$2,000 Fine for Missing Important Appointment in Massachusetts

The inevitable happened. I received my summons card for Jury Duty in the mail recently. I have reported to jury duty before in Pittsfield and North Adams and even served on a case in 2018. It's not that bad. The biggest hassle is trying to juggle my schedule around and get coverage for my job but I'm sure that's an issue most people face that have to serve on a case so I should stop my complaining. Plus, I didn't have to serve on a grand jury like my friend did. He had to travel to Springfield for several months which I did not envy at all.

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Massachusetts Does Allow Postponement of Your Jury Duty Service Date

In case you didn't know the State of Massachusetts allows you to postpone your service date or request a disqualification or hardship transfer if necessary. To be disqualified you need a justifiable excuse. No matter how you proceed you must respond to your summons online which you can do here.

If You Fail to Report to Jury Duty on Your Assigned Date, Massachusetts Could Hit You With a Big Fine or Even Worse

Failing to obey your summons without a justifiable excuse is a crime in Massachusetts and you could be hit hard. Plan on forking over $2,000 if you choose to skip jury duty. In addition, you could be imprisoned for up to three days or have to perform community service. In some cases, you may be required to do all three.

Write Down Your Date/Set Reminders/Save Your Card

If you are summoned for Jury Duty, make sure you write down the date, save it in your phone, set reminders...whatever you have to do. It would be pretty awful if you were punished with a combination of all three of the aforementioned penalties simply because you forgot to appear on your assigned date and location.

If you have any questions regarding Jury Duty in Massachusetts you can go here or call toll-free at (800) 843-5879.