Q: I got a jury summons in the mail, what should I do?

A: First, don't panic! Second, please take the time to read it. A common mistake many people make is simply not reading through the summons. Much time and preparation went into the design of our summons. Some of your initial questions and concerns will be easily addressed through the information contained in the jury summons itself. If after reading through the summons you still have questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to call us at: (937)562-5970.

Q: When I report for jury duty, where do I park my car?

A: Jurors are asked to park their car in the parking lot on E. Main Street, between Whiteman Street and N. Collier Street. If you choose to park in another location, you may be subject to a parking ticket. Please refer to this diagram for further clarification.

Q: I got a jury summons for Greene County and I no longer live in Greene County. What should I do?

A: To be eligible to serve in Greene County, you must reside in Greene County. If you have moved from Greene County, please fill out the appropriate section of your jury summons. Once you have filled it out, mail the entire summons back to the Jury Commission. You will be excused and your summons will be forwarded to the Board of Elections Voter Registration to inform them that you have moved from the county.

Q: I got a jury summons for a deceased family member. What should I do?

A: We apologize for any undue hardship this has caused. Please mark the outside of the summons "DECEASED" and return it to our office. We will be sure to take the name out of the system. We will also contact the Board of Elections to make sure they have been notified that the family member is deceased.

Q: I received a jury summons for the previous resident of my home. What should I do?

A: You should treat the summons as you would any other piece of mail that does not belong to you. Simply write "NOT AT THIS ADDRESS - RETURN TO SENDER" on the outside of the summons and put it back in the mail. We will process it as an undelivered summons.

Q: Can I volunteer for jury service or send someone in my place if I am unable to serve?

A: Unfortunately it is not that easy. State law and local rules require that all prospective jurors be selected AT RANDOM from the source list that is used.

Q: How did my name get selected for jury duty?

A: Your name was obtained from the list of registered voters in Greene County, which was provided by the Board of Elections. The drawing of prospective jurors is performed according to statutory guidelines, which assure a random selection of a fair cross section of the community. Your voting record (how you voted or voting frequency) has nothing to do with your ability to be selected. It is only the source list that is used to obtain jurors names.

Q: I've been called several times for jury duty and yet I know a lot of people who have never been called. Why?

A: The drawing of prospective jurors each year is a completely RANDOM process. There really isn't a good explanation of why some people are called more than once when others haven't been called at all. You may be interested to know that a large number of the people who report for jury duty have NEVER served before.

Q: Do I have to respond to the jury summons?

A: To answer your question directly, yes. Your jury summons is an official court order. If anyone fails to report for jury duty without a lawful excuse from the court, they may be brought before the court for possible contempt of court proceedings. If found in contempt by the judge, the court may impose a fine and/or other punishment as provided by Ohio law.

Indirectly, let us say this. Without jurors, the jury system cannot work the way the authors of the Constitution of the United States wanted it to. We realize the sacrifice that we are asking you to make. We also understand that you may be apprehensive about being called to serve. However, the overwhelmingly majority of people who serve find the experience to be highly rewarding. When asked, most people say they wouldn't mind to do it again sometime in the future. Jury duty for most people will mean a substantial, though temporary, change to your everyday life, rearranging schedules and missing work. But if you were ever involved in a dispute or charged with a criminal offense, wouldn't you want someone just like you to make those same sacrifices in order to be a part of your jury?

Q: What if my employer requires me to turn in a statement that verifies my attendance to jury duty?

A: Work verifications/proof of service certificates will be provided to you at the completion of your service. We do not keep track of the actual hours you spend in court, only the number of days that you reported. Your employment is protected by law while you are serving as a juror. If you have any problems with your employer in connection with your jury service, please notify the Jury Commission immediately.

Q: Is it possible that I might report for jury duty but never get to sit on a jury?

A: Unfortunately yes. You may experience a situation where you are called to sit as a prospective juror and the case resolves just moments before the trial begins. If this should happen to you, please do not fell as if your time has been wasted. Your presence alone encourages resolution.

Q: Will my family be able to contact me at the courthouse in the event of an emergency?

A: Absolutely. Our number here is 562-5218 for Judge Wolaver's office and 562-5217 for Judge Buckwalter's office. You may leave this number with family, school, childcare providers, etc., in the event that an emergency should arise during your service. If you are in trial, we will get a message to you in the courtroom in the event of an emergency only. All messages that are NOT of an urgent nature will be given to you at the next break.

