Which statement about costs for impaneling is true?

• A. If a defendant fails to appear for a jury trial, the court may assess the costs for impaneling a jury.
• B. If a mistrial is declared, the case must be tried within two days.
• C. If a jury finds a defendant not guilty, the defendant is still liable for the costs of the trial.
• D. Docket call is when the court determines if all the prospective jurors appeared.

Answer: (A)

When a defendant fails to appear for a jury trial, the court may charge the costs of impaneling a jury to that defendant because the absence triggers the need to assemble a new jury panel and covers the resources the court had to expend. This rule exists to deter nonappearance and to ensure the court isn’t bearing the expense of impaneling a jury for a case that the defendant has effectively stalled by not showing up. Impaneling costs include juror fees, court staff time, and administrative expenses tied to summoning and selecting jurors.

The other statements don’t align with this specific rule about impaneling costs. A mistrial doesn’t impose a universal two-day deadline to retry the case. Even if a verdict is not guilty, costs of the trial aren’t tied to impaneling in the same way, and the description of a docket call is not about determining whether all prospective jurors appeared.