Letter: Sorry I missed jury duty

By Cara Lovegrove

Dear Editor and Fellow Citizens of Maricopa,

Recently, I was given the opportunity to serve my community and failed you. I want to start this letter by first apologizing for my actions. The moment I found out I missed jury duty I realized I had made a big mistake. I didn’t know however, the severity of the situation nor how much of an inconvenience I was causing the court and my community.

Speaking with the Honorable Judge Riggs, I now understand the nuisance I caused and I am truly sorry from the bottom of my heart. Not only was the court case in jeopardy of being held that day, but I might have also wasted the time for the court, and those jurors who did come through with the fulfillment of their civic duty.

The penalty for being in contempt of missing jury duty without proper court approval is up to $500 in fines and up to 6 months jail time. I am thankful to have been given the opportunity to write this apology instead of facing the devastating penalties that could have affected the lives of many, including my precious daughter.

This community means so much to my family and I. If chosen again, I will make sure to follow the guidelines accordingly and hope you also recognize this importance should you be called to serve one day in the future.

Cara Lovegrove is a resident of Maricopa.