Matthew Mincone | November 8, 2024 | Florida Law
Most of us know the feeling of getting a jury duty summons in the mail. While many people dread jury duty, it is a civic responsibility that is essential to our right to a jury trial. Remember that jury trials are vital to both criminal proceedings and civil actions, such as personal injury cases.
Although you might consider not showing up for jury duty, you should know that failing to appear for jury duty can have legal consequences. If you have recently received a jury summons, you should fully understand the repercussions of ignoring it. Dive into the details below to learn what can happen if you don’t go to jury duty in Florida.
Potential Penalties for Failing to Appear at Jury Duty
Simply ignoring your jury summons and not showing up for jury duty is not a good idea, as this can have adverse legal consequences. Florida law sets specific penalties that may be imposed for failing to appear at jury duty without a sufficient excuse. According to Fla. Stat. § 40.23, a person may be fined up to $100 for failing to appear for jury duty.
Additionally, failure to appear for jury duty can be considered contempt of court. Since your failure to appear interferes with the normal operation of the court, you could also receive punishment for the contempt offense. Punishment for contempt can include the following:
- Community service
- Jail time
- Additional sanctions
The state of Florida takes jury duty seriously, and you could receive harsh punishment for failing to appear at your scheduled time.
How Long Does Jury Duty Last?
Most jury duty assignments last less than one week. The duration of your service depends on the specifics of the trial to which you get assigned. In some cases, your jury duty service could be over in as little as a day.
However, there are some instances when trials are expected to last for several weeks. Typically, potential jurors are informed of this prior to the selection of the jury. If that length of service would cause an undue hardship for you, the judge may allow you to be dismissed from serving on that jury.
How To Get Your Jury Duty Postponed
The Florida courts will allow you to postpone your jury duty assignment to accommodate vacations or previously planned appointments. Your postponement request can be made either in writing or orally by calling the phone number on your jury summons. Your service may be postponed no more than six months.
If you need to make a postponement request, you should do so as soon as possible and no later than three business days prior to the date on your summons. Waiting too late could prevent the court from processing your request before your summoned date, and you might still be required to show up. It is always a good idea to call the court prior to your service date to ensure that your postponement request is processed.
Common Excuses For Avoiding Jury Duty
If you do not meet the qualifications for jury service, you will not be allowed to serve. You must be at least 18 years old, a U.S. citizen, not currently under prosecution for a crime, and not a convicted felon (unless your civil rights have been restored).
However, there are some other situations that can get you out of jury duty if you decide you do not wish to serve. The following are some common reasons you can be excused from jury duty:
- Pregnancy (doctor’s note may be required)
- Full-time law enforcement officer
- Age (people 70 years and older can commonly be excused from service)
- Full-time caretakers
- Being a full-time student between the ages of 18 – 21
- Previous jury service (within one year of current summons)
Getting out of jury duty requires a sufficient excuse, and documentation will usually be required. If you have any questions about whether you can serve, contact the court that issued your summons.
What To Do If You Get a Jury Summons
If you receive a jury summons, the best thing to do is show up at the time and place specified in the summons. Jury duty is a civic responsibility that should be taken seriously, and you could help decide the outcome of important court cases, including medical malpractice cases, wrongful death cases, or even a murder trial.
For those who are unable to serve, make sure to contact the court and request your postponement or provide your excuse as soon as possible. Failure to appear for jury duty can carry some serious consequences, and you do not want to end up in legal trouble because you simply did not show up. If you have any questions about jury duty in Florida, contact Mincone Personal Injury Lawyers today to schedule a free consultation.
Contact the Tampa Personal Injury Lawyers at Mincone Personal Injury Lawyers for Help Today
If you’ve been injured in an accident in Tampa, FL, contact our skilled personal injury lawyers at Mincone Personal Injury Lawyers to schedule a free case review.
We proudly serve Hillsborough County and its surrounding areas:
Mincone Personal Injury Lawyers
1925 E 6th Ave Ste 10
Tampa, FL 33605
(813) 430-3338