Jury Service

  
  JUROR INSTRUCTIONS & INFORMATION 

   Welcome to the Civil District Court for the Parish of Orleans, State of Louisiana.  We hope you
   will find your term of service an interesting and satisfying experience.  The following information
   is provided to better prepare you for effective jury service. 

   JURY TERM You will be required to be available for jury selection on all dates given to you by
   the Jury Pool Administrator.  However, if you are selected as a juror, your duty may extend past
   the dates given. 

   Please call 592-9261 ANYTIME AFTER 5:30 PM to confirm your first reporting date (the Answer
   Phone is in operation from 5:30 PM until 8:30 AM). 

   REPORTING FOR DUTY AND SERVICE 

   Because trials are sometimes postponed or cases settled shortly before trial date, our Court uses
   the phone-in system to inform Jurors when their service is required.  If the Answer Phone system is
   to work effectively, you must understand and observe the following: 

   1.  Each Juror must call 592-9261 after 5:30 PM the evening before the trial date to confirm whether
   or not to report for duty the next morning.  

   2.      Place your call anytime between 5:30 PM and 8:30 AM.  The recording will tell you whether
   you will be needed and the time you should report.  Listen carefully---the instructions will
  change from day to day depending upon the number of trials still on the docket. 

   On the days you report for service, you must scan in when you arrive and scan out at the end of
   each day.  Once you have checked in, a number of jury panels may be selected and sent to the
   various Divisions of Court.  When you are excused for any reason by the Judge of the Division, you
   must always report back to the Jury Lounge for further instructions.  Likewise, after a jury has been
   selected and sworn in, those individuals not selected must report back to the Jury Lounge for
   further instructions.  You must remain in the Pool until all judges have selected their jurors for the
   day.  The Jury Pool Administrator will discharge the Pool members when the process is
   completed. 

   WHILE YOU ARE ACTUALLY SERVING ON A CASE, you will not have to scan in and out.  You
   must follow the Judges directions.  You will remain on the case until the trial is completed and the
   Judge discharges you. IMPORTANT:  You should not call the Answer Phone until you have been
   released from the trial and you are again a part of the Jury Pool. 

   ABSENCES TO BE EXCUSED FOR ANY PRE-PLANNED APPOINTMENTS, YOU MUST
   PRESENT YOUR REQUEST TO THE JUDGE WHEN YOU ARE SENT TO A COURT FOR JURY
   SELECTION.  Only the Judge has the authority to grant excuses for any day during your term of
   service.  Once you are selected to serve on a case, you cannot be excused for pre-planned
   appointments.  Any juror who is absent on any assigned reporting day,  without being excused by
   the Judge under which you are serving, is guilty of direct contempt of court (Article 222, La. Code
   of Civil Procedure), and is subject to a substantial fine or imprisonment or both.  Furthermore, a
   juror who is absent without getting an excuse is subject to be arrested by the Sheriff and brought in
   that day for contempt proceedings.  The Court is confident that no Juror will make it necessary for
   this action. 

   However, in fairness to other jurors and the litigants, the Court will have no alternative but to take
   contempt action. 

   JURY FEE -   You will be paid $25.00 for each day you actually serve on a jury. The check will be
   issued at the completion of the trial.

   TRANSPORTATION FEE $6.00 per day. The Court will mail you this check several weeks after
   your Jury Term has ended.  You will be reimbursed the $6.00 per day ONLY if you are available
   for service in accordance with the Answer Phone instructions.  All jurors will receive the
   transportation fee regardless of your mode of transportation. 

   YOU SHOULD NOT  PARK AT A PARKING METER.  The $6.00 per day allowance is enough to
   cover the cost of parking in most lots in the area.  The court will not be responsible for any parking
   violation tickets. 

   FACILITIES -  Restrooms are located in the Jury Pool Lounge as well as on all floors near the main
   elevators.  There are public telephones in the hallway and there are two free wall phones, coffee
   and water in the rear of the Jury Pool Lounge. Vending machines with drinks and food snacks are
   located in the Lounge. The Snack Bar on the ground floor contains an assortment of hot and cold
   snacks.  There are also many eating establishments within a short distance from the Courthouse. 
   The Jury Lounge has TVs and reading materials for your convenience while waiting.  (If you are a
   “cold-natured” person, you may want to bring a sweater to Court.) 

   ATTENDANCE CERTIFICATE -  The staff will provide you with an attendance form for your
   employer each day, if requested. 

   PROHIBITED ATTIRE/ITEMS The following will not be permitted in Court: 
   SHORT SHORTS
   TANK TOPS
   DARK GLASSES
   CAPS
   HATS
   CAMERA PHONES