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Jury FAQs

  • Do I need a REAL ID to enter the building or may I use a regular driver’s license or state issued ID?

    You may use a regular driver’s license or state issued ID to enter the building. There is no requirement to produce REAL ID-compliant identification to enter a federal facility (e.g., a courthouse) to participate in constitutionally protected activities (e.g., activities involving a defendant’s or spectator’s access to court proceedings or access by jurors or potential jurors).

  • Who do I call for general information?

    Included in your summons is an informational form including jury contact information.  You can also click here to be directed to the Jury Information page.

  • How will I know when to report for jury duty?

    When summonsed by the U.S. District Court for the District of Kansas, you are instructed to call the Automated Jury Information System (AJIS) every Monday after 6:00 p.m. for your reporting instructions You will need to have your nine digit participant number available when calling in. Your participant number is located to the right of the bar code above your name and address on your summons. IT IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY TO CALL THE AUTOMATED JURY INFORMATION LINE at 1-800-959-9519.

  • Where do I report?

    Please see your summons for specific reporting instructions. Generally, jurors will be required to travel to the city in which the division holds court (Wichita, Topeka, KC) but on rare occasion may be asked to report in a division where court is not generally held (Dodge City, Salina, Fort Scott).

  • What is the automated message?
    • For Jurors Who Received A Summons: We have an automated jury information system (AJIS) which is used to inform our jurors of their status during their month of “on call” service. Jurors must call this message as instructed on their summons. The phone number is 1-800-959-9519.
    • For Jurors Who Received A Qualification Questionnaire (Letter or Postcard): We have an automated jury information system (AJIS) which is used to answer frequently asked questions and route callers to the appropriate divisional office during the qualification stage. The phone number is 1-866-740-7535.
  • How long is my term of service?

    Your term of service depends on whether you are a petit juror or a grand juror, and where you have been summoned to serve.

    Term of service for petit jurors: Jurors are required to be on call for a period of one month unless otherwise indicated. Some service times are longer in length. During your on-call service, you may be called to serve on any of the dates listed on your initial reporting instructions.

    Term of service for grand jurors: If you are selected as a grand juror, the term of service is 18 months with no maximum number of times to report. In most instances, you will be required to report once a month until your term has expired.

  • After completion of my service, when can I be called again?

    If you have served as a federal juror within the last 2 years, you may be excused upon request.

  • If I am not selected, how do I know what to do next?

    The Automatic Jury Information System will have a weekly message indicating whether or not you are to report and when to call back for further instructions. The message will also indicate when your service has been completed.

  • What if there is an emergency over the weekend or overnight and I cannot report?

    Please leave a message on the jury clerk’s phone stating the reason you won’t be in and leave a number where you can be reached.

  • What if I just don’t want to serve as a juror?

    Federal law provides for penalties for failure to report for jury service. Federal law provides for penalties for failure to report for jury service. Penalties range from a $1,000 fine to three days imprisonment, community service, or a combination thereof

  • What is the difference between a petit juror and a grand juror?

    A petit juror’s responsibility is to determine issues of fact “beyond a reasonable doubt” in civil and criminal cases and to reach a verdict in conjunction with those findings. A grand juror’s responsibility is to determine “probable cause” based on the facts and accusations presented by the prosecutor. If a grand jury finds probable cause, an indictment will be handed down. An indictment is the most common way a criminal case starts. In summary, grand jurors decide if there is enough evidence to indict (file charges) and petit jurors decide guilt or innocence.

  • What types of cases are heard in federal court?

    We have both civil and criminal trials in Federal Court. Criminal trials consist of juries composed of 12 jurors plus alternates, and civil trials are composed of 6 to 8 jurors.

  • What are the boundaries for the state of Kansas?

    The United States District Court for the District of Kansas is comprised of six divisions located in three courts; namely the Kansas City U.S. District Court, the Topeka U.S. District Court, and the Wichita U.S. District Court.

    Kansas City U.S. District Court: KC-Leavenworth Division and Fort Scott Division

    The Kansas City-Leavenworth Division is comprised of the counties of Atchison, Doniphan, Douglas, Franklin, Johnson, Leavenworth, Miami, and Wyandotte. The Fort Scott Division is comprised of the counties of Allen, Anderson, Bourbon, Chautauqua, Cherokee, Coffey, Crawford, Elk, Greenwood, Labette, Linn, Montgomery, Neosho, Wilson, and Woodson.

    Topeka U.S. District Court: Topeka Division and Salina Division

    The Topeka Division is comprised of the counties of Brown, Chase, Clay, Dickinson, Geary, Jackson, Jefferson, Lyon, Marshall, Morris, Nemaha, Osage, Pottawatomie, Riley, Shawnee, Wabaunsee, and Washington. The Salina Division is comprised of the counties of Cheyenne, Cloud, Decatur, Ellis, Ellsworth, Gove, Graham, Jewell, Lincoln, Logan, Mitchell, Norton, Osborne, Ottawa, Phillips, Rawlins, Republic, Rooks, Russell, Saline, Sherman, Sheridan, Smith, Thomas, Trego, and Wallace.

