Massachusetts General Laws ch. 234A sec. 24 – Response to postcard summons; response to juror summons sent by first-class mail
Section 24. (a) Each grand and trial juror shall respond to the postcard summons within 10 days of receipt. The office of jury commissioner shall provide a means for the juror to respond. If the juror is unable to complete and sign the response, the juror may authorize another person to complete and sign the response on the juror’s behalf. A notice of the juror’s duty to respond to the summons within 10 days of receipt thereof shall appear prominently on the face of the postcard summons.
Terms Used In Massachusetts General Laws ch. 234A sec. 24
- Juror: A person who is on the jury.
- Summons: Another word for subpoena used by the criminal justice system.
- Trial: A hearing that takes place when the defendant pleads "not guilty" and witnesses are required to come to court to give evidence.
(b) The office of jury commissioner shall send a juror summons by first-class mail to each grand and trial juror from whom the office of jury commissioner has not received a postcard summons response by the twelfth week preceding the term of service for which the juror was summoned. Each grand and trial juror shall respond to the juror summons within 10 days of receipt. The office of jury commissioner shall provide a means for the juror to respond. If the juror is unable to complete and sign the response, the juror may authorize another person to complete and sign the response on the juror’s behalf. A notice of the juror’s duty to respond to the summons within 10 days of receipt thereof shall appear prominently on the face of the juror summons. Grand and trial jurors may confirm their service by any other means approved by the jury commissioner including, but not limited to, telephonic and electronic means, and such confirmation shall be as valid and binding as if it were made in writing.