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FAQs

  • I have already served as a Juror in a state court. Do I have to serve in Federal Court too?

    Yes, State and Federal Courts operate sepearately from one another, so service in one court does not satisfy your service obligation to the other.

  • Will I be "sequestered" and have to stay overnight?

    Occasionally a trial day will extend past 5:00 p.m. in order, for example, to complete a line of testimony. Sequestration, the need to stay overnight, is extremely rare in federal court. Only two juries in the last ten years have been sequestered, and only then because of the notoriety of the cases. This should not be a concern.

  • Why do I have to answer the race and gender questions on the questionnaire?

    Although they are required to be answered, these questions ARE NOT factors in determining your eligibility to serve as a juror. The information gathered on these forms is combined to ensure proportional representation of certain demograpic groups in the Jury wheel.

  • Do I have to serve the whole month I am summoned?

    No, except by extraordinary circumstance. Each new jury pool begins the Monday of the first full week of a month and extends through the Friday before the first full week of the next month. Jurors are obligated to telephone the court after 5:00 p.m. on Friday beginning the weekend before their month of service, to learn if they must appear at the courthouse the next business day, or be instructed on when to call the toll free number again. Once jurors have appeared at the courthouse it is unlikely they will be required to appear a second time that month, although such a possibility does exist. Consequently, jurors must continue to telephone the recorded instruction throughout their term of service until told otherwise.

  • What are the hours of Jury Duty

    Unless otherwise instructed, the daily hours of service are from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. It is extremely important that jurors be on time when reporting in the morning and when returning from lunch. An entire trial proceeding can be delayed due to the tardiness of one juror.

  • Is there a dress code for Jurors?

    Yes. All jurors shall be appropriately attired, and shall not be groomed or attired in such a manner reasonably calculated to distract attention from the proceedings, call attention to themselves, or show disrespect to the court. Shorts, T-shirts, tank tops and halter tops are NOT considered appropriate attire.

  • What will happen on my first day of Jury Service

    The first day a juror reports to the courthouse a jury clerk will provide the juror with information about jury service. The juror will also view an orientation video to help learn about courtroom procedure and the role of jurors in the process. Jurors are also administered the juror oath.

  • If summoned to Jury Duty, will I have to send a lot of time waiting until I am sent to the courtroom?

    No, generally. The court has great concern for the welfare of individual citizens who, as a public service, devote time and effort to the judicial process. In consideration of this, the court adopted a “Juror Utilization Plan” establishing policies and principles desired to minimize unnecessary inconvenience to jurors. That is why jurors are instructed to telephone for instructions before reporting. Jurors will not be summoned to court unless needed for trial that day.

  • How long do trials last?

    Typically, trials last one to three days. Occasionally, trials take a week or more to try. In the event of a lengthy trial, the court will inquire if there are any excuse requests based on hardship or other special needs to prevent a juror from serving the duration of the trial.

  • What if my job will be jeopardized because of Jury Duty?

    Your job is protected by law (28 U.S.C. § 1975) while serving federal jury duty. Accordingly, an employer cannot punish or threaten to punish an employee in any way because of jury service. Doing so could subject the employer to serious sanctions.

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