A Crash Course on Jury Duty

If you are living somewhere in the US, there might be a chance that you will receive a summons from the court to become a juror. While jury duty is a common civil duty for Americans to fulfill, first-time jurors may be wondering what the point is or what to expect. Read on to become familiar with the purpose of jury duty.


What is Jury Duty?

Jury duty is the civic responsibility in which a panel of citizens are selected to decide whether someone is guilty/at-fault, based on evidence presented at trial. Jurors are also known as "judges of fact," as they must make decisions about what happened in court based on the facts presented in court.

Jurors may be asked to stay anonymous while serving on a jury and cannot talk about their case with anyone except other jurors who serve along with them. During the time as juror, jurors are not allowed to read or watch any news related to the your case during this time period until their service ends (unless specifically requested).

Jurors can serve on a jury for both civil and criminal cases. Civil cases are usually disputes between private parties such as corporations or individuals. These do not involve crimes being committed by one person against another (like murder), but instead typically involve issues like breach of contract or other types of property damage claims.

How Do Jurors Provide Their Service to the Court?

An individual is first selected at random to become a juror on a case. If you are registered to vote, and your name is called for jury duty, you will receive a letter from the court. This letter will tell you when and where to report for jury duty. You must appear in court on the date that was listed in this letter.

The judge will give you an overview of the case and introduce you to the attorneys and other key players in the courtroom. Additionally, you shall swear under penalty of perjury that you will respond honestly to any inquiries.

The jury essentially works together with the judge. The jury ascertains the facts of the case based on the evidence presented to them throughout the proceedings, and the judge establishes the proper law that needs to be employed in the case. The judge advises the jury on the relevant law at the conclusion of a trial. While the jury will determine what facts it believes

How are Jurors Selected?

Citizens of the United States who are at least 18 years old are eligible to serve on juries in federal courts. The Jury Selection and Service Act defines the jury selection procedure and specifies the requirements for participation in a federal jury. Jurors are randomly selected from the voter registration list. This means that anyone who lives in your geographic area can be called for jury duty, regardless of whether or not they have ever been convicted of a crime or even considered for prosecution.

You and the other prospective jurors will go through voir dire, often known as jury selection, once you have been sworn in. The judge and the attorneys examine you and the other members of the panel during jury selection to determine if any of you have any knowledge of the case, a personal stake in the result, or any other interest that might make it difficult for you to be objective.

Do Jurors Get Paid?

A jury can be paid for their time. In some states, you'll get a daily rate of $10 per day. In other states, the pay is more or less depending on the county where you're sitting as well as how long it takes for your case to be called and decided by a jury panel.

Is a Juror Excused From School or Work?

An employer is mandated by federal and state laws to give time-off to employees who are set to perform jury duty. There is an array of protection embedded in the laws for the employees which include prevention from being fired and prohibition of employers from intimidating summoned employees.

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