The United States Constitution guarantees all people, regardless of race, religion, sex, national origin, or economic status, the right to trial by an impartial jury. Justice ultimately depends in large, upon the quality of the jurors who serve in our courts.
As a juror, you must be fair and impartial. Your actions and decisions must be free of any bias or prejudice. Your actions and decisions are the foundation of our judicial system.
Jurors are selected at random by computer, from the voter registration list. A juror must be a United States Citizen, a resident of Warren County, and at least 18 years of age.
Juror Selection
A civil case is heard by a jury of eight. A criminal case is heard by a jury of twelve. Alternate jurors may be chosen to replace jurors who become ill or otherwise unable to finish the trial.
A larger group, called a panel, will be sent to the courtroom where the jurors will be questioned under the supervision of the judge. A juror may be excused from the panel if it is shown that the juror cannot act impartially concerning the case to be heard.
In addition, each side is allowed to remove a given number of jurors from the panel without having to show any reason, called peremptory challenge. A panel member may challenge for cause if the questioning indicates that he or she might be biased.
Juror Eligibility/Selection
To be eligible to serve as a juror, you must be at least 18 years of age, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the county in which you are called to serve. You must also be able to understand and speak the English language. In Warren County, jurors are randomly selected from the list of registered voters. A group of prospective jurors will be sent into the courtroom where they will questioned under the judge's supervision. A juror may be excused if it appears that he/she will be unable to act impartially concerning the case at hand. The plantiff and defendant are permitted to remove a certain number of jurors without cause, which is called peremptory challenge. Please note: There are no longer any statutory exemptions from jury duty. Physicians, Dentists, Attorneys, Police Officers, Firefighters, and Elected Officials may be called to serve.
Juror Dress Code
Please wear comfortable clothing that also reflects the seriousness of your responsibility. Shorts, mini-skirts, tank tops, shirts with suggestive language or logos, and hats are all considered to be inappropriate attire for the courtroom. The temperatures from the jury room and the courtroom may vary, so you may bring a sweater or jacket with you.
Juror Compensation
In Warren County Common Pleas Court, you will receive $12.00 per day if you appear and are not selected for the jury. You will receive $25.00 per day if you are selected for the jury. If you would like to decline payment for any reason, please request a form from the judge’s bailiff before leaving the Courthouse.
Term of Service
In Warren County Common Pleas Court, jurors are selected for a 4-month term service. You may be called to serve at any time during that term. You may also be called more than once during your term. It is also possible that your services will not be needed at all during your term. You will be notified approximately 2 – 3 weeks in advance by a notice from this court as to the time and dates your service will be required. If you are called to serve on a jury and appear on the date scheduled, the parties may settle prior to the trial beginning. At that time, the Judge will instruct you that you are free to leave the courthouse. Our jury trials typically last between two and three days, although they may be longer. You can check the status of the trial you were summoned for any time by visiting the jury portal at: https://oh.ezjustice.us/jury/warren
*You must call in on the date listed on your summons to see if you need to report for service. You will need your candidate ID to access this information. The candidate ID is listed at the top and bottom of the summons.
Information for Employers
It is essential that the court and employers work together to ensure that all Warren County residents are available to serve jury duty when called in order to maintain a strong jury system. We are grateful to all employers in the community for supporting our jury system. As the employer, you are required to allow an employee time off to serve jury duty. It is against federal law to threaten or terminate an employee who is summoned for jury service.
Courthouse Security
All persons and their belongings will be screened for weapons. Please do not bring guns, knives, or any other dangerous items into the courthouse. If you have any health issues which may affect the metal detector, please bring this to the attention of the Sheriff's Deputy monitoring the machine. This may include wearing a brace, having a pacemaker, having prosthetics, or surgically implanted rods or pins.
Criminal Cases vs Civil Cases
A criminal case results when a person is accused of committing a crime. Jurors must decide whether the person charged is guilty or not guilty. The accused person is presumed innocent, and the State, represented by the prosecuting attorney of Warren County, must prove that the person is guilty “beyond a reasonable doubt”.
A civil case results from a disagreement or dispute between two or more parties. In a civil case a juror must answer questions of disputed facts based upon the testimony and evidence admitted by the the judge. The answers to these questions are called a verdict.
Excusal / Deferral Requests
Most requests for excusal (long term requests) / deferral (movement to another trial date within your term) will be discussed during jury selection the morning of trial. You will be required to call in and report as instructed. In certain cases, the Judge may review a request for excusal or deferral prior to the trial, those requests must be submitted in writing prior to the call in date listed on your summons. Some requests may be approved ahead of time, such as:
- Request for excusal due to age (over 75 for Petit/Trial Jury and over 70 for Grand Jury)
- No longer a resident of Warren County (must submit proof of address change)
- Full time student (must submit proof of full-time enrollment)
- Travel during the time you are summoned (must submit proof of travel dates)
If you would like to request excusal or deferral, please submit your request online at: https://oh.ezjustice.us/jury/warren . Please note: You will need to have your candidate ID when logging in.
*Requests for excusal or deferral submitted to the jury portal or by email AFTER the call in date listed on your summons, will not be reviewed and will need to be discussed during jury selection if you were confirmed when you called in.
Questionnaire Information
Please complete your questionnaire within 3 days of receiving your summons on the jury portal at: https://oh.ezjustice.us/jury/warren *You will need your candidate ID from the summons to log in* If you have issues completing this form online, please contact the Court so that a form can be mailed to you. If a questionnaire is mailed to you, you can return this information by email: commonpleasjuryclerk@co.warren.oh.us or by mail: 500 Justice Dr. Lebanon, Oh 45036.
Please note: Under Ohio law, your answers will usually be subject to public disclosure. Certain information is usually not subject to disclosure, including social security numbers, telephone numbers, and driver license numbers. You can request an in-court private hearing if there are other answers you believe should not be disclosed legally. If you make a written request, the Judge and the lawyers involved will hold a private hearing on the Court record for you to explain your position on any specific answer. You may have your own lawyer present if you wish to have representation. Any request for a private hearing should only be made to protect a legitimate privacy interest. Such a request should be forwarded in writing with your completed questionnaire. Please specify the number(s) of the question(s) you want to be reviewed. You will be notified of a time to appear in person to explain your request.
**IMPORTANT NOTICE: FBI WARNING OF JURY DUTY SCAM**
The Federal Bureau of Investigation has made a public warning about potential Jurors being contacted by telephone by individuals identifying themselves as Court employees. The individual calling tries to illicit personal information from the potential juror. Please be advised that Warren County Common Pleas Court does not contact people via telephone and ask for personal information. If you receive a phone call from
an individual representing themselves as a Court employee, do not provide any personal or confidential information, and immediately report the call to the Court. All correspondence regarding jury duty from this Court will occur in writing.
Please see the Frequently Asked Questions page for more information, if you still have questions please contact the Jury Commissioner: