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Jury Resources

Juror Orientation

jurors in a courtroomOn the first day of your jury term, you will attend orientation in the morning. After jury orientation you will either be selected for a jury panel or excused. Please view the Jury Reporting Information for when and where to report for jury orientation.

We thank those who have spent the time -- and completed the hard work -- of serving on a jury.

FAQs

​Anyone with a disability who needs accommodation to participate in jury service should advise the jury coordinator of the disability and the type of accommodation needed at least four days prior to the term.  Assistive Listening System (ALS) devices are available.

​The length of your jury duty term is two months.  Within your two month term, pursuant to ORS 10.105, you will not have to serve more than 10 days unless you are a juror on a trial that will last longer than your 10 days of service or past your two month term.  You must continue service for the duration of that trial.  In all other instances, your service will end at the close of the last business day for which you were summoned.

​A pocketknife or any other sharp instrument.  It is a Class C felony for any person to intentionally possess a weapon in a court facility (ORS 166.370). The Jefferson County Sheriff enforces this prohibition against weapons.

​You don't need to bring anything with you but please know your juror number. You are welcome to bring a book or magazine.

​Let the Jury Coordinator know if your employer requires verification of your jury service. Each day you report, we will have a verification form available for you.

​Requests for days off during your term of jury service may be arranged IN ADVANCE by making the request on the Juror Response Form that you received with your summons. When you are instructed to report, we are relying on you being available for the full length of a trial or grand jury. In the event you become ill and can't appear, it is mandatory that you call the jury coordinator during weekday business hours.

​Juror per diem is established by the legislature at $10.00 per day for the first two days and $25.00 per day for each day thereafter.  Round trip mileage reimbursement is $0.20/mile for the vehicle mileage traveled between your home and the courthouse. 

​Oregon law (ORS 10.090) provides that it is an unlawful employment practice for an employer to discharge, intimidate, or coerce an employee due to their service as a juror.  An employee who believes their employer has violated the law may file a civil suit or file a complaint with the Commissioner of the Bureau of Labor and Industries.

​Requests to be excused must be made a week in advance.  You may request days off with the Jury Coordinator by calling, emailing or bringing or mailing a written request to the Circuit Court office.  Only the trial Judge may excuse you once your number has been posted on the website or jury phone line or on the morning of trial.  Except under extraordinary circumstances and with permission of the trial Judge, you cannot be excused once you have been sworn as a juror on a trial.  In an emergency, call the Jury Coordinator as soon as possible and explain the circumstances.

​If you are unable to serve for a substantial portion of the term you are summoned to appear, you may request to be deferred.  You can make this request for deferral on your summons and indicate your preferred month to start your jury service.  You can apply once to defer your service for up to one year.  If you want to request a second deferral, the judge or clerk will only be able to grant it if you show good cause. To request a second deferral you must provide a list of not fewer than ten dates within the following six-month period on which you would be able to commence your jury duty. You will receive a postcard notifying you of the Court's decision. 

​Respond to the Court as instructed on your summons.  Attend Grand Jury Orientation which is generally held on the first Friday of your term.  The length of Grand Jury duty will be two months and jurors will generally be asked to attend once a week.  Once the Grand Jury is selected, the District Attorney facilitates and will be able to answer any questions about schedules and procedures.  If selected for Grand Jury, any requests to be excused for a day must be made through the District Attorney’s office.  In an emergency, call the District Attorney’s office at 541-475-4452​.

​If you are age 70 or older or are a woman breast-feeding a child and you ask to be excused, the Court must excuse you from service. Please make the request on the Juror Response Form that you received with your summons, and you will be excused from jury service. The Circuit Court may also excuse you if:

  • (a) jury service causes you, your family, or your employer undue hardship or extreme inconvenience; or
  • (b) you are the sole caregiver for a child or other dependent, personally attend to the dependent during the Court's normal hours, and are unable to afford daycare or make other arrangements for the care of the dependent.


The Court will weigh the basis for your excuse against its need for jurors. You must show good cause to the Court why you should be excused under these standards.  The Court may deny a request for excuse under (a) or (b) above and require you to serve or defer your jury duty to a later date.

If you need to ask to be excused because your employer will not pay you for lost time and this causes you a financial hardship, please have your employer contact the jury coordinator by email or mail explaining company policy. In addition, you must provide a written explanation to be excused.  Email or mail the Juror Response Form that you received with your summons.

If you no longer live in Jefferson County, are not a citizen of the United States, or are under the age of 18, you do not qualify to serve as a juror. Contact the jury coordinator by email or hard copy in writing, and you will be excused from jury service.

​No, please do not mail a hard copy if you have already e-mailed information to the court.

​Phone: 541-475-3317, Ext. 70711

Email: JEF.Jury@ojd.state.or.us

Juror Recording: 541-475-3317​, Option 1



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