Jury FAQs
Generally, Petit jurors serve three (3) month terms and Grand jurors serve six (6) month terms.
An updated jury message is available Sunday after 5:00 p.m. Please be sure to listen to the entire message before disconnecting from the call to obtain all the necessary information. Jurors will only be called in as needed. If you are to appear, the jury is usually selected on the first day of service. In the process of selecting a jury, the Judge will advise jurors of the estimated length of the trial. If you have any conflicts, the matter can be discussed at that time. A normal trial day is from 8:30 A.M. to 4:00 or 4:30 P.M. with a short break in the morning and in the afternoon and an hour for lunch.
In exceptional circumstances, the Trial Judge may excuse or defer jury service for the following reasons: service would impose an undue hardship due to the nature of the prospective juror’s occupation, business affairs, physical health, family situation, active duty in the military, or other personal affairs. Specific reasons should be contained in any request and physical health reasons should be documented, whenever possible, with a physician’s statement. Written requests will be presented to the Trial Judge for consideration and if the Judge excuses you, the Clerk will notify you by mail. The Clerk has no authority to excuse jurors and oral requests will not be approved.
Any person who has been duly summoned for jury duty and is not legally disqualified to serve on juries shall be given time off from employment according to state statute. A copy of the statute (Chapter 705 ILCS 305/4.1 – Jury Duty – Notice to Employer – Right to Time Off) is enclosed. It is expected that all citizens will fulfill their civic duty to perform jury service. Employers are not required to compensate jurors for days spent on jury duty although many do so voluntarily.
Jurors should dress appropriately for the Courtroom. It is sometimes difficult to regulate the temperature to accommodate everyone, so you may want to bring a sweater in the event it is too cool. The following is NOT appropriate dress for the Courtroom: shorts, cut-offs, tank tops, halter tops, mesh shirts, and/or shirts with inappropriate or offensive logos, pictures, or writing.
Jurors who appear for service will be paid for said service and compensated for mileage at the conclusion of the trial. You will receive a check in the mail which will be mailed to the address submitted on your questionnaire.
In case of inclement weather or an emergency closure of the courthouse, notification of said closure will be posted on local new radio stations. You can also check the status of jury service on the Marion County Circuit Clerk’s app available in app stores (you can also scan the QR code on the 1st page to take you directly to the link for download).
Jurors should arrive 15 minutes prior to their reporting time for security screening procedures. Please keep in mind everyone is required to pass through a metal detector and may be asked to step aside for additional screening. The following items are prohibited: knives, of any kinds, firearms, or ammunition, of any kind, personal protection spray of any type (i.e., pepper spray, etc.) or aerosol spray, and any other items perceived as threatening by court security.
Cell phones and other electronic recording devices are permitted inside the courthouse; however, you cannot any of those devices inside the courtroom or inside any of the public offices.
Jury Statute
JURY DUTY – NOTICE TO EMPLOYER-RIGHT TO TIME OFF
(A) Any person who is not legally disqualified to serve on juries, and has been duly summoned for jury duty for either petit or grand jury service, shall be given time off from employment to serve upon the jury for which such employee is summoned, regardless of the employment shift such employee is assigned to at the time of service of such summons. An employee shall give his employer reasonable notice of required Jury service. An employer may not deny an employee time off for jury duty because such employee is then assigned to work a night shift of employment, that is, an employer cannot require a night shift worker to work while such employee is doing jury duty in the daytime.
(B) No employer shall discharge, threaten to discharge, intimidate, or coerce any employee by reason of the employee’s jury service, or the attendance or scheduled attendance in connection with such service, in any court of this State.
(C) If an employee gives reasonable notice of required jury service, any employer who violated the provisions of this Section:
(1) May be charged with contempt of court. In such an event, the State’s Attorney shall file a petition for civil contempt, criminal contempt, or both, against the employer to be prosecuted by the State’s Attorney; and
(2) Shall be liable for damages for any loss of wages or other benefits suffered by an employee for reason of the violation; and
(3) May be enjoined from further violations of this Section and ordered to reinstate any employee discharged by reason of jury service.
(D) Any individual who is reinstated to a position of employment in accordance with this Section shall be considered as having been on furlough or leave of absence during this period of jury service, shall be reinstated to his position of employment without loss of seniority, and shall be entitled to participate in insurance or other benefits offered by the employer under established rules and practices relating to employees on furlough or leave of absence in effect with the employer at the time the individual entered upon jury service.
(E) In any action or proceeding under this Section, the court may award a prevailing employee who brings the action by retained counsel a reasonable attorney’s fee.
(F) Any right or remedy provided in this Section is in addition to any right or remedy otherwise provided by law to an employee.
(G) No employer shall be obligated to compensate an employee for time taken off for jury duty.
(H) The official responsible for issuing the summons may advise the juror of his rights under this Act by printed insert with the summons or on the summons itself.