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Jury Service

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Jury Service Overview

The statewide jury program is administered by the State Court Administrator’s Office, a Consolidated Jury Unit and the district courts in all 87 counties. Each county has a jury commissioner under Minnesota General Rule of Practice 803. As authorized and required by Rule 804, the jury commissioners have adopted the Minnesota State Jury Administration Plan, which describes the state’s jury program procedures.

The idea of a jury of our peers has been fundamental to the American justice system since its beginning. A group of 6 to 12 men and women from all sections of the community sit down together and hear a case of law. These individuals listen to the facts of the case, consult among themselves, and come to a verdict.
Potential jurors are randomly selected from driver’s license, state identification (ID), and voter registration records. Jurors receive a summons that tells them to appear at the courthouse for jury service. The length of jury service depends on the county in which a juror lives, but service cannot exceed four months.

If you are summoned for service, you will become a member of a jury and take an oath before hearing the case. 
 
A prospective juror must be:
  1. A United States citizen;
  2. A resident of the county;
  3. At least 18 years old;
  4. Able to communicate in the English language;
  5. Physically and mentally capable of serving;
  6. A person who has had their civil rights restored if they have been convicted of a felony; and
  7. A person who has not served as a state or federal juror in the past four years.
A person who has received a jury summons will be excused for any of the following reasons: 
  1. Not a citizen of the United States;
  2. Not a resident of the county;
  3. Not yet 18 years old;
  4. Unable to communicate in the English language;
  5. Has asked to be excused because of a physical or mental disability, and the court has determined that the disability cannot be accommodated so that the person can serve;
  6. Has been convicted of a felony and has not had their civil rights restored;
  7. Has served as a state or federal juror within the past four years; or
  8. Is a judge currently serving in the Judicial Branch of Minnesota Government.
A prospective juror who is 70 years of age or older can be excused without providing evidence of an inability to serve, but may choose to serve if able.
Juries are called to hear two types of cases: civil and criminal.

Civil cases involve disputes between people or organizations. They may involve property or personal rights, such as landlord/tenant disputes, auto or personal injury accidents, product warranties, contract disputes, and harassment and employment disputes. 

The party that sues is called the plaintiff, while the party being sued is known as the defendant or respondent. The case begins when the plaintiff files a written complaint. The other party then generally disputes the claim by filing an answer.

Criminal Cases are filed on behalf of citizens by the State of Minnesota against individuals or corporations accused of committing crimes. In most cases, a prosecutor files a complaint, which explains the charges against the defendant. If the charge is brought by a grand jury, it is known as an indictment.

The person charged with an offense may admit the charge is true by entering a plea of guilty or may deny the charge by pleading not guilty.

Each year, the Minnesota Judicial Branch obtains names from a list of licensed drivers, state identification card holders, and registered voters residing in your county and compiles that information into a source list. The names of deceased persons, provided by the Department of Health, are removed from the source list. From that list, individuals are randomly selected by computer.