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Petit jurors are paid $5 dollars for each day of service. If a petit juror serves more than three days, the pay rate will increase to $40 per day beginning on the fourth day. Grand jurors are paid $5 dollars for each day of service. |
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If you receive a Juror Summons or Juror Questionnaire addressed to a person who is deceased, please contact the summoning Jury Management Office. This will allow the Judiciary to make the record ineligible for future selection. By law, the Judiciary annually receives records from the New Jersey Department of Taxation, Motor Vehicle Commission, and Division of Elections for the master jury list. Please make sure to notify those agencies to avoid a record mistakenly coming to the Judiciary in the future. |
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You may still collect unemployment benefits while serving as a juror. N.J.S.A. 43:21-4(c)(5) protects a person's unemployment benefits during juror service. That statute states the following:
If an employment interview is scheduled on a day on which you need to report for juror service, notify the Jury Management Office, in advance if possible, and your service will be rescheduled to a later date. Please be aware that verification may be required. |
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N.J.S.A. 2B:20-1 establishes six criteria for a person to qualify for jury service:
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The Judiciary is required by statute to create a single list for juror selection that combines names of registered voters, licensed drivers, filers of N.J. personal income tax returns. Citizens can assist in this process by using their legal name when filing relevant forms and checking to ensure that all information, including address and identifiers, is accurate. |
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If you received a summons, the first step is to complete the qualification questionnaire. Jurors can complete the qualification questionnaire using the online portal or using the mailed letter version. Jurors who do not have the ability to submit the online qualification questionnaire will automatically be mailed a printed version. The printed qualification questionnaire can be filled out in writing and mailed or emailed back to the county Jury Management office. All jurors must complete the qualification questionnaire even if you are making a request to be excused or rescheduled. After completing the questionnaire, check the Jury Reporting page the night before your summons date for instructions. |
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Jurors who completed the Juror Qualification Questionnaire online can print an attendance letter through the juror portal. If you are unable to your print letter from the portal, your Jury Management Office can provide you with an attendance letter. |
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If you no longer live in New Jersey or received a Juror Summons from a county you no longer reside in, you must complete the Juror Questionnaire. You will be asked about your residency on question one. Completing the Juror Questionnaire will allow the Jury Management Office to update your jury system record, which will prevent later enforcement efforts if there is no response to the summons (since N.J statutes require a response). The Judiciary is required, for jury selection purposes, to merge lists of registered voters, licensed drivers, New Jersey personal income tax filers. Non-residents can be summoned when changes are delayed during list processing or if record holders have not updated their records. |
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No, jurors participating in the on-demand orientation do not receive compensation for completing that online orientation. The on-demand orientation is designed to be a convenient alternative for jurors instead of in-person orientation. It allows you to prepare for jury service at your convenience, without the need to physically report to a courthouse. We appreciate your commitment to civic duty by participating in the on-demand orientation. You will be compensated for the portions of your jury service that follow the on-line orientation.
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Jurors reporting for service should wear clothing appropriate for an appearance in court. Shorts, t-shirts, uniforms or clothing containing statements or offensive symbols are not permitted. All hats must be removed when in a courtroom. Comfortable clothing is also advisable. |
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N.J.S.A. 2B:20-10 sets forth grounds for which a person can request to be excused from jury service. You may request to be excused from jury service you if fall into one of the categories below.
The Judiciary thanks you for your service. |
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Prospective jurors are randomly selected by computer. If selected, a juror is mailed a green postcard summons. In certain instances, jurors will also be mailed a follow-up notice that includes a printed Juror Questionnaire.
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During inclement weather situations, all jurors, should check the State Court Closing Information page prior to reporting to the courthouse. |
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Juror payrolls are processed each Friday, except holidays. Therefore, a juror may receive more than one check if that juror served in different weeks. |
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You may be summoned for one of three types of jury service. You may be summoned to serve as a Petit Juror, a Grand Juror, or a State Grand Juror.
Please also be aware that you may be summoned to serve as a federal petit juror or grand juror in U.S. District Court. Such service is independent of N.J. Superior Court jury service. |
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If you feel sick, do not report to the courthouse. Instead, contact your local jury management office to reschedule your service.
