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Here are the answers to some
of the most frequently asked questions regarding jury duty,
and information useful to those called upon to serve.
HOW DID I GET SELECTED?
HOW LONG AND HOW OFTEN WILL I
BE CALLED UPON TO SERVE?
HOW DO I GET OUT OF JURY
DUTY?
CAN I POSTPONE SERVING ON A
JURY?
WHAT IF I NEED A DAY
OFF?
I HAVE A
MEDICAL CONDITION ... DO I STILL HAVE TO SERVE?
MY BOSS
CAN'T DO WITHOUT ME ... DO I STILL HAVE TO SERVE?
HOW WILL I
KNOW WHEN I HAVE JURY DUTY?
WHAT
SHOULD I EXPECT WHEN I APPEAR FOR JURY DUTY?
WHAT IF I'M
SUMMONED FOR GRAND JURY?
WILL I GET
PAID FOR SERVING ON A JURY?
HOW DID I GET SELECTED?
The jury selection process
is a random selection of names taken from the "Master Jury
Wheel," which is created from a master list, pursuant to
Idaho Code 2-206, created from two sources; the Boundary
County voter list and the State of Idaho Department of
Transportation drivers license records. The "Jury Wheel" is
selected from the master list in December of each
odd-numbered year. The master list has an average of 8,500
names; each Jury Wheel contains 3,500 names, meaning that
each person has almost 50/50 odds of being selected every
two years (if only Lottery odds were that good!). The wheel
list is divided into six jury panels, with each panel in
place for a four-month period; January 1 through April 30,
May 1 through August 31 and September 1 through December 31.
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HOW LONG AND HOW OFTEN WILL
I BE CALLED UPON TO SERVE?
A jury panel service term
in Boundary County is four months. Once you have served a
full jury panel, you will not have to serve again for two
years. Should your name come up before two years have
elapsed, you may request not to serve and your request will
be granted (please see question 5 and question 18 on the
jury qualification form). Once you are selected for a jury
panel, you will be assigned a juror number. On average, your
juror number will be drawn once per month. It is not
unusual that court dates get cancelled, and it is possible
that you may go through a four month jury service panel
without having to come to the courthouse; the average
attendance is two half days during the four month panel.
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HOW DO I GET OUT OF JURY
DUTY?
Idaho Code 2-211 provides
"No qualified prospective juror is exempt from jury
service." You are a qualified juror if you are 18 years of
age or older, a citizen of the United States, a resident of
Boundary County, and able to read, speak and understand the
English language. However, if you have a felony record and
are still on probation or parole you will be disqualified.
If you are age 70 or older you may request to be excused on
the jury qualification form.
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CAN I POSTPONE SERVING ON A
JURY?
There are a few special
circumstances which may allow you to request a postponement
from one jury panel to another, for example, being a nursing
mother or if you have a temporary medical condition.
Requests for postponement must be made in writing and
submitted with your jury qualification form. Be sure to
include in your request a day-time phone number where you
can be reached.
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WHAT IF I NEED A DAY OFF?
Arrangements can be made to
be excused from jury duty for short periods of time. If you
have a medical appointment, a special family event,
including a pre-planned vacation , wedding, or a pressing
employment situation that will cause you to be out of the
area. You must contact the jury commissioner in writing a
least 30 days in advance. You may do this by regular mail to
PO BOX 419 Bonners Ferry, Id. 83805 or by email to
bcjury@boundarycountyid.org.
You must include your name, juror number, day time phone
number, the reason, and the dates requested. You may also
include your email address for a confirmation response.
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I HAVE A MEDICAL
CONDITION... DO I STILL HAVE TO SERVE?
A doctor's certificate
for release from jury service is included in your jury
packet on the back of the summons form. This form should
not be used for medical conditions that are temporary, such
as colds, pregnancy or broken bones. These can be dealt with
a temporary excuse from jury duty or by postponement. If
you have a chronic condition which makes it impossible for
you to serve, have your physician fill out the certificate
and return it with your juror qualification form. The court
may require any person requesting to be excused for a
medical reason to provide documentation from their medical
care provider, and medical providers may be contacted for
verification.
