As a petit juror (trial juror) in the Eastern Division you will be ON CALL to serve for a one-week period beginning on the date that appears on your summons.

You will call 1 (800) 572-4210 after 5:00 p.m. on the evening prior to reporting to verify your appearance and each evening after 5:00 p.m. for the remaining of the one-week term. If you are not available, you must contact the Jury department in writing prior to your report date. The court has an Automated Jury Information System (AJIS) which provides current information regarding your status. If you need further assistance, you may contact the Jury department in Chicago at (312) 435-5684 from 1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. In Rockford dial (815) 987-4354. If your service is not required and you nonetheless appear, you may not be entitled to any fees.

In the Western Division jurors are given several different specific dates which may extend over a 2 month period. You will call 1 (800) 572-4210 after 5:00 p.m. the Friday evening prior to each possible reporting date to verify whether your appearance is required or not.

Days that you are not available during your availability period may be accommodated,provided you have not been selected to be on a trial. Your jury service will then be extended accordingly.

Be prepared to stay until 5:00 p.m. on your first day. On your first day, jurors are expected to appear in the jury department for check-in no later than 9:00am. Please bring your summons, a pen and reading materials with you. Please dress for an office type setting. You may use your laptop and cellphone in the jury lounge only.

Parking Instructions:

The Court will pay for your parking at the following approved parking garage:
Interpark-South Loop
318 S. Federal Street
Chicago, IL 60604
The InterPark-South Loop parking garage is located approximately 1/10th of a mile away from the Dirksen Courthouse, approximately a 2-minute walk. Parking reimbursement is limited to the date(s) on which you are directed to report to the Courthouse during your jury service and is limited to 12 hours per day. Please note that we cannot reimburse your parking at any other facility. In order to benefit from paid parking, you must bring your parking validation ticket from the InterPark garage with you to the jury assembly room each day of service and provide it to the Jury Clerk for validation. You cannot use a mobile application on your cell phone to pay for your parking expense. We must have your parking validation ticket from the InterPark-South Loop parking garage located at 318 S. Federal Street to validate your parking.

As a juror you are entitled to:

• $50.00 for each day of attendance.
  
  
• 70 cents per mile, round trip. Mileage is calculated from residence to courthouse using the shortest practical route.
  
  
• These fees will be included in your juror paycheck, which will be mailed to you within 7-10 business days after the one-week term. A voucher, mailed separately, will be provided for proof of service and should be used for tax purposes.
  
  
• If you served in the Western Division, your fee will be mailed to you within 2 weeks after your appearance.
  
  
• Federal employees, except the Postal Service, are not entitled to attendance fees, but will receive mileage.
  
  

Title 28 United States Code, Section 1864(g) states that persons who are summoned to appear for Federal Jury Service and fail to appear may then be ordered to show cause why they should not be held in contempt of court for non-compliance with the court summons. Persons then failing to appear or to show good cause for noncompliance may result in the imposition of a $1,000 fine, imprisonment for not more than three days, an order to perform community service, or any combination thereof.

You are protected by Federal Statute, 28 U.S.C. § 1875, from being discharged, intimidated or coerced by your permanent employer because of your attendance for service at this Court. Further information is available from the jury clerk. Also see MESSAGE TO EMPLOYERS in the Jury Information menu.

Your employee has been summoned to jury duty in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois. Jurors are obligated to remain on call for jury service for a one-week period in Chicago. Jurors in Rockford are given up to 4 separate dates over a 2 month period for possible jury service. The average time a juror will serve in Rockford is 3-5 days. During that time, they will be called for specific cases and are usually released for the day by 4:30 p.m. In the one-week period, the average time a juror will serve is 3-5 days in Chicago.

In most instances, the burden of Federal Court jury service is not so overwhelming that it could not be absorbed by business or other establishments with relative ease. You may not know that in order to insure that the serious need for federal jurors is met, in 1978 the “Protection of Juror's Employment Statute” (Title 28, United States Code, Section 1875) was enacted. The statute demonstrates the attitude of the United States Congress toward assuring adequate representation and the corresponding duty of employers to their employees and to the justice system.

Financial hardship claimed as an excuse by an individual summoned for jury duty is not usually a valid reason for the Court to grant release especially if the individual is working regularly in a permanent position with a salary or set hourly rate. Unless there are some compelling reasons for that excuse, it will not be granted. If your employment policy is against paying employees while they are on jury duty, you are now asked to reconsider that policy. As you may know federal jurors are paid $50.00 per day for their services, paying the difference between your employee's salary should not be overly burdensome.

A Federal Grand Jury is investigatory or accusatory in contrast to a petit jury, which is a trial jury. If you have been randomly selected as a prospective grand juror for the United States District Court, Northern District of Illinois, you will be notified by mail when and where to report. Upon receipt of the summons, complete the information form and return it to the U. S. District Court within five days in the postage paid envelope provided.

A request for an excusal or postponement must be in writing and attached to your completed information form. If you were summoned, you may call the Automated Jury Information System (AJIS) to verify whether your request has been approved. To receive information regarding your status, call 1 (800) 572-4210 no earlier than ten business days prior to your scheduled reporting date. Please do not call the automated system if you have not returned your completed information sheet.

Letters from employers requesting that their employee be excused from Grand Jury Service will only be considered if accompanied by a letter from the prospective juror.

Requests for excusal or postponement will not be handled over the telephone.

A DOCTOR'S STATEMENT must be attached to your completed information form if you are requesting an excuse due to medical reasons. The statement must indicate whether the condition is temporary or permanent.

You CANNOT be transferred from the United States District Court, Chicago or Rockford to any county court.

If you ask for an excuse on impanelment day and are granted an excuse or postponement, you will not be paid mileage or attendance. If your request is denied, be prepared to participate and remain for the grand jury selection, which will end at approximately 1:00 P.M. In the Western Division, selection usually begins at 1:00 p.m. and ends at approximately 3:00 p.m.

Selection Procedures

The clerk will randomly select 23 members to be grand jurors. The remaining individuals will be selected as alternate grand jurors and will take the place of a member who must be permanently excused. In the Western Division, 23 members are randomly selected to be grand jurors with 10 individuals selected as alternates.

If you are selected as a Grand Juror or alternate, please expect to remain throughout most of the day. The selection process and following instruction will require your attendance.

Length Of Service

Grand Jury Service is for a period of eighteen months. If selected on a grand jury, you will appear once per week at the U. S. District Court. Advance notice will be available by telephone.

If selected to serve in the Western Division, you will appear once every two weeks.

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