Q: If I’m called to serve on a jury, do I have to go?

A: Yes, unless you are excused for a special reason. Failure to reply, or giving fraudulent grounds to avoid jury service may constitute contempt of court, punishable by fine or imprisonment.

Q: How are people called to serve on a jury?

A: Once a year the clerk in your county prepares a list of the names of potential jurors from a combined listing of registered voters and driver's license records. Questionnaires are sent to those people to find out whether they are qualified. Some counties qualify and summon with date certain to serve in one mailing. When a jury is needed, names are chosen at random from the list and those people are summoned to appear at the courthouse for jury selection. From this panel, jurors are selected to serve on a trial.

Q: Does everybody in the jury panel actually serve on a jury?

A: No. More people are chosen than will be needed because some people are automatically excluded and the judge or the lawyers might exclude others.

Q: How do I qualify for jury service?

A: You must be 18 or older, a U.S. citizen, not too ill or disabled to serve, and able to understand English. Also, you must live in the jurisdiction where you are called to serve.

Q: Will a judge excuse me from jury service?

A: You will be excused if you are not qualified or if you:

• Have served within the last year in a trial
• Are suing or being sued in a case pending in that court
• Are too biased to decide the case impartially
• The judge may also excuse you if jury service would cause you extreme inconvenience or if there are other special circumstances.

Q: Are people with certain jobs automatically excused from jury service?

A: Only those on active duty in the Illinois National Guard or the Illinois Naval Militia are automatically excused. You should report active duty status to the court to make sure you are excused. There are no other automatic excuses based on your job.

Q: Can I serve on a jury if I’m 18 but still in high school?

A: Yes.

Q: How are people chosen from the jury panel for actual jury service?

A: Names are chosen at random from those called for jury duty. The judge and lawyers ask general questions and excuse people for various reasons. Lawyers can ask the judge to excuse someone for a special reason such as bias, prejudice or financial interest in the case. Each lawyer is also allowed to eliminate a certain number of people for any or no reason. The number of people who can be eliminated for no reason varies according to the type of case.

Q: Do people on a jury lose their salary?

A: It depends on the employer. Employers must give employees time off for jury service but need not pay them.

Q: Does the county pay jurors?

A: Yes, at a rate set by each county. You are paid a set amount for each day plus mileage.

To download the full Becoming a Legal Adult Booklet, please click here.