JURY SERVICE IN THE US DISTRICT COURT
• WELCOME
Welcome to jury service for the United States District Court for the District of Utah. Jury service is an obligation of every
citizen. The right to trial by a jury of our peers is guaranteed to each of us by the United States Constitution. We hope
that you will find your term of service an interesting and satisfying experience.
• PARKING/PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION
The court does not have any parking reserved for jurors. You will be responsible for your initial parking costs when
appearing for jury service; and will be reimbursed for your parking expense. There are several parking lots that surround
the US Courthouse, the charges for parking vary from $10.00 to $15.00 a day. You should pay for an entire day’s worth of
parking because you may be required to be at the court all day. Do not park at any city parking meters. Jurors are
encouraged to use public transportation when possible. The Courthouse is located between the Courthouse Station and
Gallivan Center stops on the light rail system. Using public transportation will help you eliminate parking problems.
• FACILITIES
The entrance to the United States Courthouse for the District of Utah is located on the corner of West Temple and 400
South. Once inside the building, proceed to the Jury Assembly room, located on the first floor, Room 1.301. The Jury
Assembly room includes restrooms and a lounge. Please dress appropriately for court. Casual attire is acceptable. The
temperature can be quite cool in the Courtroom, so dress accordingly.
• BUILDING SECURITY
The United States Courthouse is a Level 4 security building, a photo ID may be required upon entry. Cell phones are
restricted for most guests, but jurors are exempt from that restriction – you will need to identify yourself as a juror when
you come through security. No weapons of any kind are allowed on the property; this includes guns, knives, pepper
spray etc. In addition, you will not be allowed to bring liquids, aerosols, or gels into the building. Empty water bottles or
coffee mugs are allowed and may be filled inside.
• JURORS FEES
An attendance fee of $50 per day is paid for each day you report for jury duty, unless you are a federal employee. You will
also be reimbursed for your round-trip mileage at the current government rate. We will obtain your mileage from your
home address using Google Maps. Juror compensation checks will be mailed to you within twenty days of your
appearance date. The daily attendance fee of $50 is taxable income by the Internal Revenue Service and should be
reported on your tax return next year (in most instances a form 1099 will not be provided). The court will provide you
with a certificate showing the dates you served if you request one.
• TRAVELERS
If you live over 80 miles, one way, from the Courthouse you may want to arrive in Salt Lake City a day before you are
scheduled to report. Your meal and hotel costs will be reimbursed at the current daily government rate, plus the $50 jury
duty allowance. You must submit a receipt from your hotel in order to be reimbursed for your lodging costs; if you stay
with a friend or relative, your daily reimbursement will be to cover your meals and incidentals only.
• REPORTING FOR DUTY
o You have been sent a Notice to Appear instructing you to report on a certain day and time. It is important that
you report on time. Jury selection can take up to five hours. If you are not selected to serve for this trial, you will
be permitted to leave after the selection process. If selected, you may be required to remain at the Courthouse
for the remainder of the day, and you will need to return each day until the trial is finished. Most trials last from
three to five days.
o PLEASE CALL BEFORE YOU REPORT! Cases that are set for trial frequently settle or are re-scheduled on very short
notice. You must call the message line for your final instructions. The message will tell you if you absolutely need
to report, or it may ask you to call back later. Please listen carefully to the entire message when you call.
o For your Notice to Appear you must call 801-524-6940 after 2:00 p.m. on the last business day before you are
to report for last-minute instructions. The recorded message will be available after 2:00 p.m., including evening
hours, and on weekends. Jurors who fail to report for jury service may be served with an Order to Show Cause
by the United States Marshal’s Service. Penalties for contempt of the Jury Selection Act range from a $1000
fine and/or three days imprisonment.
• LENGTH OF SERVICE
Your term of service is an “on-call” term of two (2) months. This does not mean that you will be reporting every day
for two months. However, you may be called at any time during that period.
• PROTECTION OF YOUR EMPLOYMENT
Federal law specifically prohibits employers from taking any adverse action against employees because they are called to
jury service by the United States. Section 1875 of Title 28 of the United States Code begins as follows:
(a) No employer shall discharge, threaten to discharge, intimidate, or coerce any permanent employee by reason of
such employees’ jury service, or the attendance of scheduled attendance in connection with such service, in any
court of the United States.
(b) Any employer who violated the provisions of this section -
(1) shall be liable for damages for any loss of wages or benefits suffered by an employee by reason of such
violation;
(2) may be enjoined from further violations of this section and ordered to provide other appropriate relief,
including reinstatement of any employee discharged by reason of his jury service; and
(3) shall be subject to a civil penalty of not more than $1,000 for each violation as to each employee.
If you have reason to believe that your employment status has changed as a result of your being called to serve as a juror
in federal court, please notify the jury administrator.
• EXCUSES
Federal law allowing excuse from jury service is very strict. The court realizes that occasionally jurors may need to request
a temporary absence. These are generally requested for medical appointments, vacation time, business trips, etc. The
court will make every effort to accommodate temporary absences during your jury term, these absences DO NOT
constitute a valid reason for being excused from the entire term. If you receive a Notice to Appear and have an extreme
hardship or conflict, please contact the Jury Office as soon as possible. Written documentation may be needed to grant
an excuse.
Address all excuse requests, or other inquiries via email to:
[email protected]. Or by mail to: Jury Administrator
US District Court for the District of Utah, 351 S West Temple St. Room 1.301 Salt Lake City, UT 84101
