| NOTICE TO JURORS: Due to contruction at the Charles County Circuit Courthouse, parking is limited, and we request that you report for jury service at 8:15 a.m. prior to the building opening to the public at 8:30 a.m. Please present your juror notification form to court security to gain entry. |
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Charles County's jury plan, recently
approved by the Court of Appeals, allows for one selection process annually.
During that process, an appropriate number of jurors are selected to serve
from a certified list from the Motor Vehicle Administration and a list
of Registered Voters. The Petit Jurors are divided into panels, each
panel serving a one-week term during which they will serve as needed. The
Grand Jurors serve a 6-month term and are obligated to appear whenever
summoned by the Court (usually 8 - 10 times during the year).
You will be provided a juror certification
and a voucher in the amount of $15.00 for expenses for each day you report
for service. You may cash the voucher at the Office of Jerome Peuler,
Charles County Treasurer, in the County Government Building behind the
Courthouse or at any branch of the Bank of America in Charles County.
If you are summoned for petit jury
service, please complete Steps 1-5 of the instructions on the Juror Summons.
Juror service is organized by GROUP NUMBER and by the DATE your week of
service is to begin.
You must call the recorded message
on the Juror Code-a-Phone at (301) 932-3200 or (301) 870-2330, after 5:00
pm of the evening prior to the DATE your week of service is to begin. For
example: If your reporting date is a Monday, you should call the Code-a-Phone
message after 5:00 pm Sunday.
Listen for instructions for your
GROUP NUMBER and DATE to report. You are to report for service only when
and if your GROUP NUMBER is instructed to report.
Continue to call the Juror Code-a-Phone
at (301) 932-3200 or (301) 870-2330, each evening after 5:00 pm to receive
instructions for the following day during your reporting week.
An orientation film will be shown
on your first day of service to assist you with the duties and responsibilities
of a juror.
Proper attire is required (NO shorts,
tee shirts, jeans, sweat clothes or tank tops are permitted). You may bring
reading material. No provisions are available for childcare. Cell phones,
computers, recording devices and pagers are prohibited.
Certifications of jury service will
be submitted to you when you report for jury service. An employer may not
deprive an employee of his employment solely because of job-time lost as
a result of Court attendance in response to a jury summons, under the provision
of the Annotated Code of Maryland, Courts and Judicial Proceedings Article,
§8-105.
ADVANCE NOTIFICATION OF VACATIONS,
MEDICAL APPOINTMENTS, UNAVOIDABLE SCHEDULE CONFLICTS, ETC. SHOULD
BE BROUGHT TO THE ATTENTION OF:
MRS. DONNA COCKERHAM, JURY COMMISSIONER
(301) 932-3203.
Jury Service is an important aspect
of the rights, privileges and duties we all enjoy as citizens. YOUR willingness
to serve and participate in this essential part of our judicial system
is greatly appreciated by the Clerk and by the Court.
You may download "Preparation
for Jury Duty." This pamphlet was developed to introduce jury service
to those summoned to jury duty for the first time and to refresh the memories
of those who have had past experience as petit jurors. The pamphlet is
in Portable Document Format. To view this pamphlet, you may be required
to download the free Adobe
Acrobat Reader software. (Many newer browsers already include a
PDF plug-in.)
The above information applies primarily
to Petit Jurors.
Grand Jurors will receive additional
information in the summons received in the mail. |
