Jury Information

Overview

As a juror, you play an essential role in the justice system. Your role is based on the tenets of a free society found in the U.S. and Utah Constitutions.

The American Judicial System gives everyone the right to a fair trial and jurors ensure this right is upheld. Jury duty is a chance for you to participate in the democratic process, as well as an opportunity to learn more about how the judicial system works. Though jury duty may at first seems inconvenient, afterward jurors typically say they've enjoyed being part of the process.

Juror Qualification Process

Once you receive a Juror Qualification letter you are required to go online within 10 days to www.utcourts.gov/juryroom, enter your juror number, and answer all of the questions. Based on your answers, the Court will decide whether you qualify for jury duty.

No one is exempt from jury duty; however, you may request to be excused from jury duty for the following reasons: 1) A person who is over 70 years of age; 2) A person who has served as a justice court juror in the past two years; 3) A person who is caring full time for either (I) children under 10 years of age, or (II) aged or infirm persons, whose health and/or safety may be jeopardized by the absence of such person for jury service; 4) A person so essential to the operation of a business that it must close or cease to function if such person if required to perform jury service.

If you think you need to be excused, you must still go online and answer all questions and submit your request there. You will be asked to provide documentation to support your request. Bear in mind, though, that for our system to work, people from all walks of life must be willing to serve. Please do not call the court or send letters requesting to be excused in lieu of completing the juror qualification questionnaire as such excuse requests will not be processed.

Keep in mind that our jury trials usually last only one (1) day.

How You Were Chosen

Your name was chosen at random from driver license and voter registration lists. Your term of service is an “on-call” term of six (6) months. This does not mean that you will be reporting every day for six months, however, you may be called at any time during that period.

Serving as a juror requires no special knowledge or skill. You should, however, be willing to listen carefully, follow the judge’s instructions, and use common sense. Our jurors typically enjoy the opportunity to serve and appreciate being able to participate in the administration of justice.

Once You Qualify for Jury Duty

Once you have been qualified as a potential juror, your name is grouped together with all the other potential jurors. When the need arises for jurors to be called, names will be randomly chosen from this group of potential jurors.

Our jury trials are usually set on the third or fourth Friday of the month. A jury summons will be mailed and/or emailed to the summoned jurors one week prior to the jury trial date. The summons indicates that the juror will need to call after 5:00 pm the day before the trial date to make sure they need to appear on the trial date. An email will be sent to those jurors that provided an email address.

If the jurors are told they are still needed on the jury trial date, the jurors are to present themselves to the clerk’s counter at the courthouse for jury selection. Once jury selection is completed, and the jurors are excused, the juror has completed their service for this term.

You Are Chosen to be a Juror

As a juror, you are the finder of fact. You must listen carefully to the evidence presented by each side and use your life experience and common sense to make a judgement.

You will be paid $18.50 for the first day of service and $49.00 for each subsequent day of service (if needed). Trials in this court typically last only one (1) day.

The law makes it clear that you must be excused from your job for jury service. You cannot be fired, demoted, or disciplined in any way for performing this public duty. Your employer faces civil and criminal penalties for violations. (UCA 78-46-21)