Jury Commissioner: Jury Duty

Important Jury Service Information

Please call 410-887-4390 for reporting instructions.

PLEASE BRING A LUNCH WITH YOU.

In the event of inclement weather, please check local news stations for Baltimore County Circuit Court closings and delays.  You can also call 410-887-3596 for the most updated information.

GUIDELINES FOR JURY SERVICE

Please follow instructions on the map sent with your summons.

  • Proper Attire Required—Masks are optional for jurors and staff. Shorts, flip flops, sweatpants, athletic wear and professional uniforms are not considered appropriate attire for jury duty. Bring a sweater or light jacket as the temperature in the room fluctuates.
  • Lunch—The jury assembly area has snack and drink vending machines, and you are welcome to bring food and beverages with you. Lunch times may vary, so bring a meal with you if one is required at a specific time for a medical reason.
  • Parking—Remember to bring your summons and your parking garage ticket for validation.
  • Personal Belongings—Bring all belongings into the courthouse with you. You will not be permitted to exit the jury area once through security.
  • Wi-Fi—Public Wi-Fi is available using BCGGuest.

JURY QUALIFICATION QUESTIONNAIRE

If you have received a summons for jury duty, please complete the jury qualification questionnaire. The online qualification and rescheduling websites work best with Internet Explorer or Firefox. Other Internet browsers may not function consistently.

COMPLETE THE QUESTIONNAIRE

ADDITIONAL GUIDELINES

After 4:30 p.m. on the day before you are to report, you must call 410-887-4390 for reporting instructions. This telephone message will also advise you about the Court's inclement weather policy.

Parking garages are located at Court Towers, 210 West Pennsylvania Avenue, and Baltimore Avenue Parking Garage, 110 West Susquehanna Avenue. Bring your parking ticket with you for validation.

If your vehicle height is greater than six feet eight inches, park on the street across from the garage 108 Ware Avenue garage.

Cell phones and laptops are permitted in the courthouse and may be used while in the jury assembly area, however, possession and use of cell phones and other electronic devices may be limited or prohibited in designated areas of the court facility. The jury assembly area is equipped with Wi-Fi. All cell phones and laptops must be turned off before reporting to a courtroom for jury selection.

Jurors needing accommodations for hearing, sight or mobility problems should call 410-887-3596. Handicapped parking is available if needed.

ABOUT THE SELECTION PROCESS

Baltimore County citizens are selected at random from a merged Motor and Voter list in accordance with the Maryland law. No one can volunteer for jury duty. Each year, approximately 100,000 citizens are sent juror summonses, which includes a questionnaire which must be completed immediately and returned to the Jury Office. The answers to all questionnaires are evaluated to make sure that each individual is eligible for jury service. If you do not qualify for service, you will receive a notice that you do not have to report. Otherwise, you must follow the call-in procedures on your jury summons.

To be eligible for jury duty, you must be:

  • 18 years of age
  • A citizen of the United States—If you are not a citizen of the United States you cannot serve on jury duty. You must complete the Juror Qualification form and return it in the envelope provided with a photocopy of your resident alien or green card.
  • A resident of Baltimore County— If you have moved from Baltimore County, you must complete the Juror Qualification form and return it in the envelope provided with a photocopy of your new driver's license, lease or mortgage agreement, or real estate tax bill.
  • Able to read, write and speak English.

IF CHARGED OR CONVICTED OF A CRIME

If you have:

  • A charge pending for a crime punishable by a sentence exceeding six months imprisonment—You must supply the type of charge and the name of the jurisdiction in which it is pending on the completed Juror Qualification form.
  • Been convicted of a crime—You must supply the case number, charge and time served over six months on the completed Juror Qualification form.
  • Been convicted of a felony—You must have had your civil rights restored. 

Grand jurors meet two days a week and serve for a period of four months. They are responsible for reviewing the testimony and evidence in a case to determine if there is sufficient information to indict or charge the accused.

Petit jurors determine the guilt or innocence of the defendant in criminal cases, as well as determine the liability and damages of the parties in civil cases. A citizen selected for petit jury duty serves for the length of one trial however long that trial may run. The average length of trial is two to three days, although in some cases it may run longer.

DUE TO EMPLOYMENT

Jury duty is a civic obligation. Because the system in Baltimore County is one trial and one day, no excuses are permitted due to employment hardship. If sufficient justification is given, you may be able to reschedule your reporting time until another date; however, jurors are generally not excused because of their employment status. It is also important to note that Maryland law states that an employer may not deprive an employee of their employment due to time lost responding to jury service.

DUE TO MEDICAL REASONS

A juror must provide a physician's verification note on a prescription pad or letterhead signed by a doctor which details why you cannot serve, and the length or duration of the illness or problem. This verification can be sent to the Jury Office with your questionnaire online or by mail. It is important to remember that you do not always have to make a doctor's appointment in order to obtain this verification. Often this can be processed by calling your physician and them providing an electronic copy of the letter.

DUE TO AGE

If you are 70 years or older and wish an exemption from jury service, you may indicate this on the qualification form.

DUE TO ACTIVE DUTY STATUS

You must complete the Juror Qualification form and submit a copy of your orders or a copy of a letter from your Commanding Officer stating that you are currently on active duty.

DUE TO FULL-TIME STUDENT STATUS

If you are a full-time student carrying at least 12 undergraduate credits or six graduate credits, you can submit a copy of your class schedule or unofficial transcript. The documentation must contain your name, the current semester, and the number of credits carried. Include this documentation along with your qualification questionnaire online or by mail.

Note: You must first complete the online qualification questionnaire and return to the main page before you will be able to access the "Request Schedule Change" button on the lower left of your screen.

If you are unable to attend Court on the date indicated on your summons, you may request a change of date one time only online. To reschedule your date of service, follow the screen prompts through this online application. If your report date is less than 14 days away, you will not be able to reschedule online and must call 410-887-3596 for a new date.

ABOUT THE DAY OF ATTENDANCE

An average day on jury duty lasts from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Jurors routinely go home at the end of each day. Because your absence could delay a trial, it is important that you report each day you are required. If an emergency arises, such as a sudden illness, accident or death in the family, contact the judge's staff immediately.

If you have not been selected for a trial, your service is completed at the end of one day. Upon completion of jury duty, state law provides that you will not be eligible to be called again for three years. jurors routinely go home at the end of each day.

You should report to the Jury Assembly Room, located just off the main lobby of the County Courts Building.

Once you are checked in there will be a brief orientation.

  1. The Judge will tell you about the case, introduce the lawyers and others who may be involved with the case at hand.
  2. You will take an oath, in which you will promise to answer all questions truthfully.
  3. After you are sworn in, the Judge and lawyers will question you about your impartiality and knowledge of the case. This process, known as "voir dire" is part of the selection process used in both criminal and civil cases.

Sometimes parties in a case settle their differences only moments before the trial is scheduled to begin. Although the particular order may vary by judge, the following generally represents the events in a trial as they occur:

  1. Opening Statements
  2. Presentation of Evidence
  3. Jury Instructions
  4. Closing Arguments
  5. Jury Deliberations
  6. Announcement of the Verdict

JUROR PAY

Jurors are paid $30 per day, plus validated parking for designated County garages. If you are impaneled on a petit jury for more than five days, starting on the sixth day, your juror payment will increase to $50 per day. Maryland law does not state that your employer has to pay you while you serve as a juror; however, the court will provide you with certification of attendance.