Jury
The Jury Management Department is responsible for the selection and accommodation of the Jurors used by the Third Judicial Court in Lincoln Parish. Rather than empanel a separate jury for each trial that might come to trial in any given week, a jury pool is empanelled for all the cases scheduled to be tried by a jury in a given week. This procedure actually reduces the number of people summoned for jury duty and the costs associated with a jury trial.
For example, if four jury trials are scheduled in one week, rather than subpoena sixty or seventy people for each separate trial, the Jury Commission, through a random computer selection process, might subpoena one hundred people to serve in the Jury Pool for that week. As each case is brought before the Court, potential jurors not selected for that particular trial are sent back to the Jury Pool where they may or may not be chosen again for another voir dire. The costs associated with empanelling a Jury Pool are prorated amongst the cases scheduled to go to trial for that week, thus reducing the cost to each scheduled trial.
- There are five qualifications that a potential juror must meet in order to serve on a jury. In order to serve on a jury, you must:
- Be a citizen of the United States and of Louisiana who has resided in Lincoln Parish for at least one year immediately preceding your jury service
- Be at least eighteen years of age
- Be able to read, write, speak the English language, possess sufficient knowledge of the language
- Not be under interdiction or incapable of serving as a juror because of a mental or physical infirmity (a written medical excuse from your doctor is required)
- Not be under indictment for a felony nor have been convicted of a felony and not be pardoned.
If you do not meet these qualifications, please call the Jury Office immediately at (318) 251-5121. The office is opened from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday - Friday, except legal holidays. Along with the qualifications, there are three exemptions that may be claimed. You may claim an exemption if:
- You have performed Jury Service in the Third Judicial Court within the last two years of your reporting date
- Serving would result in an undue hardship or extreme inconvenience
- Seventy years of age and older.
If you wish to claim one of these exemptions, please send a letter to the appropriate Judge as indicated on your subpoena explaining your circumstances. Include your address and daytime phone number. The Court will make a decision on your claim and will notify you. A juror will receive a payment of $25.00 for service plus mileage. Payment is mailed to you via first-class mail after service.
