I-Team: Jury dodgers

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) - Jury duty: it's something everyone will likely be called for at least once in their life, but not everyone will go.

"Everyone I know dreads it, they don't want to go to jury duty," said Denise Hannon, Chicopee.

It's against the law to skip jury duty, yet a 22News I-Team investigation found hundreds of people do it every year.

In the first five months of this year more than two thousands people were called to serve and 243 people didn't show up.

Not unusual, according to Hampden County District Attorney, Mark Mastroianni.

"In daily lives that people live now, it's just very hard for them to fit something else in," Mastroianni said.

Not appearing can come with stiff penalties, up to $1,000 fine, sometimes community service or time in jail.

Court officials say if people can get past the inconvenience factor of it and actually sit through the process they may find it to be quite a rewarding experience.

"I actually enjoyed it very much. It was actually 3 months that I was on the grand jury," said Martha Bisallion, Northampton.

Tim Cooper admits he's one of the ones who tried to duck out once.

"I've already tried to avoid it. It's better to just go and serve your time and get it  over with," Cooper said.

Mastroianni hopes more people do, as our judicial system relies on it.

"It's one of the most important civic duties that we have. The department of justice comes to a complete standstill if people don't come in and respond," Mastroianni said.

Many times, people will move, and there's a lag updating the system.

Mastroianni says it's likely, someday, the court will move to an e-mail notification to minimize the number of no-shows.