Question: I received a letter supposedly from the U.S. District Court that tells me to complete a Federal Juror Qualification Questionnaire online within 10 days. I am nearly 89 years old and nearly disabled. I don’t have a computer. Is this a legitimate inquiry?
Answer: Yes, the notice you describe is real, and directs recipients to a standard questionnaire to determine whether they are eligible to serve as jurors in Hawaii’s U.S. District Court. However, this is the first time the federal court has told prospective jurors to complete the questionnaire online, prompting numerous questions to Kokua Line.
Here is information from jury administrator Cynthia Aranador, the court’s website or the notice itself, which collectively address the questions:
The notice was mailed last week to about 40,000 people statewide, drawn randomly from lists of Hawaii licensed drivers or registered voters.
It tells recipients to visit the court’s secure website and fill out a questionnaire to determine juror eligibility. If you received the notice, go only to the website stated in it, www.hid.uscourts.gov. “Googling” might send you to the wrong site.
If you cannot fill out the questionnaire online, don’t worry. A paper copy will be automatically mailed to recipients who don’t complete it online. Don’t call or write the court to request a paper copy.
The notice says that federal law requires recipients to complete the questionnaire within 10 days, but that will be impossible for those who must wait for a paper copy. Paper copies will be mailed out as needed in about a month. Fill out the questionnaire as soon as you can, but don’t worry about the 10-day deadline.
Completing the questionnaire online is more efficient, saving court staff from having to scan or input responses submitted by hard copy. Other district courts made this switch earlier than Hawaii.
Everyone who received the notice must fill out the questionnaire, even if their responses will exempt them from jury duty itself. Don’t call or write the court requesting to be excused from the questionnaire.
The yes-or-no questions take a few minutes to complete. To serve on a federal jury, a person must be a U.S. citizen at least 18 years old; able to read, write, speak and understand English; and live in Hawaii. The person cannot be facing criminal charge(s) punishable by more than a year in prison; have been convicted of a felony without having their civil rights restored; or have a physical or mental disability that prevents their service.
Anyone who received the notice and fails to fill out the questionnaire (online now, or later by paper) could be ordered to appear at their own expense to complete it before the court.
Q: Is the free shredding Saturday in Aiea or Pearl City?
A: Both. Here are the details:
>> 8 to 11 a.m. at Access Information Protected facility, 98-736 Moanalua Loop in Aiea. This event is part of the Better Business Bureau’s “Secure Your ID Day” and will include shredding of sensitive personal documents (up to three bags or file boxes per person) and e-waste recycling. Cardboard and three-ring binders cannot be shredded. Bring your paperwork in bags if you don’t want to deal with leftover cardboard boxes.
>> 9 a.m. to noon (unless the truck fills before noon) at Hickam Federal Credit Union’s Pearl City branch, 1260 Kuala St. Enter only through the Kuala Street parking lot. Two file-size bags or boxes per person. Documents will be removed from boxes before shredding and the boxes returned to the participant. No e-waste disposal, only paper shredding; no cardboard accepted.
Write to Kokua Line at Honolulu Star-Advertiser, 7 Waterfront Plaza, Suite 210, 500 Ala Moana Blvd., Honolulu 96813; call 529-4773; fax 529-4750; or email kokualine@staradvertiser.com.
