Jury Duty

*If you have been summoned for Jury Duty, please see here.

Why We Have a Jury System
:
 Under the Constitution, a United States citizen is given certain rights; the right to a jury trial is one of those rights. Participation in jury trials provides citizens with an opportunity to:

  • Incorporate community values into dispute resolution;
  • Guard against abuse of power by legislatures, businesses, and government agencies;
  • Avoid arbitrary or unfair sanctions by individual judges;
  • Protect the rights of all citizens.

How Jurors Are Selected:

  • Once a year the Secretary of State creates a list of citizens who may be eligible to serve on a jury. This list contains those citizens who possess a driver’s license or State of Michigan identification card.
  • Identified citizens are mailed a Juror Qualification Questionnaire.  After the questionnaire is completed, returned, and evaluated, a qualified citizen may be called to serve on a jury.

What To Expect As a JurorAs an active participant in the justice system, a citizen who serves as a juror can expect to:

  • Be  treated with dignity and respect;
  • Have court facilities and procedures identified and explained throughout the jury service period;
  • Have questions answered by the appropriate court staff member as allowed by law.

What Is Expected of a Juror: Given the importance jury trials, a citizen who serves as a juror is expected to:

  • Be informed of, and comply with, rules and guidelines that are designed to ensure the integrity of our legal process;
  • Pay close attention to and strictly follow all instructions given by the judge;
  • Keep an open mind;
  • Discuss the facts of the case by sharing information and points of view;
  • Apply “jury instructions” appropriately;
  • Decide on a verdict that is based on the facts of a case as they were presented inside the courtroom.