Jury Summons: Obligations and Procedures for Response
Responding to a Jury Summons
Upon receiving a jury summons, you have a legal obligation to respond within seven days. You can respond in one of three ways:
Online
Many jurisdictions allow you to respond to your jury summons online. Visit the website or follow the instructions provided on the summons to complete your response.
By Mail
If you do not have access to the internet, you can complete and return the form provided with the summons. Simply fill out the necessary information and mail it to the specified address.
In Person
In some cases, you may be required to report to a specific location in person to complete your response. The time and location will be indicated on the summons.
Trial Juries vs. Grand Juries
There are two main types of juries: trial juries and grand juries.
Trial Juries (Petit Juries)
Trial juries are responsible for determining the guilt or innocence of a defendant in both criminal and civil cases. They typically consist of 12 jurors who are randomly selected from a pool of eligible citizens.
Grand Juries
Grand juries are private bodies that review evidence and determine whether there is probable cause to believe that a crime has been committed. They do not determine guilt or innocence, but rather decide whether to issue an indictment, which formally charges a person with a crime. Grand juries are typically larger than trial juries and are often comprised of 23 members.
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