Jury Services

Watch the 18 minute video to learn about jury service in Vermont.

In Vermont you will serve only in the county where you live.

The list of prospective jurors comes lists of registered voters and licensed drivers. Names are randomly selected from the countywide population by computer.

To qualify to serve as a juror, you must:

• Be a citizen of the United States and be 18 years of age.
• Reside within the county where the summons instructs you to appear.
• Be able to read, write, understand, and speak English.
• Be mentally and physically capable for jury service.
• Have not served a term of imprisonment in this state after conviction of a felony.
• Have not served jury duty in a state court in the previous two years.

4 V.S.A. § 962 and Vt. Jury Select. Rule 1.

Complete the jury service questionnaire within 14 days of receipt. You can fill out the online Juror Questionnaire, or mail the completed questionnaire to the Jury Administration Office.

The court will review your answers and determine whether you are qualified for jury service.

• If you are disqualified, the court will notify you. 
• If you are qualified, your summons will tell you the date of your jury duty. After 5:00 pm the day before your scheduled appearance date:
  • call the jury phone line on the front page of the summons. A recorded message will tell you if you are needed. Or, 
  • check the Court Specific Reporting Instructions online.

By law, the courts will excuse from jury duty anyone with a mental or physical condition that would keep them from serving as a juror.

There is not an exemption based on age, but you may request to be excused if you have a hardship that would make it difficult to serve.

You may ask to postpone or be excused from jury duty for these reasons:

• You have a mental or physical condition which would make it difficult to serve as a juror.
• Financial reasons.
• Jury duty would cause undue hardship to your or your employer.
• You have scheduled out of state travel or have some other serious scheduling conflict.
• You provide care for another person.

To ask to postpone or be excused from jury duty, submit a detailed letter to the Jury Administration Office clearly explaining your situation. Submit your request as soon as possible.

You must include supporting documentation with your request. Examples include a letter from a health care provider, a copy of your travel reservations, or a copy of your student ID or class schedule. Your request may be denied without proper documentation submitted. The court will consider your request and notify you of its decision.

You can make your request in one of these ways:

• Use the online Jury Questionnaire and select Request Schedule Change or Request Excuse from the dashboard. Select Upload from the dashboard to submit documentation to go along with your request.
• Make your written request on page 4 of the paper jury questionnaire in the “additional comments” section or in a separate letter, which you can attach to the paper questionnaire and mail to Jury Administration. The address is at the top of the questionnaire, and also at the top of this web page.
• By email: jury@vtcourts.gov.
• By fax: 802-651-1959.

When entering the courthouse, you will pass through a metal detector or security screening. This is a routine procedure. Weapons of any sort are not allowed in the courthouse. These weapons include firearms, knives, and personal protection sprays.

A court officer or staff person will direct you where to go within the courthouse. Be sure to bring your juror summons with you to the court. You will scan it when you arrive to register your attendance.  

The presiding judge and the court clerk will explain your duties as a juror and what the court expects of you. This is the time for you to ask questions about jury service or the operation of the court.

The jury selection process for individual trials may then begin immediately. The court will try to keep delays to a minimum, but it may be impossible to avoid a wait while the judge reviews cases with lawyers. Cases often settle at the last minute, sometimes not until the jurors are in the courthouse. The simple presence of the jurors can even help resolve disputes. You should bring reading materials or other items with you for these down times.

You employer must give you time off for jury duty. You cannot be fired from your job because of jury service. 21 V.S.A. § 499. Your employer is not required to compensate you while you are on jury duty.

You can request payment for jury duty. Eligible jurors will be paid $15 for up to four hours or $30 for more than four hours for each day of service. Administrative Directive 19. You can’t be paid for jury duty if you are being compensated by your employer.

The court will give you form to fill out to request payment for jury duty. Check with your employer’s HR department about their jury duty policy.

Jurors in Vermont can serve no more than three times in a two-year period. This means you may serve up to three jury draws and additional days as required to complete up to three trials.

The number of days you serve depends on many things: the workload of the court, the number of trials selected to hear, and the length of the trials. Most jurors come to the courthouse for ten days or less.

The normal day for the jury begins at 8:00 am and ends by 4:30 pm, but sometimes a trial may run later.

The court will not summon you to appear for jury duty for at least two years after you have served on a jury. If you receive a summons within this two-year period, let the court know and ask to be disqualified.

4 V.S.A. § 963 and Vt. Jury Select. Rule 8.

Being a juror is an important responsibility. To help ensure that all parties receive a fair trial, jurors are asked to follow a few rules. If you become a juror, please

• Be in court on time. A trial cannot go forward until all jurors are present.
• Tell the court immediately if you discover during the trial that you have personal knowledge or a connection with the case. The judge will decide whether to excuse you.
• Pay close attention to what the judge, lawyers, and witnesses say. If you cannot hear, raise your hand.
• Unless the judge allows it, refrain from taking notes, even if the trial is long or involved
• Inform the court immediately if you have an emergency that could affect your ability to carry out jury duty
• Keep an open mind throughout the trial
• Avoid talking with fellow members of the jury or with anyone else while court is in session. When court is not in session, please avoid discussing the case—even with friends and family—until the trial is over.
• Avoid learning about or investigating the case from any source outside the courtroom—including television, radio, newspapers, and the internet—even just searching for information about the lawyers or judge
• Avoid communicating anything about the case, either in person or through Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or any online messaging service
• If you notice unauthorized use of the internet or social media, tell the court officer right away
• Let the court officer know if anyone tries to contact you about the trial