What Happens if I Don’t Show Up for Jury Duty in St. Louis?

Many people don’t look forward to serving on a jury. Even so, most US adults may be required to do it at least once in their lives.

It is against the law to fail to appear for jury duty in St. Louis. You may face legal penalties if you refuse to appear for jury duty.

 

What Should I Do if I Missed Jury Duty in St. Louis?

You may be found guilty of civil contempt when you fail to show up for jury duty or respond to a summons. A fine of up to $500.00 may be imposed, and you may need to hire a defense lawyer.

If you skip jury duty or don’t respond to a summons in Federal Court, you may be fined up to $1,000. Also, you may be required to serve community service or spend up to three days in jail. In such cases, a St. Louis criminal defense lawyer should be consulted.

 

Is it Possible to Avoid Jury Duty in St. Louis?

It is never a good idea to cheat the jury selection process to get out of jury duty. If you can’t serve on a jury at the time and date listed on your summons, there are valid ways to show that.

Here are some examples:

• If you’re going on vacation, you can note the dates on your Juror Information Form or contact the office that sent you the summons to explain the situation. It may be possible for you to serve on a jury at a later time.
• A health condition may prevent you from serving on a jury. Providing the court with a statement from a qualified medical professional stating your health prevents you from being an effective or competent juror is mandatory.
• If you served on a jury within the past two years, you are usually exempt from jury duty in Missouri.
• The court may decide you should stay at work if your absence would negatively impact the public in some way.
• If they must be available to treat their patients, health care workers can sometimes get out of jury duty.
• An employee of a religious institution can avoid jury duty if it interferes with their religious duties.

Alternatively, you can contact the court that sent you the summons to request a postponement. If you have not been granted a postponement in the past, the court may grant one. If your jury service is postponed, you must serve within six months from the original date when you were supposed to appear.

 

What You Need to Know About Jury Duty in St. Louis

You will typically receive specific instructions regarding how to report for jury duty in your summons. The summons will tell you where to go and when to report. 

The following should be done:

• Attend the meeting at the scheduled time and date.
• Dress appropriately.
• Bring your lunch since the court usually only provides light snacks. If you prefer, you can also go out to lunch during your lunch break.
• Turn off all electronics before you begin.

There may also be concerns about jury duty’s impact on your employment. There are some people who skip jury duty out of fear that the consequences will be less severe than being absent from work.

An employer may not terminate or take disciplinary action against an employee who needs to miss work for jury duty. To recover your lost wages, you can bring a civil action against your employer within 90 days of being terminated or disciplined.

Many people don’t enjoy serving on a jury. Serving as a juror is, however, far less unpleasant than having to deal with the consequences of skipping jury duty.

 

Contact a Defense Lawyer For Help Today

Contact a defense lawyer from Bruntrager & Billings, P.C. for more information to schedule a free case evaluation. If you have skipped jury duty, our St. Louis criminal defense team can help you.