Follow the directions on your summons to request a postponement. Give the earliest date you will be able to serve. It is against the law to fire or harass an employee who is summoned to serve as a juror.
As a juror you participate in an important public process and fulfill a civic obligation. All persons accused of a crime or involved in a civil dispute have a constitutional right to have a jury decide their cases.
When you serve on a jury, you make important decisions affecting other people's lives as well as your own community. Two types of trials have juries: criminal trials and civil trials. Juvenile and family law trials do not have juries. All potential jurors are selected at random from lists. Courts use Department of Motor Vehicles and voter registration lists. Staff of the superior courts will never ask past or prospective jurors for personal information like financial history, credit card numbers, bank account numbers, or Social Security numbers.
Do not provide this type of information to anyone claiming to be associated with the courts, and contact your local jury office if you receive this type of request. If you receive a telephone call, an e-mail or other form of electronic communication from someone identifying himself or herself as a court employee and requesting your personal information, you may be the victim of a jury fraud scam. Please do not provide any information and immediately contact the fraud unit of your local police department and the jury office of your local court.
Selection is random. If you have already responded to a summons or have served in the past 12 months, contact your local jury office. Explain to the staff person that you have been summoned twice in 12 months. It is important for you to contact the court to resolve the problem. Jurors are summoned randomly from countywide lists maintained by the Department of Motor Vehicles and the local registrar of voters.
Inclusion in the list of eligible jurors does not guarantee that you will be immediately selected for jury service. If you have not been selected, you may want to contact the Department of Motor Vehicles and your local registrar of voters to update your mailing address. Further questions should be directed to your local court. You do not need to speak perfect English to serve as a juror. The court uses common, everyday language that people can understand.
The work done by the courts affects all people, so it is important that all communities be a part of our justice system. No one person has to know everything. Jurors decide the outcome of a trial as a group, with each member making an important contribution. If you cannot understand English, follow the instructions on the summons or contact the jury office. If you need assistance, a friend or a family member who speaks English can call for you.
However, you may still have to come in person to request a disqualification. Beginning January 1, , certain individuals with a criminal history may serve on California trial juries. Additionally, if any individual is incarcerated in any prison or jail, they are disqualified from jury service.
Also, those who are currently required to register as a sex offender pursuant to Section of the Penal Code based on the felony conviction are not eligible for jury service. Finally, any person who has been convicted of malfeasance in office and whose civil rights have not been restored may not serve on a jury. However, if you have received a pardon from the Governor and had your civil rights restored pursuant to California Penal Code sections There are two ways to receive a pardon: one is by applying for and being granted a Certificate of Rehabilitation and Pardon, and the second is through a Direct Application for Pardon.
Please note that the above changes do not affect the eligibility and disqualification criteria for criminal or civil grand juries, as specified in Section of the Penal Code. Trial length depends on how complex the issues are and how long jurors spend in deliberations. Most trials are completed within a week. The judge knows approximately how long the trial will take and he or she will give you an idea when your group is called for jury selection. Judges are aware that long trials can be difficult.
Let the judge know if it would be a serious hardship for you to serve on a long trial. Please be patient during this process, because a lot of people have similar concerns about time. Your employer must allow you time off to serve on a jury. That is the law. The California Labor Code prevents any employer from firing or harassing an employee who is summoned for jury service.
School employees and students are protected as well in different parts of the law. However, you must let your employer know well in advance, as soon as you receive your summons.
You should contact the court if you have a problem with your employer. Remember that you can postpone jury service to a more convenient time. Read your summons carefully or contact your local jury office to find out how to request a postponement. If you have a child or an adult under your care, you may ask for a postponement or excuse from jury service.
Read your summons carefully or contact your local jury office. If you are the mother who is breastfeeding a child, you may request a postponement for up to one year by filling out the summons response form. If you need certain accommodations such as assistance with a wheelchair, hearing amplification, or special seating, contact your local jury office right away. Let them know what you will need. If they cannot reasonably accommodate you, you may request to be excused from jury service. The judge and court staff works to reduce the time prospective jurors spend waiting for assignment.
The court asks for your patience and suggests that you bring a book or other reading material to occupy your time while waiting. The judge and court staff will explain delays when possible. The judge will take your privacy into consideration when making decisions about the case. The judge must balance the requirement in the federal Constitution that guarantees people a public and speedy trial against the concerns jurors may have about privacy.
If you have questions about your privacy, please let the judge know. If a member of the media, a lawyer, or a friend or family member of one of the people involved in the case approaches you during the trial, let the judge know immediately. This type of contact is inappropriate during a trial. After the trial is over, the media and parties to the case may be able to contact you, but you do not have to talk to them.
Call the judge in your case if you feel harassed. All jurors must be citizens of North Carolina and residents of the county where they are summoned; be at least 18 years old; have not served as a juror during the previous two years; be physically and mentally competent and be able to understand English; and not be a convicted felon without restoration of citizenship.
Cornelius Harnett Blvd. What if I can't serve on the date I have been told to report to the courthouse? There are no automatic exemptions from jury duty if you meet the qualifications as a juror. You may apply to the court to request deferral of your service to a more convenient date if serving at the original time would cause an unusual or difficult hardship.
Jurors over 72 year of age may request an excusal if you have a medical reason that prevents your service. Mailing address is: Jury Clerk, W. Will the State pay me for jury duty?
You will not be compensated if you appear and request a deferral or excusal. The Clerk of Superior Court will mail you a check for the appropriate amount. Can my employer fire me if I serve as a juror? North Carolina law prohibits employers from firing or demoting an employee because they serve as a juror. However, the law does not require that the employee be paid in full while serving.
Should I bring anything with me to the Courthouse? Bring a book, laptop computers wireless access provided , needlework, cross-word puzzles, or other materials to occupy your time while waiting. These items are not allowed for use in the courtrooms.
While efforts will be made by the Court to reduce delays in trial starts and to avoid long waiting periods for you, some waiting time should be anticipated while jurors are chosen to sit on a jury.
What should I wear? You should dress comfortably, but not too casually. Dress for Court as if you were going to work or to church. It is NOT acceptable by the Court to wear halter-tops or tank tops, cut-off jeans, shorts, or shirts with offensive wording.
Remember, you will be acting as part of the Court while serving as jurors, so dress appropriately. Also, you might want to wear layered clothing since courtroom temperatures may vary considerably, requiring the removal or addition of a sweater or jacket.
How long will I have to serve? If you are seated for a trial, you must serve until the trial ends, which may be two days to several weeks. Most jurors only serve for one to five days. If there is an emergency at home, how will my family contact me? In an emergency, you may be contacted through the Clerk of Superior Court's office at The court staff will make certain that you get the message.
Will I be locked up in a hotel during the trial? It is extremely rare for a jury to be "sequestered" or kept in a hotel during a trial. You should expect that you would be allowed to go home at the end of each court day.
How will I know what to do as a juror? When you report to the Courthouse, you will be shown an orientation video that explains what to expect as a juror. You will also be given additional information from the court staff. Then all jurors present will take an oath as jurors and be given a red juror badge to wear until they are released from jury duty by the judge.
Once a trial begins, the judge will instruct you on your duties as a juror. Why are some jurors dismissed and not allowed to sit for a trial? Both you and other prospective jurors who report for jury service will be given an opportunity to voluntarily donate your juror pay to certain local or state charitable causes.
When you report for jury service, you should receive or request a form that allows you to direct the county treasurer to donate your reimbursement for jury service to a designated charity or fund which should include:. Your employer is not required to pay you for any time that you missed from work due to jury service.
However, your employer cannot fire you while you are fulfilling your civic duty. An employer who terminates, threatens to terminate, penalizes, or threatens to penalize an employee because the employee performs jury duty is subject to sanctions for contempt of court and payment of damages to the employee. The length of jury service will vary considerably for summoned jurors. While the jury selection process may require your attendance for a day or a fraction of a day, jury duty generally lasts about one week.
However, the majority, usually more than two-thirds, of all summoned jurors are NOT actually selected for service, therefore, their duty ends after a short time with the completion of the jury selection process. For those jurors who are selected to serve in a jury panel, the judge and the attorneys may be able to estimate how long that particular trial will last. Unfortunately, prospective jurors who appear and participate in the jury selection process will spend a great deal of time waiting.
Although the courts make every effort to avoid delays, they sometimes will occur. If a delay occurs while you are present for jury service, please try to be patient with the court staff. Rest assured that there is usually a valid reason for any delays and the judge is aware that you are waiting. Also, try to keep an open mind about your jury service and remember that you are playing an essential role in our justice system.
At the conclusion of all the evidence, the judge may give you a written charge that asks you some specific questions. Because you will need to consider all of the evidence admitted by the judge, it is important that you pay close attention to the evidence as it is presented at trial. You will not be asked, and you should not consider, whether one party or the other should win.
Note that jurors and others can be called upon to testify in open court about acts of jury misconduct. As a result, you need to follow all of the jury instructions given by the judge throughout the case very carefully. If you have questions about your jury summons or jury duty, please contact the appropriate court or judge as indicated on the jury summons. The information contained on this web site is not intended to take the place of the instructions given by the judge or the court concerning any aspect of jury service.
In the event of any conflicts, the instructions and procedures given to you by the judge or the court should be followed. About Texas Courts. Site Search. Texas Judicial Branch Web. About Texas Courts Home. Jury Service in Texas. The Selection Process Juror Selection Receiving a summons for jury duty does not mean that you will actually serve on a jury.
Juror Oath At some point during the jury selection process, prospective jurors are given an oath by which they swear or affirm to tell the truth when answering questions about their qualifications as jurors. Qualifications for Jury Service You do not need any special skills or legal knowledge to be a juror! To be qualified to serve as a juror you must: be at least 18 years of age; be a citizen of the United States; be a resident of this state and of the county in which you are to serve as a juror; be qualified under the Constitution and laws to vote in the county in which you are to serve as a juror Note: You do not have to be registered to vote to be qualified to vote ; be of sound mind and good moral character; be able to read and write; not have served as a juror for six days during the preceding three months in the county court or during the preceding six months in the district court; and not have been convicted of, or be under indictment or other legal accusation for, misdemeanor theft or a felony.
Exemptions from Jury Service You are not required to claim an exemption from jury service. However, you may choose to be excused if you: Are over 70 years of age You may also request a permanent age 70 exemption.
This does not apply if the jury wheel has been reconstituted since your service as a petit juror. Exemption from Jury Service You must follow the instructions on your jury summons or contact the judge to find out what you need to do to be exempted from jury service. Exemption for Physical or Mental Impairments or Inability to Comprehend English A district court judge may permanently or temporarily exempt from jury service a person with a physical or mental impairment or with an inability to comprehend or communicate in the English language that makes it impossible or very difficult to serve on a jury.
Advice for your First Day of Service Be sure that you know where you are supposed to report. If you are unfamiliar with the courthouse and its surroundings you should carefully review the instructions that are included with summonses. You might also contact the judge or the district clerk's office or check the local web page for additional information.
Your attire should show respect for the court. Because you may serve on a jury the first day you report to serve, you should wear clothing reasonably befitting the dignity and solemnity of the court proceedings. Local judges may restrict certain attire, such as shorts, cutoff, sleeveless shirts, sandals, and hats. Also, you should dress comfortably because you may be in the courthouse for the entire day.
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