A list of licensed drivers residing in Montgomery County is obtained from the Tennessee Department of Safety.  Names are randomly selected from the master list.

No. You must be a Montgomery County resident to serve as a juror. The law automatically disqualifies residents that are non-citizens.

The United States Constitution guarantees all people, regardless of race, religion, sex, national origin or economic status the right to trial by an impartial jury of one's peers. In order to uphold this guarantee, we need those summoned to participate in the jury process to ensure every citizen's right to have their case decided by an impartial jury selected from a representative pool of prospective jurors.

Any person charged with a criminal offense or any party in a civil case has the right to a trial by jury. All parties are equal before the law and each is given the same fair and impartial treatment.

Your duty as a juror is to weigh all of the evidence and testimony presented to you and to decide the outcome of the case based upon the law and the evidence. Your decision must be fair, impartial and free of any bias or prejudice. Jury service is the basis of our judicial system and is essential to the administration of justice.

After your panel is selected and reports to a courtroom, a process known as voir dire begins. During voir dire, the judge and the attorneys will ask you questions to see if you can keep an open mind and be fair. After you have been questioned, you will either be selected or excused from that particular case. If you are selected, you and the other selected jurors will receive instructions from the judge.  If you are not selected, you may be sent to another courtroom or excused for the day.

The length of a jury trial depends on the actual case itself.  The average length of a jury trial is one to two days, although trials may be longer or shorter depending upon the facts of the case.

There are basically two types of jury trials, criminal and civil.  In a Criminal trial, the jury decides the guilt or innocence of the defendant beyond a reasonable doubt.  In a Civil trial, the jury may decide whether any monetary damages should be awarded. The United States Constitution and the Tennessee State Constitution guarantees the right to trial by jury. Failure to respond to a jury summons may subject you to penalties provided by law.  All Montgomery County residents are obligated by state law to serve as a juror unless they are:

Not a United States citizen
Not a resident of Montgomery County, Tennessee
Not 18 years of age or older

 

Jurors must be dressed appropriately while in the courts center.  Although the judge will determine whether a juror’s attire is appropriate, jurors should not wear shorts, short skirts, sagging pants, see-through or suggestive clothing, visible undergarments (including undershirts and tank tops), flip flops, house shoes, bandanas, hats/caps or clothing with inappropriate or offensive advertisements or slogans.

What am I allowed to bring to jury service?

Jury service can require a potential juror to wait a considerable length of time. For this reason, you may want to bring reading material.  You may bring a lunch or dine at one of the many restaurants in the downtown area. Jurors may not bring:  video and audio recorders, cameras, chemical sprays, metal belts, large scissors, knives or work tools. No. Only those summoned for jury service are allowed in the jury assembly room. You may have someone escort you to and from jury service, but that person is not allowed to enter the jury assembly room. The jury assembly room is for prospective jurors ONLY.

Jurors will be dismissed after a jury has been selected or the court reports that no jurors are needed for the day.

Failure to appear for jury service when summoned is a serious matter. You may be held in contempt of court and could be fined.  It is in your best interest to appear if you are summoned to avoid any further court action.

Yes. There are restrooms and telephones located in the jury assembly room.  Vending machines are located in the basement of the building.  Cellular phones may be used in the jury assembly room but must be turned off in the courtroom.  All electronic equipment must be turned off when jurors enter a courtroom, or a judge is present. 

 

Metered parking spots are available in the Cumberland Parking Garage and Lot located across the street from the Doug Weiland Courts Center.  Jurors will be responsible for any tickets received while parked in a metered parking spot.  Jurors with a Disabled Person License Plate/Placard may park in any metered spot for no charge pursuant to T.C.A. 55-21-10.  

Yes. An employer is required by law to pay employees who are on jury service.  You need to check with your company's human resources department before serving to familiarize yourself with their policy regarding jury service.  Your company may require a letter of attendance from the Jury Clerk.  These letters can be picked up at our office or they can be faxed or mailed at your request.  

Jurors will be paid $11.00 per day for every day they report for service.  Payment is mailed to your home ten to fourteen working days after the completion of your jury service. 

No. Tennessee law prohibits an employer from terminating or otherwise penalizing an employee because the employee serves as a juror.

 

A prospective juror may be excused if he/she:  has a physical or mental disability that would prevent him/her from serving, the prospective juror may be required to provide a doctor's note verifying their disability; is the sole care giver for another and alternate arrangements are not feasible; or is unable to read and or understand the English language.  Each request is individually reviewed.  Potential jurors are encouraged to express their request truthfully and to the best of their knowledge.  Failure to do so is against the law.  Jury service is a citizen's civic duty and responsibility. I know that I will not be selected to be on a jury because of my career, my relatives and or my friends.  May I be excused? You are still required to report for jury service.  A trial judge will decide if you should be excused.

 

The Jury Clerk realizes prospective jurors may have been summoned at an inconvenient time.  Our office is willing to defer service to a more convenient time in most instances.  Jurors may request a Onetime deferment after being summoned.  Subsequent deferments are not allowed unless it is an extreme emergency that was not anticipated when the original summons was sent.

 

Hopefully, we have been able to provide you with the information that you have needed.  However, if you feel your individual questions have not been addressed call the Montgomery County Jury Clerk for further assistance.