Jury duty is a wonderful thing

St. Widge said

I mostly have cases in Orleans Parish and with Ad Hoc judges in Baton Rouge, West Baton Rouge and Iberville Parish and I've never seen an Orleans Parish Judge do it and the Ad Hoc Judges never do it. But, I've had cases in places like Hahnville and Convent where the Judges have done it. It seems it happens more often in smaller, rural parishes where there is a closer personal realtionship between the Judges and the Sheriff.

Of course, a lot of the jury pool stuff in Orleans is handled behind the scenes by the Orleans Clerk's large bureaucracy so it's possible the Judges are issuing bench warrants behind the scenes and I just never see it.

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When I was in New Orleans many moons ago some of the criminal court judges would may a big deal out of announcing the bench warrant for no shows during jury selection so the folks that did show up knew there were consequences for those who skip. I don't know how they do it now but suspect you are correct it is done behind the scenes. I doubt they let people skip with no problem, but suspect the enforcement of the bench warrant is lax. Where those types of warrants can bite people in the butt is when they get a speeding ticket and find out they have a warrant too.

I tried a jury trial in BR a few weeks ago in front of Judge Hernandez, first time I had met him. People who do not think the system works or that these court people don't work hard should have seen his courtroom. He is a hard working, fair minded judge with a very fine staff. it was a real pleasure trying a case in front of him.