuitable not just for this, but for any jury while avoiding a contempt citation. So wouldn't you think if I just explain to them that my boss is a lawyer, my lawyer's a lawyer, and I'm dating a lawyer, that that ought to..."
"JOSH: It's jury duty. It's not appendectomy. It's jury duty. Do it, don't do it, but if you don't do it, you don't get to complain about the O.J. verdict."