Need advice re jury duty

[Minion82]

So, about a year ago, I moved from "old apartment" to "new apartment", making sure to file a change of address form with the post office.

Way back in September/October, I received a jury summons at my new address, and returned it requesting a postponment until December. December comes and goes, I get nothing, and figure they didn't need me. Round about February, I receive a letter addressed to my old address but forwarded to my new address. This letter informs me that I am to report for jury duty in late December, 2003.

The .gov, of course, just thinks I skipped out on jury duty. I still have the forwarded letter, and can prove (using the postmarks) that I didn't receive it until long after the requested date. But at this point, I have two questions. One, what exactly happens when you miss jury duty? Is there a warrant issued? Second, how can I get this cleared up?

 

[Logan5]

Good question... I'd say call the court clerk, should be a number on the notice. Chances are pretty good that you were one of the people they cut from jury selection the night before, and didn't need to show up anyway, but it'd definitely be a good idea to call and check. The clerk ought to be able to tell you what's up and who you need to contact.

 

[gunsmith]

I wouldn't worry

even a little bit,they will be glad to have you serve some other time

 

[foghornl]

I don't know how in works in YOUR neack of the woods, but most cities/counties, etc. WILL issue a bench warrant if you don't show up. Next time you get a contact from the LEO's, DING! DING! DING! DING! Your name shows up with a "Bench Arrest Warrant for Failure to Appear".

You guess what happens next.

A call to the Clerk of Courts that issued the jury duty summons needs to be made NOW! Not Monday, not after lunch, not during the next coffee break, NOW! Offer to fax over copies of all postmarks, etc.

I can't say how it works everywhere, but the last 2 times I got called for jury duty, after roll call, the Judge instructed the Clerk of Court "Issue Bench Arrest Warrants for all that failed to appear/respond".

This was in Ohio and South Carolina.

 

[HankB]

Are both your old and new addresses both in the same jurisdiction?

Phone the clerk. Inform them that THEY sent the notice to the WRONG address.

Since you originally received a summons sent to your new address, and when you requested a delay you answered from your new address, they certainly should have known where you live. (You did change things like the address on your driver's license, didn't you?)

So there should be no problem sorting this out.

Uhh . . . be polite and businesslike. Telling them they're a bunch of sniveling incompetent bureaucrats (even if they are) won't help you.

 

[Quartus]

I'll second foghorn's comments. DON'T let it slide. Contact THEM.

 

[EOD Guy]

I would not worry about it but would contact the court to inform them of what happened. There was a story in a local paper here about jury summons in the SF Bay area counties a while back. It seems that about 30% of people summoned for jury duty just ignore the summons for one reason or another. The courts generally just ignore the problem and allow for no shows when calling up jurors.

 

[Pilgrim]

It seems that about 30% of people summoned for jury duty just ignore the summons for one reason or another. The courts generally just ignore the problem and allow for no shows when calling up jurors.

The problem is arrest warrants for failure to appear for jury duty are for civil contempt. In California at least, the Sheriff has to keep civil detainees separate from the general population of sentenced and pre-sentenced prisoners. This creates quite a housing problem for the Sheriff.

The judges are aware of this problem and encourage other solutions to get people to comply with their summons to jury duty. Eventually though, the judges get pissed and will direct the Sheriff to find jury duty dodgers and bring them directly to court. Thereupon the dodgers are ordered to report on such and such date for duty. If the dodgers fail again to report after being ordered, it is now a matter of failing to obey a court order which becomes a criminal matter and there is no reluctance to toss the jury duty dodger in jail with the general population.

Pilgrim