It is important that you arrive on time. Jury selection cannot begin until all jurors are present. If you are unavoidably delayed, please call Jury Administration immediately.

Once you are seated in the courtroom, the judge will inform you about the case and introduce the lawyers and other parties who are involved. You will also take an oath, in which you will promise to answer all questions truthfully.

After you are sworn in, you will begin a questioning process called “voir dire,” which means “to speak the truth.” During this process, the judge and the lawyers will question you and other prospective jurors to find out if you have any knowledge about the case, any personal interest, or any feelings that might make it hard for you to be impartial. Though some of the questions may seem personal, you should answer them completely and honestly. If you are uncomfortable answering them, you may ask the judge if you may approach the bench and answer the question privately.

Remember, questions are not asked to embarrass you. They are intended to make sure members of the jury have no opinions or past experiences which might prevent them from making an impartial decision.

Examples include cases involving challenges to the constitutionality of a law, controversies between states, claims against U.S. government agencies, alleged violations of federal law or civil rights, disputes among parties from different states, potential damages of more than $75,000 or disputes between U.S. citizens and another country. 

For more information on how federal court cases differ from state court cases, please see Comparing State and Federal Courts.

The length of each trial depends on the complexity of the case. Generally, trials last between three and five days. Please check the back of your Summons for any exceptions.  Also, the judge will inform you the morning of jury selection as to how long the trial will last. Please inform the judge of any serious hardships at this time.

Prior to reporting, please check with your employer regarding its jury duty policy. In Indiana, such policies are entirely discretionary with employers; employers are not specifically obligated to continue jurors’ regular pay during jury service.

Yes.  However, if you have served on a jury in federal court in the past two (2) years, you may be excused from serving.

If you do not complete the information requested, you may be summoned by the Court to report at your expense for completion of the Questionnaire at this office.