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MY BOSS CAN'T DO WITHOUT ME
... DO I STILL HAVE TO SERVE?
Almost everyone called for
jury duty is employed, and it would not be appropriate to
have only unemployed or retired citizens as jurors; this
would hardly comprise a jury of one's peers. The court will
try to work with all prospective jurors to reduce potential
inconvenience or accommodate special circumstances. Keep in
mind that you will usually have two to three weeks advance
notice of jury trial dates. Keep in mind, too, that the
majority of trials only last a day or two.
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HOW WILL I KNOW WHEN I HAVE
JURY DUTY?
This information is included
in the packet mailed to you when your name is selected for
service on a jury panel. The Summons for Jury Duty also
contains other important information, including when to call
the jury duty information line. You should check this site
or call this number at least once each week for the four
months the panel is active and listen to the recorded
message that specifies the days each juror (by juror number)
should appear. The jury duty information line, (208)
267-0924, should only be called when the courthouse is closed; from 5 p.m. to 9 a.m. Monday through Friday or
on weekends and holidays. During office hours, 9 a.m. to 5
p.m., this number can be used to contact the jury
commissioner, or, if not available, to leave a message.
When you call the jury duty information line, you will hear
a message similar to this:
"Please listen to
this entire message for jury duty information for panel six
jurors who are serving from September first through December
31st. Jury duty for Thursday, October 14th. Jurors 600
through 650 should report at 9:15 a.m. Thursday, October
14th. Jury duty for Monday, November eighth. Jurors 653
through 784 should report at 9 a.m. Monday, November
eighth. Jury duty for Wednesday, November 10th. Jurors 785
through 876 should report at 9:15 a.m. Wednesday, November
10th. Please call once per week and don't forget to call
the night before these scheduled trial dates. If you have
any questions, call this number Monday through Friday
between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m."
You will usually have
a two to three week advance notice of trial dates for which
you must appear. Your juror number is listed on the bottom
of the information and summons page included in your jury
packet. Your juror number is the number you will
need to determine when you are scheduled to appear. The
panel number, also included on the information and summons
sheet, is the designator for the entire panel serving for
that four-month period.
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WHAT SHOULD I EXPECT WHEN I
APPEAR FOR JURY DUTY?
When you arrive at the
courthouse, proceed to the third floor, where you will find
a table in the main courtroom at the top of the stairs with
a sign-in sheet with juror numbers listed in numerical
order. Sign beside your juror number and be seated. On
your first trial date, there will be a brief orientation,
which will be followed by jury selection. On average, the
jury selection process takes from one to three hours. On
occasion, there may be circumstances that will preclude the
need for a jury that day; should this occur, prospective
jurors will be excused as quickly as possible. Recognizing
the inconvenience, the court makes every attempt to avoid
having jurors appear when not needed. Following the
selection process, prospective jurors not selected to sit on
the trial are excused and are free to leave or stay to
observe; all trials are open to the public.
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WHAT IF I'M SUMMONED FOR
GRAND JURY?
Grand juries have recently
come back into use in Boundary County, and it is possible
that at some point during your jury service period you may
be selected to serve on a grand jury. This could extend
your jury service for a short while, as grand juries are
selected for a six-month period. Grand juries usually
convene only once per month in the evening, and sessions
usually last only a few hours. If you are selected for a
grand jury, the entire process will be explained at that
time.
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WILL I GET PAID FOR SERVING
ON A JURY?
Those selected for jury duty
receive $5 for a half days' service and $10 for a full day,
plus $..445 per mile round trip from the juror's residence
to the courthouse. Jurors may elect to donate jury fees to
the Boundary County Community Justice Department, to help
fund their juvenile programs such as the Youth
Accountability Board, Community Service, and Restitution
Programs. Juvenile Services are based on Restorative Justice
and the Balanced Approach, equally balancing Accountability,
Community Safety, and Competency Development. You can donate
your jury fees by marking "yes" on question 7 on your juror
qualification form.
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