D.C. Arrests Residents For Missing Jury Service

[flashl]

For the first six months of the year, Laurette M. Piculin lives with her elderly parents in Rockland County, N.Y. While she's gone from her house in Northwest Washington, a friend gathers her mail and sends it along.

Piculin's friend might have missed a key piece of mail last year: a second notice requiring her to appear for jury duty. That omission put the 51-year-old retired federal mediator at risk of arrest.

Hoping to send a message about the importance of jury service, the chief judge at D.C. Superior Court recently issued warrants calling for the arrests of 92 District residents who failed to show up. Twelve people have been arrested or turned themselves in this month for contempt of court, and marshals are canvassing the area for more. Those taken into custody had to pay $25 bonds and were given dates to report back to court for a final chance to explain themselves and get back on the calendar for jury service. The penalty for contempt of court could be as high as seven days in jail and a $300 fine.

"The point of this whole thing is to get people to serve on juries. It's not to lock them up," Chief Judge Rufus G. King III said.

Washington Post

[Faygo Kid]

1. Fair enough. Jury duty is a pain, but it's vitally important.

I'm more than sure the Bushies would be happy to do away with the jury system. In fact, they have proposed doing so, for civil suits against the wealthy and powerful.

I don't think so. Show up, people.

[ret5hd]

2. How can you arrest somebody for not doing something...

that they were notified to do thru unregistered mail? (at least that's how they do it where i live)

[jimshoes]

3. It's not like they blew off a subpoena

or something. BTW where's that scofflaw kkkarl anyway?

[lepus]

4. quite a few of those arrested had moved.

I am sure that there would be a civil suit for false imprisonment because of the courts lack of due diligence.