Once instructed to report to the courthouse, a juror may or may not be selected to serve as a juror in a trial court. The Jury Commissioner is required to have a sufficient number of jurors for all anticipated trials. The jury staff tries to carefully estimate the number of jurors needed but there are many variables outside their control. For example, a defendant may plea to a different charge or a case may settle at the last moment. If a prospective juror is selected to serve on a trial as a sworn juror, the term of service will be the length of that trial.
Trials vary in length, but generally last one to two weeks.
If a prospective juror is not selected to serve on a trial by the end of the first day at the courthouse, and the judge has not ordered the juror to return for another day of jury selection, jury service is complete. Pay Policy State law does not currently require employers to continue paying the salary of employees while they are serving as jurors. However, many employers including state, federal, and local government agencies, have a policy which compensates employees for at least part, if not all the time spent for jury service. Before coming to court, the juror should talk with his or her employer. There is no pay for the first day of service.