South Dakota citizens that do not show up for jury duty stand to face stiffer penalties than those currently on the books. The Senate passed Bill 1070 on Thursday which increases the fine amount for no-shows. Current law says those who willfully skip out on jury duty must pay a fine of not less than five dollars and not more than fifty dollars. Legislators say the fine is too low and is not a sufficient amount to deter people from not fulfilling their jury duty responsibility.
Senator Tim Begalka says the fine amounts are outdated and they should keep up with the times.
“Our constitution and statutes reaffirm that all citizens have both the right to a jury trial and also an obligation to serve as jurors when summoned for that purpose. Our current statute has been in place since 1887,” says Begalka.
Begalka suggested raising the fine to a fifty dollar minimum and a five hundred dollar maximum. Opponents of the bill say five hundred dollars is too steep and may present a hardship for those who simply forget to show up. Supporters say that there are legal exceptions that exempt people from serving on a jury and that judges may use their discretion when imposing fines. They say the bill also makes it tougher for people to buy their way out of jury duty.