JURY DUTY

Jury Duty

The Lee County Circuit Clerk performs the following:

• Notifies citizens who have been selected to serve on jury duty
• Prepares a jury list for the attorneys
• Familiarizes jurors with the courthouse
• Receives and files all documents during trials
• Issues subpoenas
• Conveys jury instructions given by the judge
• Receives verdicts of jurors and reads them in open court
• Issues jurors a county warrant (check) and certificate of service (if needed)

Juror Qualifications

Jurors must be qualified voters or resident owners of real property of the county in which the trial is held. Jurors must be 21 years of age and able to read and write. A juror cannot be a convicted felon, habitual drunkard or common gambler. Additionally, no one who has been convicted of the illegal sale of alcoholic beverages in the previous five years can be a juror.

Accepted Excuses for Jury Duty

It may be inconvenient for you to serve on the jury. This Court is reasonable, but the serious business of justice must be constantly guarded. Accordingly, only those excuses from jury duty which are provided by law should be presented. Generally one is entitled to be excused from jury duty if he or she faces a personal hardship, business hardship, or has served on a jury in this court in the last two years. Further, a potential juror who is 65 years of age or older, may choose to be exempt from jury service. One may be excused from jury duty if their presence is required at home or if there is an emergency or personal illness.

Juror’s Compensation

Jurors are paid a nominal fee for each day their service is required by the Court. The Clerk keeps a record of each day you serve as a juror, and issues you a check upon that record when you have been finally discharged by the Court. You will also be compensated for your mileage traveled to and from the Lee County Courthouse.

How Jurors Should Act

Jurors must not talk to parties, witnesses or lawyers involved in the courtroom proceedings. Lawyers know the impropriety of talking to the jurors, and do not desire to jeopardize their case by talking with jurors. Accordingly, if a lawyer or judge seems to ignore you, you should not consider this to be snobbishness, but merely a desire to observe proper rules of conduct. Please dress appropriately and always arrive on time. Your tardiness delays the entire proceeding. Never read a newspaper or other material in the courtroom; pay attention to every question and answer. If an emergency arises, notify the Clerk, bailiff or any other court officer.