Thirteenth Judicial Circuit Court of Alabama

 If you are not selected for a jury on the day you reported, your service will be concluded.  For the vast majority of persons, jury service will begin and end on the same day.  For those persons who are selected to serve as a juror, your service will conclude when the trial is finished. 

While formal dress is not required, court proceedings are quite formal in nature. Since jurors are often referred to as officers of the court, you are requested to dress appropriately. Please bring a light jacket courtrooms do get cold.

No hats, shorts or flipflops are allowed.

After being empanelled on your first day of service you will be given a juror badge to wear. You are asked to wear this badge at all times while you serve. This will identify you as a juror to security, and possibly will prevent you from overhearing conversations pertaining to your case. These are paper badges and you may obtain a new one as needed.

All instructions given by the judges and their staffs must be strictly followed until the case has concluded. Each judge will advise when breaks and recesses will occur in that courtroom.

Many employers require proof that you were summoned to report as a juror. Part 1 of the jury summons form will serve as your verification. If you are empaneled and sent to the Courthouse, you will receive a certificate of service form the court at the end of your service indicating the dates that you served and the amount of fees you were paid. If you are a Federal employee and you must have daily certification, please advise the administrative staff on the first day. You are responsible for the daily notation of the time you arrive and leave and Court Administration must certify this daily.

State law sets jury fees. For each day you serve you will be paid the regular jury fee of $25 plus travel expense of $.625 cents per round-trip mile from your residence to the courthouse. An Alabama employer is legally responsible for paying a full time employee’s regular wages while in service as a juror. Section 12-16-8 Code of Alabama.

There are occasions when prospective jurors will have to wait, seemingly without a purpose. Even while waiting, jurors being ready and available are actively serving a purpose. For example, sometimes parties to a lawsuit will continue to negotiate and settle the matter after a jury panel has been assembled or after a trial jury has been selected. Sometimes cases are settled during the course of the trial because the parties and their attorneys feel that you as jurors might decide their dispute less to their advantage. On occasion the judge may need to talk to the attorneys or hear arguments on points of law out of the hearing of the jury. Often the reason for this delay may not be explained to you. Please remember that this time is spent discussing and simplifying legal issues. Cases may even be settled during or because of these conferences.

1. Selection of a Jury
   1. Voir Dire examination
   2. Challenges for cause
   3. Preemptory challenges (striking of the jury)
   4. Seating of the jury and administration of juror oath
2. Opening Statements:
   Brief outlines by the attorneys to inform the jury what the case is about and what they expect the evidence will be when presented.
3. Presentation of Evidence
4. Closing Arguments:
   Summation by the lawyers as to the evidence presented and the reasonable inferences that could be drawn from the evidence.
5. Judge’s Instruction as to the Law
6. Deliberations by Jury
   1. Selection of foreperson
   2. Weighing of evidence
7. The Verdict

The jury’s verdict in both civil and criminal cases must be unanimous.  It must be the independent verdict of each and every juror.