Greeley, CO Court Handles Shortage of Jurors With a Round-Up of Citizens

When the assigned residents of Greeley, Colorado, didn't show up for jury duty, the District Court did what any self-respecting democratic institution would do.

It sent members of the court staff roaming the streets with subpoenas on the look-out for people it could summon for emergency jury duty. And roam they did, combing the streets of Greeley Wednesday morning with stacks of paper.

Weld County and District Court staff handed subpoenas to more than 50 unsuspecting people, telling them they had to report for jury duty Wednesday morning because many of those summoned by mail did not show.

Some of the people were just walking around town. Rosalee Rice was at the Post Office.

"It's been one heck of a morning," says Rice, who had to call her boss at Colorado Pain and Rehabilitation with the news.

Her initial ire rose when she found out the on-the-spot court order was needed because less than 40 of the 200 people summoned to court by mail turned out.

"As a resident, if you are summoned to go, you should go because it really interrupts everyone else's lives," she said.

Court administrators agree, adding there were trials that were ready to start, but were still in need of a jury.

They say this is the third time in the last two months they've had to take such extreme action. Before December, they believe it had not happened in 15 years.

Judges and administrators will be meeting to discuss what to do with all those no-shows.

Perhaps, the court should take its cue on what to do with the no-shows from the same place it got the round-up idea.

For those in the back of the room, refer to the picture at the top of this post.

by Mondoreb
[idea & image: RidesAPaleHorse]
Source: Emergency Jury Duty Leaves People Stunned, Calling their Bosses



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