SUMMERSIDE, P.E.I. - Failure to show up for potential jury duty resulted in four people getting a stern talking to by a supreme court judge in Summerside recently.
Failure to abide by a jury summons can result in a $1,000 fine and up to 30 days in jail.
Jury trials are relatively rare at the Summerside courthouse; typically there is only one or two every several years.
One such trial was called for the Supreme Courthouse in Summerside on March 12, to deal with a case of two people accused of drug-related offences.
“(The potential punishment) is a reflection of how seriously the community views the … jury process. It is a very integral part of our justice system.”
-Supreme Court Justice Terri MacPherson
More than 200 notices were mailed to potential jurors in in advance of the case, which was then narrowed down to a pool of about 85 people
All but five of those summoned showed up for the final selection process.
Supreme Court Justice Terri MacPherson instructed sheriffs to get in contact with those five and impress on them the need to show up on when the case resumed.
In the end, sheriffs dealt with one of the people in question prior to that day, but the others showed up as ordered. MacPherson asked each to explain why they had not shown up as required.
Most said they had mixed up the date.
MacPherson opted not to issue any punishment in this case.
“(The potential punishment) is a reflection of how seriously the community views the … jury process. It is a very integral part of our justice system,” she said.
