Ramsey County Jury Service

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Beware of Jury Scams

Please be aware that if you miss jury service the court will never ask a law enforcement officer to do the following over the phone:

• collect a fine from you,
• collect personal information,
• or serve a warrant 

Scammers are spoofing law enforcement phone numbers, so if you are unsure, hang up and call the law enforcement agency directly.

If you receive a suspicious phone call of this nature, hang up, and promptly report the call your local Sheriff's Office.

Information about jury scams »

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Juror Selection

Each district court randomly selects names from the lists of registered voters and people with driver licenses or state issued identification cards who live in that district. The people randomly selected must complete a questionnaire to help determine if they are qualified to serve on a jury. Those qualified are randomly chosen to appear for jury duty. This selection process helps to make sure that jurors represent a cross section of the community, without regard to race, gender, national origin, age, or political affiliation. 

Jury Pool to Jury Box

Being summoned for jury service does not guarantee that a person will actually serve on a jury. When a jury is needed for a trial, the group of qualified jurors is taken to the courtroom where the trial will take place. The judge and the attorneys then ask the prospective jurors questions to determine their suitability to serve on the jury, a process called voir dire. The judge typically determines if a prospective juror is able to decide the case fairly and may exclude those who cannot. The attorneys also may exclude a certain number of jurors without giving a reason.

Types of Cases Heard by Juries

There are two categories of cases that use juries.
 
1. Criminal: An individual is accused of committing a crime. A jury of six to twelve people, plus alternates, hear testimony and are presented evidence. The jury must reach a unanimous decision before finding a defendant "guilty." The government must prove the defendant committed the crime "beyond a reasonable doubt."

2. Civil: Disputes between people or businesses over money, injury or damages, return of property, civil rights, or other non-criminal matter. A jury of at least six, but no more than twelve make up a civil jury. The standard of proof in a civil matter is a "preponderance of the evidence." 

Working Together: Judge and Jury

The judge determines the appropriate law that should be applied to the case and the jury finds the facts in the case based on what is presented to them during the proceedings.

At the end of a trial, the judge instructs the jury on the applicable law. While the jury must obey the judge's instructions as to the law, the jury alone is responsible for determining the facts of the case.