Jury duty can be an intimidating prospect, especially if you have never served before. We want to make sure you know what to expect during jury duty so that you feel as prepared as possible when you are called to serve.

Our staff is committed to making your jury experience a positive one. This website is intended to answer many of your questions. However, if additional questions or concerns arise, please do not hesitate to contact the Jury Commissioner.

Message from the Judges

Jury service is extremely important and the court values you willingness to serve.  We understand that jury service may be cumbersome and appreciate your willingness to serve.  We thank you for your dedication to our community and to our criminal justice system.

Jury service is one of the highest expressions of citizenship and you should be proud of your service as a juror. Whether you are selected to serve on a trial or not, the Court and the litigants sincerely appreciate and value your time.

Parking

Free visitor parking is available in the parking lot adjacent to The Justice Center, 70 N. Union Street, Delaware, Ohio 43015.  An official parking pass will be enclosed with your summons along with alternate parking options.

Where to Report

Reporting Time: You will be required to report for Jury Service on the Second Floor of the Delaware Municipal Court, Justice Center, 70 North Union Street, Delaware, Ohio 43015, promptly at 8:00 a.m. on the designated dates unless otherwise instructed. If you are not selected for service on the designated dates, you will then be excused until your next date of service. Please keep in mind that our jury trials most often are completed in one day, but they could extend beyond that one day, or beyond 5:00 p.m., depending on the cases scheduled. Please arrange your schedule accordingly for each of your jury service dates.

Upon arrival at the Justice Center for a trial, you must first submit to security screening by metal detectors located in the lobby. Any object considered to be a weapon or that is deemed unacceptable by the Baliffs/Security will be confiscated and/or dealt with appropriately. You will then proceed to the second floor to check in with the jury commissioners.  Once you sign-in, you will be escorted to the Jury Assembly Room to receive an orientation designed to provide you with pertinent information about jury service and the trial process.

What to Expect

We ask that you remain in the Jury Assembly Room until you are accompanied into the courtroom or released.  Due to the nature of the court process, there may be periods of waiting before jurors are escorted into the courtroom. You may bring a book, cell phone, laptop computer or another quiet activity to pass the time. Please refrain from bringing iPods/mp3 players, cameras, recording devices or hand held video games. While you are seated in the Courtroom cellular phones and laptops/tablets must be turned off.  While coffee is provided in the Jury Assembly room, you may wish to bring your own drinks as long as they are in a container with a lid.  Drinks and snacks are available in the Jury Deliberation Room and jurors may bring a lunch or leave during the break.  There is a map in the Jury Deliberation Room of restaurants within walking distance of the Courthouse.

Court employees are available to answer any questions and to help make your jury service comfortable and convenient.  Please do not hesitate to ask a Bailiff or Jury Commissioner to address your needs.

Dress Code

Casual, comfortable attire is suggested, but use good judgment and dress appropriately. Appropriate attire maintains decorum and demonstrates respect for our laws and Courts. The Court requests that jurors not wear hats, sunglasses, shorts, sweatpants, or tank tops.  We suggest dressing in layers due to fluctuation in temperature in our facility.

Jurors with Special Needs

The Court provides parking for the disabled, a wheelchair ramp, an elevator, and assisted listening devices.  If you have any other special considerations, please contact the Jury Commissioners at (740) 203-1507 or (740) 203-1508.

Jury Questionnaires and Exemptions

Please complete the jury questionnaire and personal information sheet.  If you have special conflicts on particular days during the term, the Court may excuse you on those days only.  Under Ohio law, you may request an excusal for any of the following reasons accompanied with sufficient documentation:

• Juror is 75 years of age or older and requests to be excused.
• Recent death or dangerous illness of the juror, their spouse or a near relative.
• The juror is a member of a cloistered religious organization.
• The juror has a mental or physical condition that renders the juror incapable of performing jury duty.
• Jury Duty would cause undue or extreme physical or financial hardship to the juror or those under the care and/or supervision of the juror
• The juror is no longer a resident of Delaware County.
• Juror is on active duty in the armed services.

All requests must be submitted in writing accompanied with supporting documentation. Requests will be reviewed and you will be contacted after the 20th of each month.

Notice to Employer

Your employer may not terminate, threaten to terminate, demote, or otherwise penalize you for missing work while performing jury service.  Additionally, your employer may not require you to use available vacation or sick leave for time spent responding to a summons or serving on a jury. Such vacation or sick leave time, if available, may be utilized at your discretion regarding jury duty leave. Please see Ohio Revised Code § 2313.19 for specific information.

If you need an excuse for your employer, please advise the jury commission upon arrival.

Smoking

The Justice Center is a smoke-free facility.  However, you are permitted to smoke outside of the building during breaks or lunch.

Juror Compensation

Jurors who appear for jury service and are selected to be on the jury panel will receive $40.00 for each day.  Jurors who appear for service and are not selected to be on the jury panel will receive $25.00 for each day they appear.  The Ohio legislature has made no provision for the payment of mileage.  Jury fees will be mailed approximately 30 days after completion of the last date of your term of jury service.

SIGN-IN SHEET: Please make sure that you sign the attendance sheet each time you appear for jury service. This serves as a record of your service for employer verification and is used to calculate payment for jury service. If you need verification for your employer, please see the Jury Commissioner. If your address has changed (you must live in Delaware County to serve on a jury) or if your name, as it appears on the sign-in sheet, is incorrect or has changed, please inform the Jury Commissioner as soon as possible.

MARIANNE T. HEMMETER, JUDGE
KYLE E. ROHRER, JUDGE