A Step by Step Guide to Federal Jury Duty
in the Western District of Tennessee

1. If you received a summons in the mail from the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Tennessee, you are required by law to complete the questionnaire form contained in your packet within 10 days of receipt. You may fill out the questionnaire and return it in the enclosed postage-free envelope, or you may complete it electronically at www.tnwd.uscourts.gov . If you are unable to fill out this form, someone else may do it for you provided that person indicates in the “Remarks” section why it was necessary for him or her to do so for you. If you do not return the questionnaire form, fully completed, within 10 days you are liable to be summoned to report to court, at your own expense, to complete the questionnaire.

2. If you are a person in one of the categories listed below, and you wish to be excused from jury duty, please complete the questionnaire and indicate in question 14 which category applies to you. If you wish to serve, do not mark anything in that section. DO NOT ask to be excused by telephone.

(a) persons over 70 years of age;
(b) a person having active care and custody of a child under 10 years of age whose health and/or safety would be jeopardized by his or her absence for jury service;
(c) a person essential to the proper care or custody of any person incompetent to care for him or herself due to physical or mental disability;
(d) a student in college, university, or trade school actively attending;
(e) a person essentaial to the daily operation of a professional, commercial, agricultural, charitable, or educational enterprise;
(f) a person serving as a law enforcement agent, as a firefighter, member of rescue squad, or ambulance crew without compensation.

3. Please plan to be available for the entire term of duty for which you have been summoned. If you have a scheduling conflict during the month, please explain it in the “Remarks” section of your questionnaire, and the court will notify you as to whether you have been excused or if your service has been deferred to another time.

4. Making yourself available does not mean you have to report to court. Beginning the Friday evening BEFORE the Monday date shown on your Summons, and continuing throughout your term of service, you are to telephone the toll-free number, (800) 596-3354. Using the keypad on your touch-tone telephone, you will be prompted to enter the 9-digit participant number found above your name on the summons you received. The system will then ask you to verify the first three letters of your last name before playing a personalized telephone message instructing you whether or not to appear for jury duty the following business day.

TN Relay Service for the Hearing Impaired
Voice and TTY Users 711
TTY Users 1-800-848-0298
Voice Users 1-800-848-0299

5. Once you report for duty, if you are selected to serve on a trial, you will serve until the trial ends. If you are excused, you will receive instructions as to what you have to do for the balance of your month of service.

6. Please be sure to dress appropriately when you are required to report for duty.

7. Please read the Jury Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) for more information.