Jury Commission Main

Jury Commission
Welcome to the Jury Commission web page for the Franklin County Common Pleas Court. This web site has been created for use by prospective jurors, their employers, and the general public to find out about jury service in our court. If you are accessing this web site because you have received a jury summons, we sincerely hope that your stay with us will provide you with an enjoyable, interesting, educational, and meaningful experience regarding the law, the courts, and our system of justice. Your service as a juror in our court is crucial to our legal system. Simply put, we cannot function without you! There is no more valuable work that a citizen can perform during peacetime than that of the full and honest discharge of jury duty. We're sure that you have many questions regarding your jury duty. On your first day of service you will receive an in depth orientation which will address many of these issues. In the meantime, this web site has been created to address many pre-service concerns and also to give you an idea of what jury service is like in the Common Pleas Court. If you do not find the answers to your questions here or if you wish to speak with a Jury Manager personally, please contact:	Juror Eligibility Term of Service Compensation Requests for Excuse Requests for Postponement Frequently Asked Questions Information for Employers Courthouse Security Parking Directions to Courthouse Dress Code Jurors Code of Conduct A Look at the Trial Process Legal Terms & Definitions Grand Jury
Gretchen Roberts/Cathy Farley Jury Managers Common Pleas Court Jury Commission 369 South High Street, 1st Floor Columbus, Ohio 43215 614-462-3450 - Fax 614-462-2449 E-mail: Jury_Commission@fccourts.org	"The American system of trial by jury is unique. No other nation relies so heavily on ordinary citizens to make its most important decisions about law, business practice, and personal liberty - even death. Ideally, Americans take their participation seriously lest they someday stand before their peers seeking justice." -Stephen J. Adler, journalist and author

Parking
All jurors should make arrangements for all day parking. Parking at meters is not recommended. Free parking is not available. To avoid costly parking expenses, we advise you NOT to use the area surface lots near the courthouse. These are privately owned lots and some are VERY expensive (more than your $20.00 per diem will reimburse!) We recommend that you use the county parking garages on Front Street between Mound and Fulton and on Mound Street, east of High Street. The courthouse is easily accessible from both garages by use of suspended walkways. It is also less expensive to park in the county garages. The cost per day is $5.00. Please refer to the back of your jury summons for directions into the courthouse complex from the county parking garages.

Juror Eligibility
To be eligible to serve on jury duty, you must be at least 18 years of age, a citizen of the United States and a resident of the county in which you are called to serve. You must also be able to communicate in the English language. Please note: There are no longer any statutory exemptions from jury duty. Previously, physicians, dentists, attorneys, police officers, firefighters, elected officials, and people over the age of 70 were all automatically exempt from serving jury duty. THIS IS NO LONGER THE CASE. Senate Bill 69, which was enacted in 1998, removed these statutory exemptions.

Term of Service
Regular petit (trial) jury service in the Court of Common Pleas lasts for two (2) weeks. Jurors in this group (the jury pool) will hear a variety of cases over the two-week period. Jurors report every day whether or not they are actually seated on a case. There are currently 16 judges on the bench. Every judge has a docket of between 8 and 20 cases per day. Any case set for trial on a given day could result in the need for a jury panel to be sent to the courtroom. Therefore, we must have a jury pool available on site. Once we know that all dockets have been completed and that no new jury panels are needed, we will release the jury pool for the day. This usually falls between 2:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. We will make every effort to ensure that jurors are not held unnecessarily. However, as long as there is a case on the docket that could result in a trial, a jury pool must be available to serve that courtroom. In some instances, jurors are called in to serve on only one particular case. Your jury summons and orientation material will be very clear as to how long or with which group you have been called to serve.

Compensation
You will receive a per diem of $20.00 for each day that you are required to serve. Checks are issued approximately 30 days from the last day of service and sent to your home address.

Security
Security in public buildings, especially government offices, is an unfortunate necessity of our times. All persons, purses, and packages entering the courthouse are screened for weapons. All knives and guns are prohibited. Items such as chemical mace, pepper spray, scissors, carpet knives, knitting needles and nail files are also prohibited. Prohibited items that are not illegal to possess will be retained at the screening area and a receipt will be given for the item. The item will be returned to you when you leave the building.

Dress Code
Please wear comfortable clothing that enhances the dignity of the court and emphasizes the seriousness of your responsibility. Business casual attire is suggested. Shorts, mini-skirts, hats, tank tops, and shirts with suggestive language or logos are considered inappropriate attire for the courtroom. Temperatures between the Jury Assembly Room and individual courtrooms can fluctuate, so you may want to bring a sweater or jacket with you.