When you are summoned for Jury Duty what exactly do you do?

Question

I have been summoned but i have no idea what is going on with me in court.

Answer 1

The summons that was mailed to you should give you fairly detailed instructions on how to get there, where to go, etc.

Generally, you will sit in the courtroom with a lot of other people, listening to the basics about the trial (really, very rudimentary basics, as they can't get into detail with everyone in the room). You'll be called one at a time, to be "interviewed" by the lawyers. Generally, the judge will ask a few basic questions of the whole room, and you'll be expected to address these when it's your turn. For example, if it's a DUI trial, they may ask you if you have had any personal experiences with drunk driving or drunk drivers.

From there, you'll either be chosen to serve, or excused. If you're excused, then you are considered to have served, and won't be called again for a while (in my state, it's two years).

If you're called to serve, what happens next may depend on the details of the trial. It could be a simple trial, only taking a couple of days, or it could be a long, drawn out trial, taking months. You could be sequestered, which would mean sleeping at a hotel and not having contact with your family or friends for the duration of the trial. Most of the time, this doesn't happen, though, so don't panic.

After the lawyers have made their case, you and the rest of the jury will sit in the jury room, discussing the witnesses' testimony, evidence, etc., and will have to make your decisions there about whether or not the defendant is guilty or not guilty. Once you've made the decision, you'll go back into the courtroom to have this read in front of the judge.

Answer 2

I have been to Jury duty twice. make sure you take a video game or crossword puzzles cause you are going to be there all day (8-5). You first check in before the time in the jury summons they send you in the mail. After you check in, they will call names every hour or so and if your name is called, you go to the court room they assign to you. if they don't call your name at the end of the day, then you have fulfilled your service (and basically wasted a whole day). Once you are in the courtroom, the prosecutor, the defendant, and the judge will ask you all potential jurors questions to see which ones are fit to serve. They may tell you that you are dismissed and you are free to go. If you are chosen to for the trial, then you will sit in the juror bench and listen to arguments from both sides. Depending on the case, it can range from 3 days to over a month.

Answer 3

Don't be concerned at all. Your duty is to show up. The Court will begin drawing names until enough people are called to form a jury plus about 2 alternates. If you're not called, you can then leave. If you are called, you'll be asked if you know any of the persons involved and whether you can be fair and impartial. When you get to Court, you will be given a specific place to sit and the attys will have a chart with all the names and a number assigned to each person, so it is critical that you sit where they tell you.

Answer 4

You need to call the 800 number on the summon during the days they require you too. Usually call after 5pm. A recording will answer and you will enter in the information given to you like a Jury ID Number. The recording will let you know if you need to go into the court or just call back the next day. Usually you need to call for one week M-F.

Answer 5

Do you want to be on a jury? Can you spare the time? I managed to get kicked-off by showing that I was actually listening to the questions the sharks asked. Usually, you have to call each morning for several days to see if you have to go in that day for jury selection. You do have to go, however, if you don't the Sheriff will come looking for you. Show your boss the summons before you go.

Answer 6

if you were just summoned, you will probibly sit in a big room with hundreds of people. they will than ask you questions, and if you are selected you will will serve on a jury with 11 other people who will deliberate the case with you. you will than review the evidence presented to you in the case ( it can range in time from about 1 hour to a couple of weeks, like the oj or michael jackson trial) than you will issue a verdict. dont wory, it wont be too bad.

Answer 7

You will be arrested j/k You pretty serve the court usually in an one day trial. Its no biggie. Actually, half the time you don't even get called in, at least from my own experience and the state I live in.