Questions Frequently Asked by Employers:

The date on which my employee is to report for service is one when we absolutely need the employee's services. What can be done?

The period for jury duty can be adjusted, with some restrictions. If your employee is called for jury service on a date not good for your business, most jurisdictions will allow the employee to re-set the date to report for service. You may be asked to document by letter the reason for the postponement. While one postponement usually will be granted, the employee will be expected to be available on the re-set date.

A request for postponement should be made as early as possible. The court will have less flexibility to grant postponements as the day of actual jury service approaches.

Why should my employee be required to serve? Aren't many people totally exempt from jury service because of their occupations ?

Occupation-based exemptions that existed in the past have all but been eliminated in connection with State jury service, except for federal legislators and military personnel documented by command as essential. All other eligible citizens are expected to report for jury duty. This includes accountants, doctors, lawyers, police officers, and even judges.

Doesn't my employee get paid for jury service by the State or the county?

Depending on the jurisdiction, Maryland jurors receive from $15 to $30 per day for expenses incurred in jury service, such as meals, mileage, and parking. If not paid by an employer, a juror has only this per diem during jury service.

How was my employee selected to be summonsed for jury duty?

A computerized random selection method is used to select jurors from the voter and Motor Vehicle Administration rolls of Maryland and additional source lists designated by the court.

If my employee is picked for jury service, how long will the trial last?

There is no guarantee, but most jury trials in Maryland courts last from one to three days. On occasion, in complex cases such as murder or medical malpractice cases, trials last longer, up to several weeks. Courts in some jurisdictions are trying initiatives allowing potential jurors to reschedule service to a later date if a long trial arises during an inconvenient period.

What hours will my employee be occupied with jury service?

Potential jurors are told to report to court on days when a trial is scheduled. Some will be picked for service, while those who are not will be released for the remainder of the day.

For those chosen for jury service, the judge presiding over the trial will set the schedule and try to make sure that the jurors are fully occupied in hearing the case during the workday. Most trials will run from around 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. In longer trials, the judge may set aside some time during the trial that the juror can return to his or her employment. The juror should keep you advised of the schedule.

How can we be sure that the employee served?

Upon request, the Jury Commissioner or Clerk will provide written verification that the juror was required to be in court on any day in question.

Who should I call if I have additional questions?

Baltimore City and each county in Maryland has an official, usually called the Jury Commissioner or Jury Clerk, who is responsible for all issues affecting jurors in the respective City or county. You may call that official for further information.
For contact information, please see Jury Commissioners.