Court clerk advises Kenosha County residents to watch out for jury responsibility rip-off • Kenosha County, WI

Kenosha County Clerk of Courts Rebecca Matoska-Mentink is warning of a phone rip-off that’s once more making the rounds regionally.

Matoska-Mentink mentioned her workplace has acquired a number of contacts not too long ago from individuals reporting they have been referred to as and informed they’d did not report for jury service, that there’s a warrant out for them, and that they have to instantly pay a advantageous.

These calls are usually not reputable and ought to be ignored, Matoska-Mentink mentioned.

“Absent a court hearing and a finding of contempt by a Judge, the Circuit Court could never demand immediate payment of a fine regarding jury duty,” Matoska-Mentink mentioned. “In Wisconsin, official jury summonses, as well as failure-to-appear notices, are delivered to homes by first-class mail. Court officials and law enforcement officers do not make phone calls to threaten arrest or fines.”

These rip-off calls are sometimes made within the night, after courtroom workplaces are closed for the day, which ought to be a direct purple flag, Matoska-Mentink mentioned. The clerk additionally famous that caller ID may be manipulated to seem as a neighborhood quantity or enterprise, making these calls seem reputable.

“If you receive a call like this and have any question about its legitimacy, hang up and call our office at 262-653-2664,” Matoska-Mentink mentioned.

Matoska-Mentink mentioned those that are referred to as to jury service first obtain a questionnaire through U.S. mail, which is then adopted by a mailed summons. If electronic mail addresses or cell numbers are supplied in answering the questionnaire, potential jurors might obtain textual content reminders and electronic mail notifications when the Summons date is close to. Failure to adjust to a service notification might lead to a summons for a listening to in entrance of a decide, not a cellphone name, Matoska-Mentink mentioned.

For extra details about the Clerk of Courts Office and the Kenosha County Circuit Court system, go to www.kenoshacounty.org/118/Clerk-of-Courts.