    Wichita U.S. District Court: Wichita-Hutchinson Division and Dodge City Division

    The Wichita-Hutchinson Division is comprised of the counties of Butler, Cowley, Harper, Harvey, Kingman, Marion, McPherson, Reno, Rice, Sedgwick, and Sumner. The Dodge City Division is comprised of the counties of Barber, Barton, Clark, Comanche, Edwards, Finney, Ford, Grant, Gray, Greeley, Hamilton, Haskell, Hodgeman, Kearney, Kiowa, Lane, Meade, Morton, Ness, Pawnee, Pratt, Rush, Scott, Seward, Stafford, Stanton, Stevens, and Wichita.

  • How do I make a request to be excused?

    All requests to be excused must be in writing and come from the summoned juror. You may email, fax or mail your request. Email is preferred. The contact information is listed under the contact link on this website. All hardship requests must be submitted in a timely manner. As soon as you are aware of a schedule conflict, please notify the court immediately so that we can take your request under consideration. You will need to track your status by calling the Automated Jury Information System as instructed in your summons packet. You will need to have your 9-digit participant number available. The participant number is located on your summons, below the bar code.

  • Should I call the court to be excused?

    No. You should submit a request to be excused in writing. The only time you should call regarding an excuse is when you have a last minute emergency that cannot be handled by sending a written request.

  • What if I have vacation or important events scheduled during my term?

    All requests to be excused must be in writing and come from the summoned juror. You may email, fax or mail your request. Email is preferred. The contact information is listed under the contact information on this website. All hardship requests must be submitted in a timely manner. As soon as you are aware of a schedule conflict, please notify the court immediately of the specific dates you wish to have considered so that we can take your request under review.

  • Does my employer have to let me off for jury duty?

    Under federal law, employers must allow their employees time off for jury duty. An employee cannot be punished by their employer in any way for jury service. However, under the law, the employer is not required to pay salary or wages while the employee is serving jury duty. Many employers recognize the important civic responsibility of jury service. However, if your employer does not recognize the importance and creates difficulties for you based on the fact that you are fulfilling your jury duty, please let your local jury administrator know immediately.

  • On the first day of jury duty, what happens and how long will I be there?

    Juries will be selected on the first day you report for jury duty. You will go through an orientation and selection process called voir dire. During voir dire, the number of jurors who will actually serve on the trial will be selected and you will find out the length and type of trial you might serve on. If you are selected to serve, you will begin the trial that day. Court hours are regular business hours unless otherwise indicated by the trial judge. If you are not selected to serve, you will be excused for the remainder of the week and are to call back the following week as instructed in your summons packet.

  • Will I ever be required to serve late in the evening or be sequestered?

    Sometimes trials will run into the evening hours. If that happens, you will have ample time to make any necessary arrangements and advise your family. Sequestration is always a possibility. However, you would be informed of that possibility ahead of time.

  • How many days do the trials last?

    Jury trials can last anywhere from one day to several weeks in length. Trials run an average of 2-3 days in length. You will have an opportunity to tell the judge when you report of any hardship you have in fulfilling your jury service due to the length of the trial.

  • What fees are paid to jurors?

    Jurors are paid $50.00 per day for each day they are in attendance and an additional $10 per day after 10 consecutive days of service. Jurors who are Federal Employees may not receive the attendance fee. Jurors are also paid a mileage fee (current rate is set by Government Services Administration) and reimbursed for parking expenses.

  • When will I receive payment for my jury service?

    Jury checks are mailed within 30-60 days of service.

  • Are juror attendance fees considered reportable income?

    The IRS considers juror attendance fees to be “Other Income” and must be reported on Line 21 of the 1040. At the end of the year, a 1099 MISC will be mailed to all jurors who earn $600 or more in attendance fees in the calendar year.

  • Does my employer have to pay me or at least make up the difference when I serve?

    At this time, there is no law requiring them to do so. The majority of employers at least make up the difference.

  • What if I live a long distance away and cannot travel to court the same day?

    Jurors who are unable to drive to court due to the distance they reside (at least 60 miles one-way or more), may contact their local Jury Administrator to discuss the matter. With prior approval, the court will allow jurors in special circumstances to stay the night on evenings before they are due to report. Jurors will be paid a subsistence fee for the night. If juror elects lodging in excess of the per diem, the juror will be responsible for the overage. In some instances, if you live less than 60 miles, this requirement may be waived if good cause is shown to travel in the night before reporting. If you stay in a hotel/motel, a hotel receipt must be turned in to the local jury administrator in order for you to be paid the per diem rate. If you stay with friends or relatives, you must advise the jury staff of this.

  • If I am asked to report and must travel long distance, where do I spend the night and how do I pay?

    You should make your own reservations and pay your own bill. You must also complete the Tax Exemption Form and submit it to the hotel upon check-in. This form will allow the hotel to waive your hotel taxes. When you make your reservations, please advise the hotel that you are a federal juror and you should receive the government rate. Hotels that offer a government rate, but do not offer this rate to jurors, should be referred to 28 U.S.C. § 1877(b)(1), which deems jurors to be GS-2 employees during their jury service. You will be reimbursed the subsistence rate on your jury check. If you need assistance finding a hotel in the area, please contact the local jury administrator.

  • Do you have a stub on the check breaking down the amount paid?

    No.  However, if you require a breakdown,  you may contact the jury clerk.  Attendance fees are considered as compensation for services rendered by jurors.  Travel and subsistence (per diem) allowances are considered reimbursement for out-of-pocket expenses incurred by the juror.  If a juror drives, takes public transportation, or spends the night in a hotel, then the juror has incurred an out-of-pocket expense and is reimbursed by the Court for that expense.  Please note that prior approval must be granted for over-night stays.