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Failure to respond to the summons will result in further court action.
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Each juror record has the same chance of being selected at any time. As a result, some jurors may find they are summoned more frequently than others. If you have been summoned in the same county within the past three years, you may request to be excused from jury service. Please see "How do I request to be excused from jury service?" for instructions on requesting an excusal. |
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To determine if you are required to report for jury duty, visit the Juror Reporting Page after 5:00 p.m. the evening before your summons date. Jurors may also receive email or text messages regarding their service. This service is not available to jurors who opted out of receiving messages. |
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In New Jersey there is no statutory requirement that a private employer pay your salary during juror service. Whether or not your employer pays you for jury duty depends on your employment situation, including employers' policies, union contracts, etc. The State of New Jersey will pay you the appropriate juror fee as set forth in the New Jersey statutes. The Jury Management Office is aware that many employers do not pay their employees during jury duty. If service as a juror will create a severe financial hardship, as set forth in N.J.S.A. 2B:20-10, you may request to be excused. But please be aware that nonpayment by your employer, by itself, is not a valid reason to be excused from service. Each situation will be reviewed individually. If you are employed full time by the State of New Jersey, you will receive your usual compensation while you serve as a juror. However, in accordance with N.J.S.A. 2B:20-16 you will not receive juror payment. This law applies to persons employed full time by any agency, independent authority, instrumentality of the State of any political subdivision of the State (such as counties or municipalities). Jurors affected by this policy should notify the Jury Management Office when they report for service. If a check is issued to you in error, you will be required to return it to the Jury Management Office. |
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Recent service as a federal juror does not automatically relieve you from your petit jury civic obligation but you may provide that information to your summoning Jury Management Office. |
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In order to ensure the safety of those entering NJ courthouses, all persons, including jurors, are screened when entering a NJ Superior Court courthouse. Chemical agents, pepper sprays, or anything resembling a weapon, including scissors, will not be permitted into the Courthouse - for the safety of the public. Also, be aware that all metal objects will activate the metal detector and will need to be placed in the trays before passing through the metal detector. If the metal detector is activated as you pass through, you will be screened by an officer using a handheld metal detector. Purses and other carried items, such as briefcases and backpacks will be x-rayed. Any illegal items will be confiscated. The fewer metal items you are carrying, the faster you will pass through the screening process. |
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Jurors must complete the qualification questionnaire using the online portal or mailed letter version prior to submitting a rescheduling request. Reschedule requests can be submitted using the online portal or by completing the “Other Information” section on the bottom of the mailed questionnaire. |
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If you misplace your Juror Summons or Juror Questionnaire, you should contact the Jury Management Office in your county for a replacement. |
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Jurors may update their address two ways:
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N.J.S.A. 2B:20.17 prohibits an employer from penalizing you because you serve as a juror. Penalties for a violation of this statute include the possibility of a criminal charge, as a disorderly person’s offense, and a possible civil action for monetary damages and for reinstatement of employment. |
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Recent service in another state does not excuse you from serving in New Jersey. |
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Jurors are an essential part of our justice system. The right to trial by jury in the United States dates from Colonial times and is rooted in English history. It is guaranteed by the Sixth and Seventh Amendments to the Constitution of the United States of America and Article One of New Jersey’s State Constitution. People have a right to have matters determined by a jury of their peers. Participating in our judicial system is not only an honor, but is also one of our civic duties. Although juror service may be inconvenient, citizens must participate in the jury process in order for it to work. Cases that go to trial need to be resolved by citizens who hear the evidence, determine the facts and render a verdict. It is impossible to get a fair cross-section of the community to participate in the jury system if people do not report for jury service. If you ever found yourself or a loved one involved in a civil or criminal trial, it's likely that you would want a jury of fellow citizens who will be fair and impartial.
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Jurors must complete the qualification questionnaire using the online portal or mailed letter version prior to submitting an excusal request. Excusal requests can be submitted using the online portal or by completing the excusal section on the bottom of the mailed questionnaire. |