Questionnaire
- 1. How was I selected?
- 2. Will I be on call for an entire year? What if I have vacation plans?
- 3. How will I know when I have to report for service?
- 4. What if I have an excuse other than the four list under question number 14?
- 5. What if I am only available during a certain part of the year?
- 6. How will I know the status of my request for excuse?
- 7. Can I request an excuse over the phone or by e-mail?
- 8. What if the questionnaire recipient has died?
- 9. What if I have previously served on a jury?
- 10. What if the questionnaire recipient is not able to fill out the form?
- 11. What if I have moved?
- 12. What if I move after I have returned my questionnaire?
- 13. Which courthouse will I have to report to?
- 14. Why am I being asked to report to a county that I do not live in?
- 15. What if I accidentally used ink to fill out the questionnaire?
- 16. What if I have a prior conviction and I do not know if my civil rights have been restored?
1. How was I selected?
Each year, the United States District Court for the District of Minnesota creates Master Jury Wheels. To create the Master Jury Wheels, potential juror names are selected at random using an electronic data processing system. The names are randomly selected from a non-repeating list of registered voters, driver's license holders and state identification card holders obtained from the State of Minnesota and are proportionally selected from each county.
2. Will I be on call for an entire year? What if I have vacation plans?
You will not be on call for the entire year. You can live your life and make plans as you normally would. You will be part of our qualified jury wheel for the year. When necessary, we summon jurors, by means of random selection, If you are summoned, you will receive paperwork from us approximately five weeks before your service begins. At that time, you can let us know about any vacations/appointments you may have.
3. How will I know when I have to report for service?
We summon jurors by means of random selection. If you are summoned, you will receive paperwork in the mail from us approximately 5 weeks before your reporting period begins.
4. What if I have an excuse other than the four listed under question number 14?
At this point in the process, you can only be excused for the four reasons listed under question number 14. No other excuses are taken into account. If you feel you need to be excused for any other reason you can notify us if you are summoned. Please note that the paper form has 10 boxes under question number 14, but we only have 4 excuse options. Please do not mark boxes 5-10.
5. What if I am only available during a certain part of the year?
At this point in the process it is not possible to specify what time works best for you. If you are sent a summons you can notify us if you have circumstances that make it difficult for you to serve during certain parts of the year.
6. How will I know the status of my request for excuse?
Unfortunately, we are unable to individually contact each person regarding their status at this stage of the process. However, if you completed the questionnaire and met the exempted from service categories under question nine or met one of the four grounds for requesting excuse under question 14, then, generally, you may assume you are excused from jury service at this time.
**Please note that in order to be excused under question 14, you must provide all requested information in the "Remarks" section. If you have questions as to whether your specific situation would qualify as an excuse under question 14, you may contact a jury clerk.
7. Can I request an excuse over the phone or by e-mail?
The only way to request an excuse is by marking the appropriate circle under number 14 on the questionnaire and explaining your excuse in the remarks section. This can be done on the enclosed paper form, or online using eJuror. Requests for excuse will not be taken over the phone or by e-mail.
8. What if the questionnaire recipient has died?
Please write "deceased" on the front of the questionnaire and return the questionnaire in the enclosed envelope.
9. What if I have previously served on a jury?
If you have served on a jury, in either state or federal court, in the past two years and would like to be excused please mark circle number 2 under question 14. Write the name of the court and exact dates that you served in the Remarks section. This can be done on the enclosed paper form, or online using eJuror. If you do not know the exact dates, it is your responsibility to call the court you served with and ask them for the information. You will not be excused unless this information is provided.
10. What if the questionnaire recipient is not able to fill out the form?
Someone other than the recipient may fill out the form. This can be done on the enclosed paper form, or online using eJuror. Please follow the specific instructions noted in the top right hand corner on the back of the questionnaire or on the first page of the eJuror questionnaire. The person filling out the questionnaire must provide his/her name, address and the reason why the recipient is not able to complete the form.
11. What if I have moved?
If filling out the enclosed paper form, cross off your old address on the top left hand corner of the questionnaire and write in your new address. If you are using eJuror to complete your form, update your address on the appropriate screen. If you have moved out of the state of Minnesota, you will be disqualified because you are no longer a resident of the District of Minnesota.
12. What if I move after I have returned my questionnaire?
It is noted on the bottom of the questionnaire that you are to notify the court in writing. Address changes can also be made over the phone, or online through the "Update Personal Information" option in the eJuror program. Please be sure to notify the court promptly if you have a change of address.
13. Which courthouse will I have to report to?
Grand jurors are summonsed from all divisions and will report to the divisional office in either St. Paul or Minneapolis, petit jurors summonsed from the Fifth Division will report to the divisional office in Duluth, petit jurors summonsed from the Sixth Divisions will report to the divisional office in Fergus Falls, and petit jurors summonsed from the Third and Fourth Divisions will report to the divisional office in either St. Paul or Minneapolis. Please see the "Minnesota Division of Counties" tab for a division map.
14. Why am I being asked to report to a county that I do not live in?
The United States District Court for the District of Minnesota is a federal court. We are completely separate from state courts located in each county. We are required to have a fair representation of our entire district; therefore, we call jurors from the entire state of Minnesota.
15. What if I accidentally used ink to fill out the questionnaire?
We prefer to have the questionnaires filled out in a #2 pencil; however, we can accept and process forms filled out in ink.
16. What if I have a prior conviction and I do not know if my civil rights have been restored?
It is your responsibility to determine whether your civil rights have been restored. If your civil rights have been restored, please enclose documentation to prove your status. Unfortunately, without documentation showing that your civil rights have been restored, we will be unable to call you for jury service.