MENDOCINO CO., 4/1/26 —Dozens of residents in Mendocino County are being called in front of a judge next week to answer for why they did not show up for jury duty in the past year.
Mendocino County Superior Court Judge Keith Faulder on April 10 will preside over juror compliance hearings for more than 60 people who were selected randomly after disregarding repeated jury summons, court officials said in a news release.
The number of people appearing for jury duty “has declined to an alarmingly low percentage” in the county, with some trials that were not able to go forward because of an insufficient number of jurors, according to the Superior Court release.
The court is instituting a monthly juror compliance calendar to make people show cause for why they should not face sanctions for failing to appear. Faulder may order people to appear on the next date they are needed or can issue a fine of up to $1,500.
“I would much rather potential jurors honor their commitment and appear for jury duty than sanction them for failure to take this obligation seriously,” Faulder said in the press release.
If someone appears for jury duty, they are excused for at least the next 12 months, and have the opportunity to tell a judge if they have financial or travel hardships that make it difficult to serve on a trial.
To serve on a jury in Mendocino County, someone must be a U.S. citizen who is at least 18, a resident of the county, able to read and understand English, can no longer be on parole or probation if convicted of a felony, among other restrictions.
More information about jury service in Mendocino County can be found here.
Several things that might be helpful~ Understand Mendocino has a very heavy leftist/dem population, they want to eliminate police, despise courts and any aspect of law and order. Any thing civil duty related is most def not on their to do list.
We have a HUGE illegal population that does not speak English. They become registered to vote automatically when they get a Driver’s Liscence. Do you really think they are going to show up for jury duty?
Eyester doesn’t like prosecuting crimes against women and children, and because so many members of the community have been screwed over by the police (meaning crimes have been perpetrated but no justice is ever recieved) nobody is interested in participating. When they let people who have 40 felonies, huge quantities of meth and illegal guns walk, don’t even lock them up for the night when they get arrested, nobody takes them seriously anymore. How could anyone take them seriously after that?
Coastal residents should only be summoned to Ft Bragg Court. It is impossible by public transportation to arrive in time for morning court in Ukiah. I’ve been summoned repeated times, only to find out the evening before, they don’t need me. After having to arrange a sitter, try to wrangle up gas or money for a hotel room.
Also on the coast, most of the people are old as dirt. I’m terrified when my 90 year old neighbor drives 4 blocks to Safeway. The thought of her on the 20 is terrifying.
Another issue is Mendo is hugely transitory, both in populace and housing. Meaning at least half the letters they send out don’t reach the intended recipient. Because the recipients have moved out of county, or are homeless, or living in a different location in the county.
This isn’t rocket science. It’s not that hard to figure it out. But if Mendo court system wants people to be serious, they are going to have to start prosecuting the bad guys. Otherwise nobody is going to show up for jury duty ever. Because nobody gives a you know what.
Plus frequently the letters don’t arrive until after the court date has already passed. And that’s NOT a potential jurors responsibility.
Thank you for your attention to this matter.
Sounds like a self reflection of a jury dodger making excuses.
We don’t need to get into political affiliation regarding jury duty. Trump was a five time draft dodger. We’re dealing with a population demographic largely comprised of elderly and poor non-white persons, all living in a large rural county.
The courts depend on potential jurors to have dependable transportation with the capacity to drive long distances because the county is unable to provide it themselves. In addition, we have large sections of the county without meaningful access to the courts. For example, the county closed the Point Arena Courthouse years ago. It was probably due to budget cuts. The entire south coast is without meaningful court access. The burden of transport and travel is transferred on to prospective jurors despite the California Office of the Courts recommending jurors to take public transportation and that their trip should not exceed 1.5 hours. The Mendocino courts must understand the reality that most people are simply not able to travel long distances over dangerous roads repeatedly.
Say you are a maggot without saying it
Sounds like a you problem
If you’re an “illegal”, why would you register to vote when you get a driver’s license?? Makes no sense, you can’t vote anyway and why would you even try?? Stupid comment.
Little wing is very confused.
“leftist/dem population, they want to eliminate police, despise courts and any aspect of law and order. Any thing civil duty related is most def not on their to do list.”
ABSOLUTE BULLSHIT!
“We have a HUGE illegal population that does not speak English. They become registered to vote automatically when they get a Driver’s Liscence.”
GARBAGE!!
Non-citizens can NOT register to vote nor vote in any elections in the US (municipal, county, state, federal).
This is INDISPUTABLE because NO ONE has done anything but make TOTALLY FALSE assertions 100% VOID of ANY EVIDENCE!!!
For someone who falsely and belligerantly berates others and about a lack of civic duty, you yourself, based directly on your own words, sure do have a LESS than BASIC grasp on the civic facts of how things actually work in our county, state, and country. Sad
Try paying attention outside of the little echo chamber you appear to ascribe to that fills your head with Wholly Fabricated Bullshit.
And consider taking a Civics Class.
Your ignorance is your fault.
It is impossible for an average person on the coast to afford to do jury duty in Ukiah we can’t afford to miss work and drive to Ukiah. I would be homeless if I had to do it for more than 2 days.
I have responded to jury summons with this information and my request has been denied.
It is an unreasonable expectation.
Put the courts back into the communities where the crimes occurred. Ukiah, Fort Bragg, Point Arena and Willits. The consolidation of the courts from Justice courts to all superior courts was a disaster for our rural communities .
