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JUROR INFORMATION PAMPHLET |
Parking/Public Transportation | Facilities | Juror Fees | Reporting for Duty |
Length of Service
Excuses | Attendance Certificates | Dress Code | Cell Phones | Protection of Your Employment
Welcome to jury service for the United States District Court for the District of Utah. Jury service is an obligation of every citizen. The right to trial by a jury of our peers is guaranteed to each of us by the United States Constitution. We hope that you will find your term of service an interesting and satisfying experience. This pamphlet is intended to answer practical questions regarding your service. We look forward to welcoming you at the Court and appreciate your willingness to serve.
Unfortunately, the Court does not have any parking reserved for jurors. You will be responsible for your initial parking costs when appearing for jury service; however, you will be reimbursed $8.00 per day for your parking expense. There are several parking lots that surround the Moss Courthouse, the charge for parking in these lots vary from $5.00 to $15.00 a day. There are currently several construction projects going on in the downtown area so the parking options change frequently. You may want to come early and shop around for the best parking area and rate. Be sure to pay for an entire day’s worth of parking because you may be required to be at the Court all day. Do not park at any parking meters as you will not be able to leave the courtroom in order to feed your meter.
Jurors are encouraged to use public transportation when possible. Jurors arriving from within the Wasatch Front may easily utilize the UTA TRAX light rail system, as well as the FrontRunner commuter rail line. The courthouse is located between the Courthouse Station and Galivian Center stops on the light rail system. Using public transportation will help you eliminate parking problems.
The entrance to the Frank E. Moss, United States District Court is located on Main Street, using the north doors. Once inside the building, proceed to the 2nd floor, Room 208 to check in. From there you will be directed to the Jury Assembly room. The Jury Assembly room includes restrooms and a lounge. There are vending machines located in the basement of the building.
An attendance fee of $40 per day is paid for each day you report for jury duty, unless you are a federal employee. You will also be reimbursed for your round trip mileage at the current government rate. Please make note of your round trip mileage, as you will need to report it on the enclosed juror information sheet.
If you live over 80 miles, one way, from the Courthouse you may want to arrive in Salt Lake City a day before you are scheduled to report. Your meal and hotel costs will be reimbursed at the current daily government rate, plus the $40 jury duty allowance. You must submit a receipt from your hotel in order to reimbursed for your lodging costs; if you stay with a friend or relative, your daily reimbursement will be to cover your meals and incidentals only. Please refer to the enclosed traveler information sheet for current rates.
Juror compensation checks will be mailed to you within twenty days of your appearance date. The daily attendance fee of $40 is taxable income by the Internal Revenue Service, and should be reported on your tax return next year (in most instances a form 1099 will not be provided).
Enclosed you will find a Notice to Appear instructing you to report on a certain day, time and before a particular Judge. It is important that you report on time. The doors to the building do not open until 7:30 a.m. Jury selection can take up to five hours. If you are not selected to serve for this trial, you will be permitted to leave after the selection process. If selected, you may be required to remain at the courthouse for the remainder of the day, and you will need to return each day until the trial is finished. Most trials last from three to five days.
CALL BEFORE YOU REPORT! Cases that are set for trial frequently settle or are re-scheduled on very short notice. This frequently happens after the Notice to Appear has been mailed. You must call the message line for your final instructions. The message will tell you if you absolutely need to report, or it may ask you to call back later. Please listen carefully to the entire message when you call. If you neglect to call and then appear for jury duty for a trial that has been rescheduled, the Court cannot reimburse you for mileage or other costs. Therefore, it is very important that you call before leaving your residence.
If you have received a Notice to Appear for jury duty you must call {local 801-524-6281} {long distance 1-800-775-7703} anytime after 2:00 p.m. on the last business day before you are to report for last-minute instructions. The recorded message will be available after 2:00 p.m., including evening hours, and on weekends.
Your term of service is an “on-call” term of three (3) months. This does not mean that you will be reporting every day for three months. However, you may be called at anytime during that period. If you report for jury duty and are not selected, you will probably receive another notice to appear at a later date during your three month term.
Federal law allowing excuse from jury service is very strict. However the court realizes that occasionally jurors may need to request a temporary absence from jury service. These absences are generally requested for medical appointments, scheduled vacation time, business trips, etc. Because the Court will make every effort to accommodate temporary absences during your jury term, these absences DO NOT constitute a valid reason for being excused from the entire term. If you receive a Notice to Appear and have an extreme hardship or conflict, please contact the Jury Office as soon as possible. When requesting a temporary absence you may need to provide a written request and/or documentation supporting your need to be temporarily excused. Address all excuse requests, or other inquiries to:
Jury Administrator
Frank E. Moss U.S. District Court
350 S Main Street, Suite 208
Salt Lake City, UT 84101
or by email at utah_jury@utd.uscourts.gov
If you have immediate questions or concerns regarding your Notice to Appear you should contact the Jury Administrator at 801-524-6285 as soon as possible.
Jurors who fail to report for jury service may be served with an Order to Show Cause by the United States Marshal’s Service. Penalties for contempt of the Jury Selection Act range from a $1000 fine and/or three days imprisonment.
The Court will provide you with a certificate showing the dates and times you served if you request one.
Please dress appropriately for court. Casual attire is acceptable. The temperature can be quite cool in the courtroom, so dress accordingly.
Pursuant to an order of the court cellular phones are not permitted inside the courthouse. If you bring your cell phone you may check it in with security when you enter the building. You will have access to your cell phone on breaks and at the end of your jury service day.
Federal law specifically prohibits employers from taking any adverse action against employees because they are called to jury service by the United States. Section 1875 of Title 28 of the United States Code begins as follows:
If you have reason to believe that your employment status has changed as a result of your being called to serve as a juror in federal court, please notify the jury administrator.
Link to pdf version of this pamphlet
"I consider trial by jury as the only anchor yet imagined by man, by which a government can be held to the principles of its constitution."
- Thomas Jefferson
U.S. District Court
District of Utah
Frank E. Moss U. S. Courthouse
350 South Main Street, Suite 208
Salt Lake City, Utah 84101
(801) 524-6285 Jury Office
http://www.utd.uscourts.gov
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