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Jury Duty

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1. How is it determined if someone is eligible to be a juror in Riley County?

You must be 18 years of age, a citizen, and a resident of Riley County in order to be eligible to serve on jury duty.

2. When can I be excused from serving on jury duty?

Getting excused depends on each individual person's circumstances. A request is given to the Judge, who decides if a juror is to be excused or not.

3. How am I chosen for jury duty?

You are chosen through driver's license and voter's registration.

4. Is there an age limit for persons serving on jury duty?

There is no age limit. It depends on a person's circumstances and health.

5. How many times can a juror be summoned for jury duty?

A juror, who is determined eligible, is scheduled for a three-month period. A juror can be called in as many times as necessary during that three-month period. If the juror is chosen to serve on a jury panel, that juror is excused for one year following their jury service. If a juror is summoned and never chosen to serve on a jury panel and serves their three-month period, that juror is also eligible to be excused for one year.

6. How do I go about getting excused from jury duty?

If a juror has received a summons and is requesting to be excused from serving, that juror must contact the Jury Coordinator and advise of the reason why they are not able to report. That request is then given to the Judge, who determines whether or not that juror should be excused. Once the Jury Coordinator receives the request back from the Judge, the Jury Coordinator will contact that juror to advise if they have been excused or not.

7. Are students exempt from serving on jury duty?

Students are not exempt from serving on jury duty. If a student receives a summons, that student should check to see if they have a conflict, and if so, contact the Jury Coordinator and request to be excused.

8. Where do I report for jury duty at the Riley County District Court?

The Riley County District Court is located at 100 Courthouse Plaza, Manhattan, Kansas. The Courthouse is located between 4th and 5th Streets on Poyntz. There is parking available for jurors around the Courthouse. A free municipal parking lot is located north of the Courthouse on Humboldt Street. Also, there is parking behind the Manhattan Chamber of Commerce on Houston Street, or the parking lot behind the Courthouse. Please report to Pam Clark in Room 304, located on the Third Floor of the Courthouse, at the date and time indicated on your Jury Summons. Please make sure to call the telephone number on your Jury Summons the night before to verify if you have to report or not the following day.

9. What happens when I report for jury duty?

After you are checked in, you will have a seat in the Jury Room and wait to go into Court. When the jurors are all called to go into the Courtroom, you will begin Voir Dire, which is the jury questioning process. Once Voir Dire has been completed, you will know whether or not you have been chosen to serve on the jury panel. If you are chosen, you will serve for the remainder of the trial. If you are not chosen, you are excused until you receive another Jury Summons. After the panel has been chosen, you begin the trial at that time. When a juror receives a Jury Summons, that juror is reporting for a jury trial that is being held that day.

10. Must my employer pay me while serving on jury duty?

Your employer is not required to pay you while on jury duty; however, law prohibits employers from firing an employee who is serving on jury duty.

11. Who do I contact with questions about jury duty?

You can write the Jury Coordinator at:
100 Courthouse Plaza
Post Office Box 158
Manhattan, Kansas 66505-0158
or call: (785) 565-6662