The jury system is an important part of democracy in the United States. Rather than relying solely upon Judges to decide the facts in a dispute, whether civil or criminal, our judicial system relies upon a group of citizens chosen from the community to make those decisions.
The jury system can only work well if jurors are chosen from a diverse cross-section of the population. We work hard to make sure that no qualified citizens of our community are excluded from jury duty, whether through self-selection (i.e., failing to show up) or otherwise.
What to know: If you are selected for Jury Duty in the 23rd Judicial District, you will receive a questionnaire to return to the court. This questionnaire sometimes ranges from 1 page to multiple pages depending on the case. As the case nears, you will receive a phone call notifying you when to report for the case. The first stage of jury duty is the Voir Dire process. Voir Dire is a French term meaning “to speak the truth.” During this phase prospective jurors are questioned to determine if they can be fair and impartial. Qualified jurors are selected from this pool to serve on the immediate case.