Beware of whimsically and innocently shirking your civic jury duty obligation. It may seem reasonable to think that nothing will happen for such an indiscretion (and often it doesn’t), but piss off the wrong judge and things can get ugly real quick. Just take for example a judge’s ire when 55 folks neglected to respond to their jury duty summons in an Ohio high-profile murder case. Judge Randall Burnworth, of Washington County, was so enraged that the 55 people side-stepped their jury duty that he is demanding that they come to his court and explain themselves or face contempt charges. The judge is actually requiring those who skipped the selection process to appear before him on December 10, 2015. Failure to show, he says, will result in the prospective juror facing court fees, contempt charges and even potential arrest. The case at issue involves the retrial of a former Deputy Sheriff for aggravated murder in a 1981 slaying of an ex-colleague; the first jury hung and did not reach a verdict.
If you, a family member and/or friend happens to be one of the folks who actually needs a jury of your peers to preside over an affair, it would be smart to immediately contact a Seattle criminal defense attorney to protect your rights and interests. The Seattle criminal defense attorneys that make up the criminal defense team of SQ Attorneys are highly qualified and reputable Seattle criminal defense lawyers that are dedicated to providing top notch, aggressive representation for those arrested for crime all across Western Washington and the Greater Puget Sound region. The team creates success by working with law enforcement and the prosecuting attorney’s office to ensure that all facts and circumstances related to the criminal allegations are considered in creating the fairest, most equitable and just resolution possible in light of all the surrounding circumstances of the given case. So, whether cited for a driving offense, theft, prostitution, possession and/or distribution of drugs, assault, property destruction or some other law violation, protect yourself … call SQ Attorneys immediately.