Fulton Superior Court Works to Make Jurors More Responsive |

The Superior Court of Fulton County announces the start of a new Failure to Appear Initiative designed to make citizens more responsive to juror summonses while educating them on the importance of jury duty notices.

Beginning in June, residents who received a Superior Court jury summons in the last 12-14 months and have received a follow-up notice but have not responded will be served Show Cause Hearing notices and ordered to appear before a Superior Court judge.  The purpose of a show cause hearing is for the Court to determine whether or not a person is in contempt of court. Citizens appearing before the Court could face possible fines and/or jail time.  Prior to the issuance of the Show Cause Hearing notices, residents will have a final opportunity to respond to their jury summons during the month of May which the Court has declared Jury Summons Amnesty Month.  During that month, any resident who received a jury summons from the Superior Court of Fulton County but has not responded can come to the Court and complete an Amnesty Affidavit to serve a future date without any consequences or penalties.

Residents with circumstances that allow them to be excused from jury duty will need to submit a signed excusal or deferral affidavit to the Court. The affidavits are available on the website of the Superior Court of Fulton County (http://home.fultoncourt.org/).  The Amnesty Affidavit that allows citizens to reschedule during the month of May will be available on the Superior Court of Fulton County (http://home.fultoncourt.org/, the Fulton County Sheriff’s Office (http://www.fultonsheriff.org/), and the Fulton County Government (www.fultoncountyga.gov). Citizens are asked to sign, notarize and submit the original affidavit to the Court. Copies of affidavits will not be accepted.

After the amnesty period ends, residents who have received and disregarded a jury summons may be subject to receiving a Show Cause Hearing notice. Fulton County sheriff’s deputies will begin serving the Show Cause Hearing notices in June. Residents who are served a Show Cause Hearing notice and disregard it may face fines up to $500.00 and/or incarceration.