Welcome to Jury Service
Frequently Asked Questions
1.
How am I selected for jury service
2.
How long do I have to serve?
3.
Do I get paid for my service?
4.
Where do I park?
5.
Is child care or elder care provided?
6.
If I have a legitimate reason why I cannot serve on my assigned day for
jury service or if I have a health issue, what should I do?
7.
What am I allowed to do while I wait to be selected for jury service?
Can I bring my lunch?
8.
I am over 70 years old, do I still have to serve?
9.
What information about me will be given to the litigants who are picking
the jury?
10.
What is the difference between a grand juror and a petit juror?
11. Do I have to wear certain attire to court?
1. How am I selected for jury service? You are selected from a list of registered voters, licensed drivers and persons with an MVA identification card. The first time you are selected you are sent a questionnaire to determine if you qualify for jury service. You cannot serve on a jury in Baltimore City if you are not a resident of Baltimore City, have been convicted of a felony, or have a matter currently pending in the Baltimore City Circuit Court. Jurors who are qualified are selected on a random basis.
2. How long do I have to serve? In Baltimore City, if you are selected, you are required to serve for the length of one trial. Most trials last two or three days; however some trials may take longer. The trial day usually ends at 5 p.m. If you are not selected for a trial, you are dismissed from jury service at the end of the day on which you are summoned. There may be occasions when the jury selection process lasts longer than one day and then you are required to attend a second day. You can be called once a year for jury service.
3.
Do I get paid for my service?
In Baltimore City, you are
paid $15 a day for jury service. There are also parking and
lunch discounts available at participating businesses.
click
here to find out more.
4. Where do I park? There are a number of parking garages in the vicinity of the Clarence Mitchell Courthouse. Be sure you do not park at a meter or in a garage that closes early. There are also several parking facilities near the court buildings that offer discounted parking, please click here to determine participating garages. Jurors will need to present a validated jury summons and juror badge at the time of payment for these participating parking garages. You should keep the summons, but leave the juror badge with the parking attendant.
5. Is child care or elder care provided? While the Circuit Court is working to establish a system to care for young children and elderly adults in the future, at the current time we do not provide these services.
6. If I have a legitimate reason why I cannot serve on my assigned day for jury service or if I have a health issue, what should I do? Call the Jury Commissioner at (410) 333-3775 and explain your situation. If possible, the Jury Commissioner's Office will select a mutually acceptable date for you to serve on jury service at that time. If you are able to serve but have some special needs let the Jury Commissioner know and we will try to accommodate you. If you ignore your summons you may be found in contempt after a hearing and sentenced up to 60 days imprisonment and/or $1,000 fine
7.
What am I allowed to do while I wait to be selected for jury service?
Can I bring my lunch?
Several rooms are available
for your use while waiting to be called to a courtroom for jury
selection. In some rooms, movies are shown during the day.
In other rooms, you may use battery-operated laptop computers.
A third room is available if you need to do work that require quiet.
You are also allowed to bring a cellular telephone with you while on
jury service but it must be turned off and used only for out-going
calls. You can bring your lunch with you; however you will be
excused from the waiting rooms at lunch time and may leave the
building to obtain lunch at one of the many restaurants located in
the downtown area. Bathroom facilities and various food
machines are available in the jury rooms for your use. Smoking
is not permitted.
8.
I am over 70 years old, do I still have to serve?
For Baltimore City residents
that are over the age of 70 jury service is optional. If you
are over 70 and decide you do not wish to be considered for jury
selection, you must contact the Jury Commissioner's Office and let
them know.
9.
What information about me will be given to the litigants who are
picking the jury?
Before jury selection begins,
the litigants are told your name, your age, your occupation, the
highest level of education you achieved and
your spouse's occupation. At jury selection, additional
questions are asked to determine if you can be fair to both sides if
you are selected to serve on the jury.
10. What is the difference between a grand juror and a petit juror? A grand Juror sits for a four month term as part of the Grand Jury, which is made up of 23 people. A member of the grand jury determines whether there is a probable cause to charge someone with a crime. A Grand Jury also can conduct its own investigations. A petit juror sits, listens to evidence in a courtroom and determines the facts in a particular case.
11.
Do I have to wear certain attire to court?
Proper Dress is required. Uniform type attire (e.g., medical, law enforcement, military, etc.) should not be worn for jury service. Abbreviated clothing such as shorts, muscle shirts, halter tops, bare midriff, etc., are not acceptable court attire