By Kim Wilmath and Alexandra Zayas, Times Staff Writers
Monday, October 3, 2011
TAMPA — If you're one of the 387 people who skipped jury duty Monday morning in Hillsborough County, be warned:
A judge is coming after you.
Struggling to seat a panel for trial, Circuit Judge Gregory Holder decided he'd do something to show Monday's no-shows there are consequences for dodging duty.
He issued an "order to show cause," which will summon absentees to a hearing Nov. 4 for questioning. Those without legitimate excuses could get fined $100 or be put in jail for six months for contempt of court. If Monday's absentees don't show up that day, Holder said he will issue arrest warrants.
The trigger for Holder's frustration: It took more than three hours to gather a pool of 22 prospective jurors for a trial in his courtroom.
"This conduct is ...