Jury Division

JURY MANAGEMENT CLERK
(772) 288-5568

The right to a trial by jury is one of the principles guaranteed by the Constitution. It is the duty of every citizen to serve when called to do so.

Jury venires are drawn at random, as of January 1, 1998, from the database of the State of Florida’s Division of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicle’s current drivers license holders residing in Martin County. If you fail to report for jury duty and have not obtained an excuse, you may be found in contempt of court. The presiding judge will make that decision. It is in your best interest to make every effort to appear or to request an excuse.
 

Selection of Jurors

To be qualified for jury duty, you must be a United States Citizen at least 18 years of age, a Martin County resident, and possess a Florida Driver's License or ID card issued by the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (DHSMV)
 

Jury Summons Form

If you are selected for Jury Duty, you will receive a Jury Summons Form. To view a sample Jury Summons Form, click HERE.
 

If you are summoned

The night before you are to report, please call the number provided on your summons to verify your service will be required. Carefully read all information and instructions on your summons. If, after reading the information you still have questions, contact the Jury Management Office at (772) 288-5568.
 

Exemptions

Florida law allows certain exemptions from jury service.
The following persons, upon written request, may be excused from jury service:

1. Expectant mothers

2. A parent, who is not employed full time, and has custody of a child under 6 years of age;

3. A person who was summoned and who reported as a prospective juror in this county within one year;

4. A person 70 years of age or older;

5. A person responsible for the care of another who because of mental or physical incapacity is incapable of caring for himself;

6. A full-time federal, state or local law enforcement officer;

Disqualifications

The following persons are disqualified to serve for jury service

1. A convicted felon who has not had their civil rights restored

2. Any person currently under prosecution for any crime

3. Any person that is not a United States citizen

4. Any person that is not a Martin County resident

5. Any person that is not at least 18 years of age
    

To request an Excusal/Postponement, you may mail the Excusal Form attached to your summons to the address shown on the summons or you may deliver it in person to the Jury Management Office at the Martin County Courthouse Courthouse. A request to be excused if you are 70 years of age or older may be obtained by calling the Jury Management Clerk at (772) 288-5568

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Reporting

Please report to the Martin County Courthouse, 1st Floor, Jury Assembly Room. You may wish to bring reading or writing materials as delays may occur during jury assignment and processing. Juror parking is located at the rear of the courthouse . Please dress appropriately in normal business attire. Shorts, skorts, culottes, tank tops, t-shirts, and flip flops are not allowed in the court room. You may want to bring a jacket or sweater since the courtrooms are air conditioned. Courthouse Security has provided the following list of items that will not be allowed in the court room if you are chosen to be on a jury panel.

General Information Regarding Jurors

The following list of item’s are NOT allowed in the courtrooms.

1. Lap Top computers

2. Personal radio’s / Tape players / CD players

3. Tape recorders / Video equipment / cameras

4. Umbrella’s

5. Knitting / Crochet supplies

6. Newspapers

7. Coffee / soda / food (of any type) / and all other types of beverages (Bottled water is allowed)
   
   

The only exception to the above is when you have been selected for a jury and will be serving, jurors are allowed to bring in food & donuts into the jury room only. The bailiff’s make coffee for you in the jury rooms. Jurors should always check with the Bailiff in charge of the Courtroom before bringing anything in.

News reporters, Court Stenographers are exempt (as far as electronic equipment being brought in.) Or those persons exempted by the Court.

There will always be exceptions to the rule, and those will be dealt with on an individual basis. Common Sense goes a long way.

The jury clerk will notify the Bailiff’s about persons with medical problems by using a highlighter around the box (on the seating chart) of the person involved. It will then be up to the Bailiff to very discretely pull the person to the side and find out exactly what the medical problem it, so he can notify other court personnel and the Judge, in case there is a problem in the courtroom, everyone knows where to start and knows what’s going on.

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Juror Compensation

Jurors who are regularly employed and receiving wages during jury duty are not entitled to compensation for the first three days of jury service. Jurors who are not regularly employed or who do not receive regular wages during jury duty are entitled to $15 per day for the first three days of jury service. Jurors who serve more than three days will be paid by the State for the fourth and subsequent days of service at a rate of $30 per day.

Term of Service

If you are scheduled to report on Monday, it is possible your term of service will be for Monday only, or, if you are selected as a juror, for the completion of one trial. A person who has reported as a prospective juror is exempt from jury service for one year from the last day of service.

Types of Trials

A petit jury will hear and decide civil and criminal cases. Civil cases are disputes between private citizens, corporations, government agencies, or other organizations. Usually, the party who brings the suit is seeking money damages for an alleged wrong that has been done. The party who brings the suit is called the Plaintiff and the one being sued is called the Defendant
Criminal cases are brought by the state against persons accused of committing a crime. In these cases, the State is the Plaintiff and the accused person is the Defendant. Criminal trials can involve traffic, misdemeanor, felony or capital (death penalty) cases.
 

Grand Jury

The grand jury consists of 15 to 21 members who serve a six-month term of duty with the court. (The term can be extended by the court for up to 90 days to allow for completion of unfinished business.) At least 12 members of the panel must vote in agreement to return an indictment. As prescribed by judicial administrative order, grand jurors are selected from the list of licensed drivers and those who hold valid Florida I.D.'s supplied by the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. They are paid on the same basis as trial jurors (see jury pay topic) for every day they meet in session during the term of court. A grand jury has broad powers to investigate a wide range of criminal offenses and to examine the performance of public officials and public institutions. Its deliberations are conducted in secret, in conjunction with the State Attorney or a designated assistant state attorney.

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Americans with Disabilities Act

In accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, persons needing a special accommodation to participate in jury service should contact the Clerk Administration Office at (772) 288-5576, within two days of receiving your Jury Summons. If you are hearing or voice impaired, call 1-800-955-8770.

If you are chosen to serve

Jurors should observe the following general rules of conduct:

• Be on time for court. The trial cannot proceed until all jurors are present.

• Sit in the same seat in the jury box. This allows the Judge, clerk and attorneys to identify you more easily.

• Listen carefully. It is important that you hear every question and every answer given since your verdict will be based on the evidence given. If you do not understand any portion of the trial, you should ask the Judge to explain.

• Do not talk about the case to anyone. This includes the clerk, lawyers, Judge, bailiff, and other jurors, unless you have retired to the jury room for deliberations. If anyone tries to talk to you about the case or attempts to influence you as a juror, you should report it to the Judge immediately.

Jury Information Contact

Before reporting for jury duty, you may call to check to be sure that you still have to come. Because cases frequently settle out of court before their trial dates, often the court does not need as many jurors as it has originally summoned. To find out if you must still report for jury duty call the number on your summons (772) 219-4914, after 5:00 PM the day before (or the weekend before) you must come to court. A recorded message will tell you if you need to report as indicated. If there is no message on that line, or if the telephone line is not in operation, please report for jury duty as indicated on the summons. If you have any questions, please contact the Jury Management Office at (772) 288-5568.

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