Q: I've heard that there's a lot of "hurry up and wait" involved with jury duty. What can I do to make the service a little more bearable?

A: Unfortunately you have to spend some time waiting before being seated on a jury panel. The Court does everything that it can to assure that your waiting is kept to a minimum. Bring whatever you need to help pass the time. You may have cell phones and pagers in the waiting area, but these devices must be turned off while you are in the courtroom.  Feel free to bring a book to read (but not during the trial!).

Q: What happens when I report for jury duty?

A: When you arrive on the second floor of the Courthouse you will check in with the jury commissioner at the sign-in desk where you will be given further instructions. After all jurors have been checked in, you will go through our juror orientation program. You will view a video and the bailiff will go over many other areas of concern.

Q: I meet the eligibility requirements for serving as a juror but am I really "qualified" to serve?

A: You do not need any special skills, training, or legal knowledge to be a juror. You do need to be able to listen carefully, follow instructions, keep an open mind, and be willing to make a decision free from personal feelings or biases. As a juror, you will be responsible for impartially evaluating all the facts that are presented to you during the trial and, as the judge instructs, apply the law as it is written to the facts of the case.

Q: What happens during jury selection at trial?

A: The court has the responsibility to exam jurors under oath or affirmation as to the individual juror’s qualifications to serve. Ohio Criminal Rule 24 lists reasons a juror can not serve in a case. The judge will ask all jurors questions and will permit the attorneys for both sides to ask questions of all jurors regarding their qualifications. Also during this questioning, jurors may ask questions of the judge or attorneys regarding their responsibilities as jurors.

The court and attorneys are seeking a jury who will hear the case impartially and with open minds. Understand that there is no such thing as a right or wrong answer to any questions asked. Your honest answer and personal belief to each question asked is important. At the conclusion of the questioning period the court and attorneys will select from the prospective jury pool the jurors who will hear and decide the case. No prospective juror shall fail to answer any legal and pertinent question put to the prospective juror by the court.

If any question is asked of you that you would prefer not to answer in front of the entire juror pool, you may ask the court to answer the question privately on the record and you will be given that opportunity. See O.R.C. 2313.11.

Q: If I am called for jury service and I find out what the case is about before coming to court, should I make an effort to find out everything I can about the case from the media or other sources?

A: No.  Jurors should be prepared to decide all cases solely on the evidence and law provided in the courtroom.  It would be unfair to all parties to the legal action if jurors rely on "outside" unproven facts to decide a case.  A juror is not disqualified simply because he or she know something about the case but must be willing to solely decide the disputed facts only on evidence provided during trial.

Q: Why hasn't anyone called to let me know that I have been excused from jury duty?

A: Due to the number of jurors that are summonsed each week, it would be extremely difficult to personally notify everyone that has been excused. Please refer to your summons which instructs you on where to call to determine if you have been excused or not.

Q: Why do I have to fill in all of this information? What if I don't remember some of the things until later?

A: Please fill out the questionnaire to the best of your ability. If you remember something after you have already filled out the questionnaire and returned it, when the jury selection process begins you are given the opportunity to update or add any additional information to what you provided in your questionnaire. This information is to assist the attorneys in the selection process. The examination of jurors is not conducted in order to pry into your affairs. Purely personal or embarrassing questions will not be asked of you. The attorneys are merely trying to seat a jury that can render a fair and impartial verdict.

Q: I received a summons a few years ago and sent a doctors note in to be excused. Don't you keep that on file?

A: The answer is no. We do not keep requests for excuse on file to be used indefinitely. Your excuse is for that specific jury date only. If you are summonsed again, and you still have a physical limitation that prevents you from serving, you will need to submit another doctors note.

Q: What if my son/daughter is away at college or in the military?

A: They will be excused from jury duty. Please attach a note to the summons explaining the situation and return it to the jury commission.

Q: How do I check if there is still a trial scheduled for the date I am summonsed?

A: The number to check on your report status is 562-5215 or 427-9609. There will be a recorded message giving you further instructions pertaining to your jury duty. You may call this number to check the night before you are scheduled to serve after 6:00 p.m.

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