*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 Juror: As 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.
