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Courts > Serving Jury Duty Serving Jury Duty

Jury service represents one of the most important civic responsibilities we have as citizens. When you fulfill your obligation for jury service, you are helping to protect our liberties and to preserve our system of justice.

Campaign on "Jury Service: It's Your Duty" Shows Importance of Going to Court When Called
Press Release

Indiana Jury Service: Duty, Privilege, Honor.
This video was produced in accordance with Jury Rule 11 to provide prospective jurors with an orientation prior to the selection process to aid in understanding their role in the legal system. This video gives an overview of the jury system in Indiana, including the importance of jury service, the jury selection process, the key people involved in a trial, what to expect during the trial, and a discussion of jury deliberations. Transcript (PDF)

History

The principle of a jury trial was first established in the year 1215 in England when King John signed the Magna Carta.

In Indiana, the right to a trial by jury is protected by the Bill of Rights of our state constitution.

  • Article 1 § 13 (a) "In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall have the right to a public trial, by an impartial jury..."
  • Article 1 § 20 (a) "In all civil cases, the right of trial by jury shall remain inviolate [undisturbed]."

Eligibility for Jury Duty

In order to be eligible for jury duty, you must be:

  • A citizen of the United States
  • At least 18 years of age
  • A resident of the county in which you are to serve as a juror
  • Able to communicate in English
  • Not suffering from a physical or mental disability that prevents you from performing your duties as a juror in a satisfactory manner
  • Not under guardianship because of mental incapacity
  • Not a person who has had your right to vote revoked and not yet reinstated as the result of a felony conviction
  • Not a law enforcement officer, if the trial is for a criminal case

(See Indiana Jury Rule 5)

Deferral of Jury Service

Indiana Jury Rule 7 permits the judge or judge's designee to authorize deferral of jury service upon a showing of hardship, extreme inconvenience, or necessity. Generally, courts do not require you to appear in court to request a deferral. There are a variety of ways in which to contact the court to request a deferral including by telephone, by electronic mail (where available), in writing, or in person. For more information or questions, please contact the court that sent you the notice and/or summons for jury service.

(See Indiana Jury Rule 7)

More Information

If you are called for jury duty and you would like more information, you should seek that information through the local trial court to which you were called for duty. Following is a list of webpages detailing jury information for those Indiana counties that post this information online:


Jury Service in Federal District Courts

This web page is designed to give you some basic information about jury service in Indiana state trial courts. The policies and procedures for jury service in the Federal District Courts may differ from the information on this page. For information regarding jury service in the Federal District Courts, please refer to the following web sites: