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UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

Northern District of Texas

David C. Godbey, Chief Judge
Karen Mitchell, Clerk of Court

  • How do I find out the dates and times for reporting for jury duty?

    Our summons has instructions included with it. Please read those instructions carefully. It is imperative that you complete the Jury Information Card located at the bottom of the summons. In order to receive automated phone reminders or last minute changes to instructions, you must include your home phone number (or cell number if you do not have a home phone). Return the completed form immediately in the postage-paid envelope provided. Alternatively, you may complete the Juror Summons on-line at https://ejuror1.uscourts.gov/ejuror-txnd/TransportRoom?servlet=login.

    Please have your Participant Number available when you call (800-488-0903) or access the on-line juror reporting information section of the website at https://ejuror1.uscourts.gov/ejuror-txnd/TransportRoom?servlet=login. The 9-digit participant number is located to the right of the bar code. The bar code is above your name and address on the left side of the summons.

    Abilene: You are on call for approximately one month. You are to appear on the date and time that is printed on your summons. When you appear the Judge will give you specific instructions regarding your service for that month.
    Amarillo: You are on call for the length of the docket, which is usually one month.
    Dallas: You are on call for approximately two weeks and must call in daily until instructed that your jury service is over. Once you report for service, your obligation ends at the completion of one day or one trial. If you are not selected after reporting, your term is over.
    Fort Worth: You are on call for approximately two weeks and must call in each Friday and each Monday during the reporting period.
    Lubbock: You are on call for approximately one month. You are to appear on the date and time that is printed on your summons. When you appear the Judge will give you specific instructions regarding your service for that month.
    San Angelo: You are on call for approximately one month. You are to appear on the date and time that is printed on your summons. When you appear the Judge will give you specific instructions regarding your service for that month.
    Wichita Falls: You are on call for jury service in Federal Court as summoned.
     
  • Where do I report?

    You will report to the Jury Assembly Room or Courtroom as follows:

    Abilene: Courtroom, Room 2000, on the second floor of the Federal Building US Post Office and Courthouse.
    Amarillo: Jury Assembly Room, Room 131, on the first floor of the J. Marvin Jones Federal Building and United States Courthouse. There will be signs directing you to the Jury Assembly Room.
    Dallas: Jury Assembly Room, Room 144, on the 1st Floor of the Earle Cabell Federal Building.
    Fort Worth: Jury Assembly Room, Room 316, on the third floor of the Eldon B. Mahon US Courthouse. There will be signs directing you to the Jury Assembly Room.
    Lubbock: Jury Assembly Room, Room C-221, on the second floor of the George H. Mahon Federal Building. There will be signs directing you to the Jury Assembly Room on the second floor.
    San Angelo: Courtroom on the second floor of the O.C. Fisher Federal Building and US Courthouse.
    Wichita Falls: Clerks' Office, Room 203, on the second floor of the Graham B. Purcell Federal Building.
  • May I be late or leave the jury assembly room or courtroom?

    No, it is extremely important that you be prompt both in the morning and when returning from lunch. It is particularly important when serving on a trial because the entire proceeding can be delayed due to the tardiness of one juror. You are not allowed to leave the Jury Assembly Room or Courtroom without permission from the jury clerk or the presiding judge.

  • Will I serve on a civil or criminal trial and what happens if I am selected to serve on a trial?

    The court tries both civil and criminal cases, and it is possible that you may be selected for either or both types of trials. If you are selected to serve on a trial, you must follow the instructions of your trial judge or courtroom deputy.

  • What should I wear for jury duty?

    A courtroom is a serious setting, and the proceedings are of the utmost importance to the parties involved. You are playing an important role, too. Please wear appropriate business attire. (Shorts, tank tops and halters are not allowed.)

  • What do I bring with me when I report for jury duty?

    Be sure to bring your FEDERAL JURY SUMMONS and A PHOTO ID with you when you report for jury duty. Since there can be extended periods of time when you will not be required in the courtroom, you may want to bring a book, magazine, or needlework, etc. However, please do not bring a newspaper.

  • What is a Grand Jury?

    A Grand Jury does not determine guilt or innocence, but whether there is probable cause to believe that a crime has been committed. The evidence is normally presented only by an attorney for the government. The grand jury must determine from this evidence whether a person should have formal charges filed by the government. If the grand jury finds probable cause, then it will return a written statement of the charges, called an indictment. Grand jurors are on a panel of 23 jurors and generally serve one to two days per month for 18 months. Grand jury terms may be extended for 6 months if necessary.

  • What is a Petit Jury?

    A Petit Jury is a trial jury for both civil and criminal cases. The petit jury listens to the evidence offered during a trial and returns a verdict. A verdict in a civil case may be a finding for the plaintiff or the defendant. A verdict in a criminal case finds the defendant involved guilty or not guilty.

  • Can my family reach me in case of emergency?

    Your cell phone or pager will not be allowed in the courtroom. However, you will be able to check your messages during breaks or lunch. In case of an emergency, your family may contact one of the following numbers and a jury clerk will deliver a message to you.

    Abilene: District Clerk's Office at (325) 677-6311.
    Amarillo: The jury office at (806) 468-3831. In extreme emergencies, requiring immediate attention, please contact the District Clerk's Office at (806) 468-3800.
    Dallas: The jury office at (214) 753-2280.
    Fort Worth: The jury office at (817) 850-6620 or (817) 850-6601.
    Lubbock: The jury office at (806) 472-1900.
    San Angelo: The jury office at (325) 655-4506.
    Wichita Falls: The jury office at (940) 767-1902.
  • Will I be paid for jury duty?

    You will be paid a $50.00 attendance fee for each day you are required to report for jury duty. However, you will not be paid if you appear and are excused for a reason that was well known to you at the time you received your jury summons. (Submit your request to be excused, disqualified, or deferred as soon as possible after receiving your jury summons.) Salaried federal government employees will not be paid an attendance fee (this does not include U.S. Postal Service employees). After ten days of jury service, petit jurors will be paid $60.00, unless the presiding judge decides otherwise. Your travel expenses will be reimbursed at the current federal government travel mileage rate per mile round trip from your house to the courthouse. Jurors typically receive the attendance fee and travel reimbursement payment within 30 days of service.

    Dallas: In addition, if you drive you will be reimbursed a maximum of $22.00 a day for parking with a parking receipt.
    Fort Worth: In addition, if you drive you will be reimbursed a maximum of $10.00 a day for parking.

    In divisions that reimburse for parking you must complete a parking form and turn it in to the jury clerk in order to be reimbursed for your parking expense. You will receive your jury fee check within three to four weeks after your completion of service.

  • Do I have to report my jury fee to the Internal Revenue Service?

    An attendance fee must be reported as income, but you do not need to report travel and parking reimbursements for tax purposes.  You must keep a record of the amount you receive as no tax is withheld and no W-2 form is provided.  However, if your attendance fees exceed $600.00 in one calendar year, you will receive a Form 1099 from the court. 

  • Is smoking allowed in the federal building/courthouse?

    Dallas: Smoking is permitted only outside in designated areas.

    Lubbock: Smoking is permitted only outside in a designated area.

    All other divisions: Smoking is permitted only outside.

  • What are the restrictions regarding what can be brought into the courthouse?

    The entrance to the Federal Buildings and Courthouses are heavily guarded for your safety and protection. Electronic devices, weapons, pepper spray and sharp objects are prohibited. Please leave any of these types of items at home or in your vehicle.

    Dallas: You may bring your cell phone and pager with you; however, you will be given additional instructions regarding your cell phone and pager during your orientations.

    All other divisions: Cellular phones and pagers are prohibited.

  • What are the procedures for inclement weather?

    Please refer to the Inclement Weather Guidance.

  • What should I do if I receive a phone call threatening a fine or asking me for confidential information?

    You should report bogus phone calls threatening you with prosecution for failing to comply with jury service in federal court to the federal court’s jury service office. Do not provide any confidential information to these callers. The court staff will report the call to the local U.S. Attorney’s office.

    Abilene: District Clerk's Office at (325) 677-6311.
    Amarillo: The jury office at (806) 468-3831. In extreme emergencies, requiring immediate attention, please contact the District Clerk's Office at (806) 468-3800.
    Dallas: The jury office at (214) 753-2280.
    Fort Worth: The jury office at (817) 850-6620 or (817) 850-6601.
    Lubbock: The jury office at (806) 472-1900.
    San Angelo: The jury office at (325) 655-4506.
    Wichita Falls: The jury office at (940) 767-1902.
  • How are jurors contacted for jury service in federal court?

    Before potential jurors are summoned for service, their names are randomly drawn from voters lists (and sometimes drivers lists) to receive a questionnaire to determine whether they meet the legal qualifications for jury service. Individuals who receive questionnaires are required to complete and return them to the clerk's office, which then screens the completed questionnaires to determine eligibility for jury service.

  • I have received a qualification questionnaire regarding jury duty. What do I need to know?

    The questionnaire is used to determine your legal eligibility to serve as a juror for our court. The most important thing to know is that you must complete and submit the questionnaire within 10 days of your receipt. You may complete the questionnaire online or return the form to the clerk's office.

    Pursuant to federal law, to be eligible for jury service in our court, you must be a citizen of the United States, at least 18 years old, and have resided for a period of one year within the judicial district. You must be able to read, write, speak, and understand the English language well enough to complete the questionnaire. You may not serve as a juror if you have a pending charge for the commission of, or have been convicted in a state or federal court of record of, a crime punishable by imprisonment for more than one year and your civil rights have not been restored. Individuals exempt from service are full-time military, police, firefighters, and public officers in the executive, legislative, or judicial branches of the federal government, or any state, district, territory, or possession thereof, who are actively engaged in the performance of official duties.

    You may request to be excused if you:

    1. are over the age of 70 years;
    2. serve in an official capacity without compensation as a firefighter or member of a rescue squad or ambulance crew for a public agency in accordance with 28 USC 1863(b)(5)(B), or
    3. have served on a federal grand or petit jury panel within the past 2 years.

    Whether you are qualified or not, or exempt or not, or seek to be excused or not, you must submit the form. If you have further questions regarding the questionnaire, please contact the jury department for the division in which you reside.

  • Must I respond to my jury duty notice?

    Yes, it is legally required, and there are penalties for noncompliance. Jurors perform a vital role in the American system of justice. Jury service is an important civic function that supports one of the fundamental rights of citizens - the right to have their cases decided by a jury of their peers.

  • May I request to be excused or postpone my jury service?

    If you have received a qualification questionnare, you may request to be excused if you:

    1. are over the age of 70 years;
    2. serve in an official capacity without compensation as a firefighter or member of a rescue squad or ambulance crew for a public agency in accordance with 28 USC 1863(b)(5)(B), or
    3. have served on a federal grand or petit jury panel within the past 2 years.

    NOTE: Whether you are qualified or not, or exempt or not, or seek to be excused or not, you must submit the form. If you have further questions regarding the questionnaire, please contact the jury department for the division in which you reside.

     

    If you have received a summons, you may request to be excused or postpone your service for any of the reasons listed below:

    1. Having active care of a child or children under ten years of age, and not employed outside the home. Jury service would require leaving the child or children without adequate supervision.
    2. Over 70 years of age.
    3. Caring for an aged or infirmed person.
    4. Full-time student of a public or private secondary school or an accredited college or university.
    5. Licensed to and actively practicing medicine in the State of Texas.

    If you believe that jury service would be an undue burden or hardship for these or any other reasons, promptly submit your request to be excused or deferred along with your Juror Informaiton Card. Your request must include your name, reporting date and the reason you are requesting an excuse or deferment. Your request will be presented to the presiding judge for consideration. 

    You may submit your excuse or deferment request from the Online Reporting Instructions page. Alternatively, you may:

    Abilene:

    Fax your request to (325) 677-6334 or mail your request to: United States District Court, 341 Pine Street, Room 2008, Abilene, Texas 79601, ATTN: Jury Office.

    Amarillo:

    Mail your request to: United States District Court, 205 S.E. 5th Avenue, Amarillo, Texas 79101, ATTN: Jury Office.

    Dallas:

    Email your request to DallasJury@txnd.uscourts.gov, fax your request to the jury office at (214) 753-2264, or mail your request to: United States District Court, 1100 Commerce St., Room 1452, Dallas, Texas 75242, ATTN: Jury Office.

    Fort Worth:

    Fax your request to the jury office at (817) 850-6633 or mail your request to: United States District Court, 501 W. 10th Street, Room 310, Fort Worth, Texas 76102, ATTN: Jury Office.

    Lubbock:

    Mail your request to: United States District Court, 1205 Texas Avenue, Room 209, Lubbock, Texas 79401, ATTN: Jury Office.

    San Angelo:

    Mail your request to: United States District Court, 33 East Twohig Street, Room 202, San Angelo, Texas 76903-6451, ATTN: Jury Office.

    Wichita Falls:

    Fax your request to the jury office at (817) 850-6633 or mail your request to: United States District Court, 501 W. 10th Street, Room 310, Fort Worth, Texas 76102, ATTN: Jury Office.

     

  • What happens if I fail to report for jury duty?

    A person who fails to report for jury duty may be ordered to show cause for failure to comply with the summons. According to 28 U.S.C. § 1866(g), "Any person who fails to show good cause for noncompliance with a summons may be fined not more than $1,000, imprisoned not more than three days, ordered to perform community service, or any combination thereof."