Only about 17% of summoned jurrors show up for duty in the Houston area. That cna cause serious problems with holding trials.

Here's what one local county did.

Dozens of people avoided contempt of court charges and possible fines by agreeing to appear for jury duty in the next 90 days.
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A Fort Bend County judge summoned the people to court and asked them to explain why they didn't appear for jury duty last month.

"The intent is not to generate fine money for Fort Bend County but to get people to comply with the process," state District Judge Thomas Culver said Friday to about 120 people in the courtroom.

Almost all the potential jurors said they never received the jury duty summons, while one person said she was in Louisiana doing relief work in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.

The decision to summon the no-shows to court was made because on Aug. 23, the county did not have enough people to fill juries for the day's trials. Bailiffs had to roam courthouse hallways and press into service whomever they could find for jury duty.

It was the first time in several years the county ran short of jurors. But Culver said judges have been concerned recently that fewer people are appearing for jury service and the decision was made to summon all the people who did not show up for the Aug. 30 jury call and have them explain why they were absent.

State law says failing to appear for jury duty can result in contempt of court charges with fines ranging from $100 to $1,000.

"I am going to defer the contempt of court and a $200 fine if you will agree to appear within 90 days for jury duty," Culver told almost every person who stood before him Friday.

So remember -- SHOW UP!

Posted by: Greg at 03:09 AM | No Comments | Add Comment
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