MACON, Ga. — As pandemic restrictions end and Georgia returns to normal, some things are taking longer to get back on track than others.
Last week, we told you about two Macon murder trials that were postponed because enough potential jurors did not showing up for jury duty.
With the backlog of cases, Judge Howard Simms says this is the last thing the court system needs.
This has left people wondering whether you can volunteer for jury duty and if jurors can be selected from other counties.
Viewer Mike Brooks asked us, "Is there a way to actually volunteer or request jury duty? With such shortages, I was curious."
The clerk of Bibb County's superior court says the answer is no.
"I wish the answer was 'yes,' but no, you cannot volunteer for jury duty. Our jurors actually come from a countywide pool of all eligible citizens who can serve in the county," Erica Woodford said.
Woodford says the pool is generated on a state level and sent to her electronically each year.
"This is made up of citizens who have driver's licenses, a Georgia ID, citizens who vote, any citizen alive who is basically not a convicted felon," Woodford said.
According to Woodford and the Georgia Code section 50-12-40.1, once the clerk receives the list of eligible people, they pick lists of potential voters at random.
Which brings us to our next question from viewer John Diffie, "With Macon-Bibb county having trouble getting jury pools, can they select jurors from surrounding counties?"
Again, Woodford wishes the answer was yes, but... no.
"Each county has their own jury pool, so we can only have jurors to serve in Bibb County who are Bibb County residents," Woodford said.
Shaunte Hawkins lives in Macon and says he's never been summoned.
Hawkins says if he could volunteer, he would.
"A lot of people don't show up, and I think it kind of pushes a lot of the cases back," Hawkins said.
So we verify, you cannot volunteer for jury duty, and the clerk cannot pick jurors from surrounding counties.
Woodford says you can still do your part to encourage your loved ones by telling them how important it is to show up to jury duty.
Woodford says she wishes she had the option to call in more jurors, but that is not possible.
Right now, because of COVID-19 restrictions, the main jury room at the Bibb County court house is limited to 70 citizens even though there's seating for 220 people.