Juror Orientation

For prospective jurors

If you are a prospective juror seeking information about jury service, thank you for taking your responsibility seriously. Jury service is a cornerstone of our democracy. The willingness of men and women such as yourself to serve as jurors, despite any inconvenience such service may entail, helps ensure justice and safeguard our liberties. See the following links to read more about the importance of the jury system or the role of jurors and the benefits of service.

You may have questions about your summons or what to expect during your service. Many courts provide jury service information on their Web sites. If your summons did not include a Web address, you may want to consult our listings of jury sites for state courts (including county and city court) and for federal courts.   A number of juror orientation videos are also available online. (Please note that if the video you view is not for the court where you will be serving, it may contain information that will not apply to your service.) Reading basic trial information and definitions of legal terms frequently used in the courtroom may also help you prepare.

See also, tips for coping with jury service stress.
 

For Court personnel

If you are a representative of a court constructing or improving a juror orientation site, thank you for your attention to this important aspect of a court Web site. This site offers recommendations on constructing a juror site.   It may also be useful to consult other courts’ jury sites. See the extensive listings of state court sites and federal court sites, or a selective list of model sites that are particularly user-friendly and thorough in their coverage. Additional resources include a compilation of frequently asked questions posted on court sites, juror orientation videos,  basic trial information, and definitions of legal terms.