Jurors contact court after news of crackdown
Juneau has one of worst attendance rates for jurors in the state
More than half of the people who didn't show up in court last week as prospective jurors contacted people at the courthouse Monday, a day after a news report of an impending crackdown.
"They've obviously taken an interest in jury service," Area Court Administrator Neil Nesheim said Monday.
On Sunday, the Empire reported that Superior Court Judge Larry Weeks was sending state troopers out with orders for 83 people to show cause why they shouldn't be held in contempt for not showing up to jury selection.
Nesheim said that through Monday afternoon, "numerous people" called the court clerk's office. Of those, 15 were named on the orders Weeks signed last week.
Another 30 people contacted Judicial Services, the branch of troopers in the courthouse that handles prisoner transport and will be serving the orders.
One of the officers was serving papers Monday, Nesheim said.
The hearings are scheduled for Sept. 10 and 16 before Weeks and Sept. 13 before District Court Judge Peter B. Froehlich, he said.
In addition to bringing people into court to show why they shouldn't be held in contempt, Weeks said last week that arrest warrants would be issued for people who don't make their court dates.
Weeks said he was taking the action because Juneau has one of the worst attendance rates for prospective jurors in the state.
Nesheim said that since the 1998-99 fiscal year, only 60 percent of people summoned for Juneau juries have shown up.
Alaska statute defines failing to appear as contempt of court, a crime that carries a penalty of six months in jail or a fine of up to $300.
Prospective jurors in Alaska are selected from people 18 and older who apply for the Alaska Permanent Fund Dividend. In Juneau, people are notified that they will be on call for a month. During that time, they are required to call nightly to a recorded message to learn if they are required to come in the next day.
With September beginning, a new group of prospective jurors will be required to call the line, starting tonight.
• Tony Carroll can be reached at tony.carroll@juneauempire.com.