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Jury Office: 763-422-7370 Child Care Reimbursement: Jurors who are not employed outside the home may be reimbursed for childcare expenses incurred as a result of jury services. Jurors who are employed outside the home are not entitled to childcare reimbursement unless the expense, as a result of jury service, is greater than normally would be incurred. Payment will be made only for the amount over and above your normal day care expenditure. All requests for payment must be submitted within ten days after you complete jury service. Receipts for the actual expense must accompany the claim. Reimbursement claim forms can be picked up in the jury coordinator’s office. Courtroom Decorum: Casual or comfortable dress is acceptable. Jurors are not allowed to wear hats, smoke, drink beverages, chew gum or use other tobacco products in the courtroom. All books, newspapers or handcraft items must be left in the Jury Assembly Room when jurors are involved in courtroom activities. Jurors should take valuable items such as purses and laptop computers with them in the courtroom. Laptop computers, cell phones and pagers must be turned off when in the courtroom and during the deliberation process should be given to the bailiff or courtroom clerk for safe-keeping. These items will not be allowed into the deliberation room with you. There are a limited number of lockers available in the Jury Assembly Room for juror use. If you would like a locker to put your valuable items in, you may check out a key from the jury coordinator. Juror Emergency: If an illness or family emergency prevents attendance at the courthouse, please inform court personnel by calling 763-422-7370 at 8:00am. The same phone number may be given to family members or daycare providers in case an emergency arises during the day. Juror Hours: Normal hours for jurors hearing testimony in court cases are 8:30am to 4:30pm. There is usually a one to one and a half hour break for lunch. Jurors brought in to begin new cases will be required to stay at the courthouse throughout the day or until juries have been selected for all cases scheduled. Court personnel will inform jurors as to when they may leave the courthouse. Juror Information Line: The Juror Information Line (763-422-7405) is updated daily at 4:30pm and gives instructions to jurors for the following day. Their panel number and juror number identify jurors. Weekend messages are made on Friday evening at 4:30pm and run all weekend. Jurors who are not required to report for service at the Anoka Courthouse should go about their normal day’s activities, i.e., go to their normal place of employment. Juror Notes: Note pads and pens will be provided to jurors for the purpose of taking notes during trials. Juror Sequestration: In any criminal case involving a jury, there is always the "possibility" that the jury could be sequestered (that is housed at a motel for a duration of the jury deliberation process). As a practical matter, only about three to five jury panels per year are actually sequestered. However, in the event that a jury is sequestered, the following information may be helpful:
Juror Parking: Jurors may park free in the Anoka County Parking Ramp. Go to the 5th level of the ramp, to find unreserved spaces. Parking passes are issued daily by the court. These should be given to the parking attendant when you exit the ramp. Do not park in a spot marked reserved. If you choose to park on the street, you must park two to three blocks from the courthouse to avoid posted one and two hour parking zones. Jurors May Serve In A "Standby" Capacity: A "standby" juror will serve in the same capacity as any other juror, except that he or she may occasionally be asked to come to the courthouse for an afternoon trial start. To serve in a "standby" capacity, a juror must be able to reach the courthouse from home or work within an hour and a half. Special instruction will be given to "standby" jurors on the nightly taped message. (Frequently they will be asked to call the Juror Information Line around noon the next day to see if their attendance at the courthouse is still required). Standby jurors will go to their normal jobs or carry out their normal daily activities, and will leave those activities only if their noon call to the Juror Information Line instructs them to report to the Anoka Courthouse for an afternoon trial start. Smoking: This is a no smoking building and no smoking is allowed in the jury rooms during breaks or deliberation. Should a juror anticipate difficulty with this policy, please inform the court of your concerns during voir dire questioning. Weather/Snow Emergency: In the event of inclement weather, such as a severe snowstorm, please call the Juror Information Line, 763-422-7405, for a message regarding closing of the Anoka County Courthouse or a special message for Anoka County Jurors. Where To Report: Jurors on new jury panels should report to the Jury Assembly Room located on the second floor, center of the courthouse. For specific reporting time call the Juror Information Line. Court personnel will escort smaller groups of jurors to various courtrooms where individual juries will be selected. The selection process includes being questioned by the attorneys in the case as well as the presiding judge. If a juror is not selected to serve on one case, he or she will return to the Jury Assembly Room to await further instructions. Jurors may be sent to another courtroom for service, or may be released for the rest of the day. Either way, jurors will receive further instructions from court personnel. |
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Court
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Copyright 2000
Court
Administration