A bunch of drug addled hippys welfare queens and bernie sanderscfans. Wow great pool.
This “obligation” should be abolished. Until any sort of actual obligation to tax payers and actual victims of crimes is upheld. For a “commitment” to forced servitude NOBODY willingly signed up for! Even if you do not register to vote, they find you somehow. “We consider your financial situation”- LIES! That jury nazi lady in the jury cave of the courthouse RELISHES making the process harder for people and takes absolute glee in being an absolute bit*h about it. She’s happy to try and set people up, and she thinks she’s smart about it. Maybe if this sorry excuse for a functional county would quit falsely accusing and persecuting innocent people, and actually DO SOMETHING with the ones who need to be dealt with, you’d have a bigger jury pool to pull from… Every single time I’ve gone for jury duty, more than half were excused BECAUSE- “I was charged with a crime like this in the past”, “I personally know one of the witnesses”, “this person being charged is my family member”, “I was a victim of this in the past and they got away with it”… you can’t set out to ruin the lives of all these people in such a small place and then think you’re going to have a non bias jury pool… This fact is unforgivablely not fair both to those who deserve justice as well as those being falsely persecuted in this place! I’ve personally known a few who were actually pretty terrible people who skipped jury duty. Nothing happens. Now, because it made their day of pretending to stand for justice harder, the powers that be want to punish those who just didnt have the gas money to make it to Ukiah from FB. Those who cant pay their bills if they miss work. Who wants someone on their jury anyways who was FORCED and doesn’t want to be there? Throw the whole system away and start over… They usually only charge the ones they can lie about anyways. Because if they had to let innocent people go, and pursue actual criminals, they might have to break a sweat 🙄 and shiester might have to admit he’s not a deity… your conviction numbers aren’t due to your skill- its due to your luck, positioning yourself in a place with such a *low standard* and no accountability.
Raylan, every time you speak it makes it so obvious that you never leave your house. Try going outside and actually talking to someone. Maybe you wouldn’t be such a miserable person. Your comments here and MendoFever present you as a sad, pathetic person. Why do you keep publicly embarrassing yourself like this?
I plead the fifth
Unless the judge can prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that people actually received their summons, he doesn’t have a case. Who’s to say the scrap of paper the court sends didn’t get lost or destroyed in the mail? Can he prove it wasn’t stolen out of the mailbox?
If the court wants to ensure jury attendance, they need so send it as registered mail with a signature delivery. Otherwise, they can’t prove anyone ever got it. Without that proof, there is no crime.
I think this is tyranny. In the past year I did go but between being an introvert and having anxiety it was a literal hell to be there. Also I don’t want to judge anyone. Its an automatic not guilty for me.
There was no reason for me to be there. If people don’t want to be there then why make them go!? I do not feel it’s my civic duty. I did not sign up for this. I don’t even believe in these systems. There is no justice. Its a banana republic.
It’s tough growing up, isn’t it? Hang in there, sport.
There should be a shuttle from the coast if there is going to be a requirement to appear for jury duty in Ukiah. MTA won’t make it in time, and 34 cents a mile ain’t cutting it on these roads with these gas prices.
There should be a nice hotel built for jurors with free food and a pool. I’d be excited to serve! Maybe the *insert sarcasm* Palace Hotel?
I just served and drove from the coast to Ukiah each day. Why not have coastal residents report to FB? I’m sure there would be a better response if a 3-4 r/t drive wasn’t involved.
I see our spread out rural-ness as the biggest cause of low turnout. Personally, living out on the south coast, 2 hour drive one way is both exhausting and too expensive (thanks to the current incompetence in the White House). I’ve countless times written back requesting to be added as a juror in Ft Bragg instead. To top that, many on the coast have somewhat seasonal work- I personally can’t afford to miss work in summer ( for me it’s as s self employed market farmer, for many others the tourist season is s big deal). I deal with my summens in winter but send them back in summer
If I could serve closer in my own two towns of pt arena or Gualala I would probably just suck up missed work time and go and tend to what I could after hours
If the Judges would hold the attorneys to their job of being prepared for the trial then when the jurors appeared you would know the trial was set to be heard. As a former law enforcement officer in multiple counties I can say Mendo is one of the worst in holding the attorneys accountable. Example. The attorney’s have months to prepare for a trial. At least three or four appearances to share with the courts the reason for the delay. As we know murder, sexual assault, several witnesses to locate, officers and attorneys time off is reasons for a delay. Reasonable. But I have sat in these court rooms and watched as attorneys as for a delay and it is granted for not a really good reason in my opinion, or not reason it given. One attorney asks for a delay and the other most of the time does not object. Not sure a good use of those of us who have to miss work, find someone to care for our elderly parents or kids only to get to Ukiah to say “sorry” but thanks for coming to the court and doing your duty. Then to top it off Faulker wants to hold those accountable for not obeying a subpoena. How about we judge those in the courts not doing their job and they receive a fine. I want to make it real clear a lots of attorneys and judges are doing their job because the are concerned about us and they will do their best not to waste our time. But until everyone gets on the same page in the court’s system this in not fair to us who miss wages while they get theirs. There is a better way I’m sure of it. The judges went to several years of college to get where they are. Go back in time all of you and remember how it feels when you’re bullied. Most of us want to do our part but you all need to do yours.