Prospective Juror Four Month Period
Prospective jurors are selected for a four month period. During those four months, if a jury trial is scheduled, some of the prospective jurors will receive a second letter giving them a specific date to show up to court for trial. Trials rarely last more than two days. Normally, a juror will only be called upon once during the four month period, but it is possible to be called upon more than once.
Prospective Juror Questionnaires
If you are selected as a prospective juror, you must complete the questionnaire sent you within five (5) days of receipt.
Please mail the questionnaire to:
Stephanie Sullivan
1 East Main Street
Logan, OH 43138
The competed questionnaires will not be made available to the public. The questionnaires will be used by the attorneys the morning of the trial to help determine if the potential jurors can be fair and impartial when deciding the case. If these questions were not already answered, the attorneys would have to ask the potential jurors these questions the morning of the trial. Having the questions already answered saves everyone time. At the end of the four month period the questionnaires are shredded.
Files are in PDF format and will open in a new tab or window.
Excuses
The only valid excuses for jury duty provided by Ohio law are:
1. Extended absences from Hocking County; and
2. Illness requiring the care of a physician (A certificate from you doctor is required.)
The certificate for you physician to fill out can be found HERE.
Please do not request to be excused from jury duty for reasons other than indicated above.
Please do not have your employer write the court to ask that you be excused from service.
The requests are routinely denied by all judges.
What to Expect Before
Please show up to court on time, dressed appropriately. Free parking is available on the side streets around the court.
No shorts, tank tops, or hats are permitted in the courtroom.
Prospective jurors will be paid $10 for showing up even if they are not selected to serve on the jury.
After the group of prospective jurors enters the courtroom, they will take an oath to swear or affirm that they will answer questions posed to them by the judge and attorneys truthfully.
For criminal cases, twelve (12) jurors will be called into the jury box. Eight (8) jurors will be called for civil cases.
The judge will introduce the prospective jurors to the parties and attorneys involved in the case. They will also be given a list of witnesses that will probably be called during the trial. Prospective jurors that are related to or know one or more of these persons should inform the judge.
The judge and attorneys will then ask the prospective jurors questions to find out if it may be difficult for the prospective juror to be fair and impartial during the trial.
Each side will then be given a chance to excuse a juror for cause if there is a good reason to excuse the juror.
Then, each side will be able to make a limited number of preemptory challenges without giving a reason as to why they want the juror excused.
When a juror is excused, another prospective juror will take the place of that juror in the jury box and answer questions posed by the attorneys and judge.
After the jury is selected, all remaining prospective jurors who have not been selected will be excused and paid $10 for showing up for jury duty.
What to Expect During
After the jury has been selected, the jurors will take another oath to swear or affirm that they will decide the case impartially and fairly.
The sides will then make their opening statements in which they will explain what the trial is about and what evidence they plan to present.
Then the sides will call their witnesses to the stand. The witnesses will be sworn in and both sides will be given a chance to question each witness.
After all of the testimony is heard by the witnesses, each side will represent a closing argument that tries to persuade the jury that the evidence proves their side should win.
What to Expect After
After the attorneys have presented their evidence and made their closing statement, the judge will give the jury instructions on the law that applies to the case.
Most laws have multiple elements that must be considered and the judge will explain each element to the jury.
After receiving the judge’s instructions, the jury will proceed to the jury room to begin their deliberations.
First, the jury must elect a foreperson to oversee the discussions, make sure that all issues are discussed and that every juror gets a chance to participate.
In a criminal trial, all twelve (12) jurors must agree on the verdict (guilty or not guilty.) In a civil trial, six (6) out of the eight (8) jurors must agree on the verdict.
The jurors will sign a verdict form when they reach a verdict and notify the bailiff.
The judge will then read the verdict in court and dismiss the jurors.
Jury FAQS
1. How may I complete the juror information form?
Complete the form sent to you with your summons and mail it to:
Stephanie Sullivan
1 East Main Street
Logan, OH 43138
The form may also be printed here, filled out, and mailed in.
2. How can I get excused from jury duty?
Please do not ask to be excused from jury duty for any reason other than a death in the family, a scheduled out-of-state vacation, or a medical condition proven by a doctor’s certificate. In any case, written proof will be required, listing the specific condition or problem. If you have children, you must secure adequate child care and back-up child care during your period of service.
3. I have moved from Hocking County, what should I do?
Circle “Moved from Hocking County” under the reason for disqualification on your jury questionnaire and return it.
4. What should I wear to jury duty?
Please dress appropriately. No shorts, tank tops, or hats are permitted in the courtroom.
5. Where should I park?
Free parking is available on the side streets around the courthouse.
6. How long will I be required to serve?
Prospective jurors are selected for a four month period. Normally, a juror is only called upon to serve once during the four month period.
If there is a jury trial during the four month period, some prospective jurors will be sent a second notice giving them a specific day they must appear in court for the trial. A trial will usually only last one or two days, but may last longer.
7. Who may be called to serve as a juror?
You may be called to serve if you are at least 18 years old, a United State citizen and a resident of Hocking County.
8. How did my name get selected for jury duty?
Jurors’ names are selected at random by a computer from a list of registered voters provided by the Board of Elections.
9. Will I get paid for jury duty?
Jurors who serve on the jury will be paid $40 per day. Prospective jurors who do not serve on the jury will be paid $10 for showing up.
10. What are the different types of juries?
Petit Jury:
If you are selected to serve on a Petit Jury, you will hear a criminal or civil case. A criminal trial will involve a felony. The law requires twelve jurors to be seated in a criminal case and eight jurors to be seated in a civil case.
In a criminal trial, the jury must find a defendant guilty or not guilty by a unanimous vote of all twelve jurors.
In civil cases the law requires a vote of at least six of the jurors to reach a verdict.
Most jury trials will seat an alternate-juror, in the event of sickness or unforeseen circumstances arise in which one of the regular jurors are unable to attend some portion of the trial. The alternate hears the trial, in its entirety, but does not participate in jury deliberations.
Grand Jury:
A Grand Jury hears evidence about crimes and decides whether or not a person should be indicted and tried for committing a crime. The grand jury does not decide guilt or innocence.
11. How many jurors must agree on a verdict?
The type of case determines how many jurors must agree on a verdict.
In civil cases, six out of the eight jurors must agree on the verdict.
In a criminal case, all twelve jurors must agree on the verdict.
12. What happens if I don’t appear in court?
Prospective jurors who do not appear in court can be fined and there may be a serious personal penalty.