This website provides basic information for prospective jurors and employers concerning the Shawnee County District Court Jury System. First, we must take a moment to thank prospective jurors for your time and participation in the jury system. The jury system is one of the most important parts of the judicial process. Citizens who serve as jurors contribute significantly to both their community and country. We thank you for your service!

Please report to the court house on time. Report to room 406A of the Shawnee County Court House. Room 406 is located on the fourth floor in the east wing of the building. The Jury Coordinator will be awaiting your arrival to greet you and check you in for service. If you have any special needs (i.e. medication, physical limitations) please inform the Jury Coordinator in advance or when you report so any accommodations can be made to assist you. There may be some waiting involved as other jurors are being processed and the panel selection begins, so please feel free to bring reading materials to make yourself more comfortable. You will watch a short video that will give you a brief introduction to the jury process. After all jurors have been assigned to cases you will be instructed to proceed to your assigned courtrooms where you will be greeted by the presiding judge as well as the court staff. The general hours court is in session are from 8am to 5pm Monday through Friday. However, you will be instructed by the court staff what time you will need to report. Jury trials on average last 1-3 days so please plan accordingly.

1. How was I selected?
2. I've moved from Shawnee County. Do I still qualify for jury service?
3. What are the legal qualifications for jury service?
4. How do I request to be disqualified from jury service?
5. Are parents with children at home excused from jury service?
6. May I reschedule my jury service to a later date?
7. What happens if I have been summoned for jury duty but I decide not to report for service?
8. What happens to me if the recording tells me I don't have to report?
9. Even though I have received a summons, is it still possible that I will not be required to come to court on the date shown for jury service?
10. What is the pay for jury service and how is it set?
11. Does my employer have to pay me?
12. Can I be fired if I don't show up for work when I've been summoned for jury duty?
13. What if the summons is incorrect or the person is deceased?
14. Where do I park?
15. What mode of public transportation is available?

Jurors are randomly selected from current lists of persons age 18 and older, living in Shawnee County, Kansas, and are either registered voters or have a drivers license. Some people are chosen several times during their lifetime; others are never chosen. So long as you are either a registered voter or have a drivers license, you have the same chance of being chosen as anyone else who meets the criteria.

No, not in Shawnee County. If you have received a jury summons from Shawnee County District Court, but no longer intend to reside in Shawnee County, return the lower portion of the summons indicating your present address.

You must be at least 18 years of age, a United States citizen and a resident of Shawnee County. You are excluded from jury service if you have been convicted, pleaded guilty or nolo contendere to a felony within the preceding 10 years. You are also excluded if you are under a present adjudication of incompetency by a court. If you are uncertain whether you qualify for any of the reasons listed above, you should discuss your situation with the jury coordinator. If you feel you do not qualify for jury service, return the lower portion of the summons indicating the reason.

Generally, to be excused from jury service for other than health reasons, you must appear in person and speak to the judge on the date you are summoned. To be excused for health reasons, a written statement from your physician is required. The statement may be faxed to (785) 291-4917. Failure to honor the jury summons may subject you to a fine for contempt of court. If the scheduling of your jury service is the problem, you may reschedule your jury service by contacting the jury coordinator at (785) 233-8200 Ext. 4381.

No, there is no automatic exclusion. If we were to exclude all mothers and fathers with small children, a significant portion of the population base would be excluded from jury service. This would cause our jury pool to not truly be representative of our community. You are responsible for arranging for your own child care if you are called for jury duty. However, if the scheduling of your jury service is the problem, you may reschedule your jury service by contacting the jury coordinator at (785) 233-8200 Ext. 4381.

If the scheduling of your jury service is the problem, you may reschedule your jury service one time only by contacting the jury coordinator at (785) 233-8200 Ext. 4381 or on the lower portion of the jury summons, state the reasons for your requested postponement, then indicate your first and second choices for jury service within the next four months.

You may be held in contempt of court and you can be fined for failing to respond to a jury service summons. We hope that you will reconsider. The jury system is an important part of democracy in the United States. Rather than relying solely upon Judges to decide the facts in a dispute, whether civil or criminal, our judicial system relies upon a group of citizens chosen from the community to make those decisions. The jury system can only work well if jurors are chosen from a diverse cross-section of the population. We work hard to make sure that no qualified citizens of our community are excluded from jury duty, whether through self-selection (i.e., failing to show up) or otherwise.

You will be instructed to call back the following day or told your jury service is completed. You are summoned for one week or one trial. If you are selected, you will serve the length of the trial which will be known at the time of jury selection. In Shawnee County, the average jury trial is one to two days. If you are not selected to serve, your jury service is completed.

Yes. Each week, some of the jury trials that are scheduled do not take place because the cases have been settled, dismissed or otherwise resolved without the need for a jury trial. We don't know until late on the Friday afternoon before the Monday on which you will be called to court how may jury trials scheduled for Monday will have settled or otherwise be resolved. Often, this occurs at the last minute. For this reason, you must follow the instructions on your jury summons and call on Sunday evening to see whether you need to appear on Monday morning. To check on this, call (785) 291-5500. Listen to the recorded message and follow the instructions that apply to your court date and group number as listed on your summons. If the machine is inoperable, you must proceed to report as summoned. The machine is not equipped to receive messages; it is only for transmission of messages to you.

Jurors are paid $10 per day plus mileage for their service. These rates of reimbursement are set by the Kansas Legislature. The $10 per day rate was established by the Legislature in 1971 and has not been amended since that time.

No. There is no Kansas law requiring employers to pay their employees while they are serving on a jury. However, you cannot be fired from any permanent job for responding to a jury summons under Kansas law (see KSA-43-173). Some employers have policies under which employees are paid their normal salary while serving on a jury. You'll need to check with your employer about their policy.

Kansas law provides that no employer may fire or threaten to fire any permanent employee because of the employee's jury service or scheduled attendance in connection with jury service. (K.S.A. 43-173).

If the address is incorrect, please note your correct address and return to the Jury Coordinator. We sincerely apologize if you have received a summons addressed to a family member who has died. Jury lists are compiled annually from Department of Motor Vehicle and Voters Registration records. If the summons is unopened please write "deceased" on the outside and mark it "Return to Sender".

Parking is available at the Park-N-Shop (615 S Quincy) and Townsite Plaza Parking (enter off E 5th or E 6th ) Garages. Your parking ticket will be validated by the jury coordinator when you check in.

Public transportation is available through the Topeka Metro Transit Authority. The main terminal, Quincy Street Station is located approximately 2 blocks south of the Courthouse.