Nearly 300 residents were turned away after showing up for jury duty on Monday. Court officials said the jury room couldn't hold all of the respondents.
Long lines formed at 8 p.m. about the Fulton County Courthouse as prospective jurors arrived. It took nearly 30 minutes for residents just to get inside.
Court officials said that several hundred more people than normal were summoned for jury duty because they were using a new procedure for jury call lists.
On a normal Monday, around 1,000 are called for duty and around 300 typically report. On October 1, more than 2,000 people were called and 599 reported – about double what was required for court duty.
Fulton County Court Administrator Yolanda Lewis dismissed more than 200 citizens at lunchtime.
"We definitely didn't want to inconvenience anyone but it was just necessary because we didn't know how the list was going to work today," said Lewis.
Citizens said that while rooms were crowded, most people were civil.
Officials remind residents that people that don't report for jury duty are subject to a fine and possible jail time.
Tuesday, June 18 2013 7:11 PM EDT2013-06-18 23:11:21 GMT
Atlanta police have arrested two brothers for running what they say was a major fraud ring that caused small businesses across the country to lose more than $300,000.
Atlanta police have arrested two brothers for running what they say was a major fraud ring that caused small businesses across the country to lose more than $300,000.
Tuesday, June 18 2013 6:22 PM EDT2013-06-18 22:22:48 GMT
Defense attorneys want the governor's report on Atlanta Public Schools cheating thrown out. They say educators were threatened to cooperate with investigators or lose their jobs.
Defense attorneys want the governor's report on Atlanta Public Schools cheating thrown out. They say educators were threatened to cooperate with investigators or lose their jobs.
Nearly 300 residents were turned away after showing up for jury duty on Monday.
