At Wilson Law Firm, we are devoted to educating our readers and clients on topics that affect them in their day-to-day lives. As a law firm that services both the states of Tennessee and Kentucky, we work to tailor that information to those who could benefit from it in our region. Every so often, a topic comes along that is ubiquitous across state lines.
We often receive questions about serving jury duty, so today we focus on some frequently asked questions about jury duty and what you need to know!
The answer to this is always yes; they are required by law to release their employee from their regular work schedule. In Kentucky, an employer is not required to compensate individuals for time spent away from regular employment. In Tennessee, employers with five or more employees on a regular basis must provide a juror’s usual compensation for the time the juror actually spends serving and traveling to and from jury duty unless the juror has been employed on a temporary basis for less than six months.
Jurors are paid for their time by the courts. In Kentucky, it is $12.50 per day. In Tennessee, the daily rate is a minimum of $10.00 but can be more in some counties and sometimes includes mileage.
It is assumed that a juror will dress appropriately to the seriousness and dignity of the courtroom. A good rule of thumb—if you wouldn’t wear it to church, don’t wear it to court.
With the exception of an emergency or extreme physical or financial hardship, those who are called to serve jury duty should not ask to be excused.
If you suffer from a chronic illness or severe ailment, present a doctor’s note or personal letter to the judge that explains your situation in person. Do not lean on an attorney, employer, or third party.
On your first day reporting for jury duty, the judge will walk you through a sequence of questions to determine each potential juror’s eligibility in specific cases. Depending on your answers, you may not be eligible for serving on some cases. If that is the situation, you will then be excused.
A person summoned to jury duty should plan to be available for 30 court days. However, once a jury begins hearing a case they must remain for the duration of that case. The judge determines the exact length of jury service.
Yes, there are petit, or trial, juries that hear criminal and civil cases. Grand juries decide whether or not to indict—or bring formal charges against an individual for a felony. These types of juries do not decide guilt or innocence, but rather if there is a case against the individual for specific charges.
These are just a few of the questions we hear more often than not, so we hope you’ve found the answers you were looking for.
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