|
To access and log into the eJuror system click on the link below:
Welcome to Jury Duty The United States District Court for the Northern District of West Virginia summons jurors from the counties of BARBOUR, BERKELEY, BRAXTON, BROOKE, CALHOUN, DODDRIDGE, GILMER, GRANT, HAMPSHIRE, HANCOCK, HARDY, HARRISON, JEFFERSON, LEWIS, MARION, MARSHALL, MINERAL, MONONGALIA, MORGAN, OHIO, PENDLETON, PLEASANTS, POCAHONTAS, PRESTON, RANDOLPH, RITCHIE, TAYLOR, TUCKER, TYLER, UPSHUR, WEBSTER, WETZEL.
Below are some frequently asked questions:
What if I receive a Juror Questionnaire? Can I get a postponement or permanent excuse? Why must I serve in Wheeling, Clarksburg, Martinsburg, or Elkins? What if I drive my car to jury duty? Do I need any identification when reporting for jury service? Can I bring my cellular telephone, tape recorder, camera, beeper or computer? How can I get proof of jury service? How can I speak to a jury clerk?
---------------------------------------------------------------------- Is jury duty mandatory? Yes. The United States Constitution guarantees the right to a trial by jury in both criminal and civil cases. Your participation as a juror helps make that possible. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Any person summoned for jury service who fails to appear as directed shall be ordered by the Court to appear and show cause for his or her failure to comply with the summons. Any person who fails to show good cause for non-compliance with the jury summons may be fined $1,000.00, imprisoned for not more than 3 days, ordered to perform community service, or any combination thereof. (Title 28, U.S.C. Section 1866(g)). ----------------------------------------------------------------------- What if I receive a Juror Qualification Questionnaire? Juror Qualification Questionnaires are sent to people randomly selected from the voter registration lists and the Department of Motor Vehicles. The questionnaires are used to determine who is qualified to serve jury duty. Please complete the form, sign it, and return it in the business reply envelope or complete the questionnaire on-line using the secure e-Juror system. There is a space on the back of the form if you wish to write a message. If you claim a medical hardship you must include a doctor's note. If you recently served jury duty in another court, you must include a copy of your jury certificate. If you are found to be qualified for jury service, you will receive a Summons to Jury Duty at a later date. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- How often must I serve? Under Federal law, a person cannot be required to serve jury duty more often than once every two years. If you have served 30 days or more in the United States District Court or a West Virginia State Court within the last two years, and wish to be excused, please mail a copy of your official jury certificate, together with the juror information form, in the return envelope. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- How long will I serve? Jurors for the Northern District of West Virginia are required to: (1) be on call for a period of three months after the first call, (2) be called for juror service no more than five times during the three months of service, except when necessary to complete service in a particular case, (3) to serve, after being sworn as a juror, on one petit jury. Or more simply put you will generally be required to serve for three months or one trial. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Why must I call the evening before I appear for jury duty? The Court's schedule sometimes changes at the last minute. Rather than have you sit in the jury room all day, we may change your date to report. It is therefore important to call the telephone number printed on your summons on the evening (or weekend) before the summons date. You will hear a recorded message, available after 5:00 P.M. the day before your scheduled date of service. The recording may direct you to report to the courthouse on the summons date, it may delay your date to report , or it may cancel your report date. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Can I get a postponement or permanent excuse? If you would like to postpone your jury service, use the return envelope to mail the juror information form and a brief note indicating the reason for not being able to serve at the present time and state when you will be available. If you are seeking to be permanently excused, mail the completed juror information form, a full note of explanation and any supporting documentation, such as a doctor's note, certificate of prior jury service or proof of a new address (yellow postal forwarding sticker, copy of a new drivers license or utility bill) in the return envelope. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Why must I serve in Wheeling, Clarksburg, Martinsburg or Elkins? The Northern District of West Virginia has four federal courthouses that have been designated as "points of holding court" located in Wheeling, Clarksburg, Martinsburg, and Elkins. Each of the four divisions has a designated geographic area from which to draw jurors consisting of as few as five counties for the Martinsburg Division and as many as eleven for the Clarksburg Division. Therefore, where you serve as a juror depends on your county of residence. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Will I be paid for my jury service? The U.S. District Court will pay you, by check, an attendance fee of $50 per day plus round trip mileage to and from your home. Federal employees, instead of the attendance fee, will receive their regular pay. Also, if you live more than 50 miles from the point of holding court, you may stay at a hotel. You will receive subsistence in your jury check. The attendance payment is taxable income and should be declared. The travel and subsistence payments are not taxable. Jurors who earn over $600 in attendance income in one calendar year will receive a 1099 Form. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ What if I drive my car to jury duty? The Court will pay your parking costs, over and above the mileage. The Court does not own a parking lot for jurors. Park in a private or municipal parking lot. You will be given a parking slip to fill out so that you can be reimbursed for your parking. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Do I need any identification when reporting for jury service? Yes, you will need your driver's license or some sort of picture ID to present to court security when entering the building and again to present to the courtroom deputy when attendance is being taken. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Is there a dress code? While no formal dress code exists, jurors are requested to dress in a manner respectful to the Court. You will have to pass through a metal detector each time you enter the courthouse. Please leave excess metal and jewelry at home to speed your entry. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Can I bring my cellular telephone, tape recorder, camera, beeper or computer? Cellular telephones, tape recorders and cameras are prohibited inside the courthouse and will be checked at the door, but it is better to leave them at home or in your vehicle. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- How can I get proof of my jury service? For those jurors requiring a confirmation of their service for their employers, court staff will prepare a written confirmation of your jury service upon request. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- How can I speak to a jury clerk? To reach the jury department please call 1-800-333-5879 ext 2144 or (304) 637-2144 between the hours of 8:30 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. You may also send an e-mail to the jury administrator Michele_Zirbs@wvnd.uscourts.gov . --------------------------------------------------------------------- Finally a word of thanks... By serving jury duty you are participating in the administration of justice. There is no more valuable service that a citizen can perform in support of our democratic Government than the good faith performance of jury duty. We hope you find your jury service to be an interesting and rewarding experience. |
| Top |
|
|