Onalaska-Law.com
  • HOME Page
  • OWI/DWI/DUI Defense
  • Car Accidents and Personal Injury
  • Criminal Charges
  • ACTUAL CRIMINAL & OWI/DWI RESULTS
  • Motorcycle Accidents
  • Attorney Info
  • Contact Us
  • Onalaska-Law Blog
  • Map of Location in Onalaska
  • Court Directory & Legal Resources

LA CROSSE COUNTY JUDGE FINES CITIZENS WHO SKIPPED OUT ON JURY       DUTY.

1/25/2018

 
​La Crosse County Circuit Court Judge Todd Bjerke was not amused when a number of citizens summoned for jury duty for the Todd Kendhammer trial simply failed to show up.  An article in the La Crosse Tribune outlines some of the totally lame excuses these people gave to the judge, which ranged from pure "stupidity", to believing that a jury was being brought in from another county.  "So you just didn't show up then?", the judge asked.  "Yup", that errant citizen replied.   Amazingly, one person who was subpoenaed to explain his/her absence did not even show up to do that!  That person was summarily fined $500.00.  If that person is as bad at paying the fine as he/is at obeying court summonses, he/she will probably sit time in the jail for the unpaid fine.   

Obviously, jurors play an essential role in the jury trial system. I have handled trials where an inadequate number of jurors nearly led to the Sheriff going to a nearby cafeteria to conscript unwitting citizens to serve.  Such a thing is patently unfair for the citizens enjoying their lung, not to mention for the criminal defendant or civil party who will have some unhappy campers sitting on his/her jury. 

The right to a jury trial is probably the most crucial safeguard we have as citizens. That's why they call it "jury duty". Hopefully, the publicity from these events will help prevent further absences.

Comments are closed.

    Author

    Christopher W. Dyer, a Wisconsin and Minnesota Trial Lawyer, serving La Crosse and surrounding counties.

    Archives

    January 2018
    December 2016
    October 2016
    August 2016
    June 2016
    February 2016
    December 2015
    October 2015
    July 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    December 2014
    October 2014
    August 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013

    Categories

    All
    Blood Testing
    Breath Testing
    Car Accidents
    Domestic Charges
    Forfeiture Cases
    Going To Court
    How To Choose A Good Lawyer
    Implied Consent
    In The News
    Minnesota Dwi
    Owi 1st
    Repeat Owi
    Traffic Court
    Urine Testing.

    RSS Feed