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1. How am I compensated?

St. Croix County will pay you $20.00 for each half-day and $40.00 for each full day that you serve as a juror. You will also receive compensation for your travel to and from the court house at the rate of .51 cents per mile. When a trial is in progress, meals will be provided for you. Compensation checks are disbursed on a monthly basis.

2. How are cases tried?

The trial is composed of a series of events in a specific order that is determined by state law.

The Series of Events:

• Opening statements: Each attorney will discuss the merits of the case pertaining to his/her client. The attorneys will outline what they will attempt to show during the trial.
• Evidence: The plaintiff will present its evidence in the form of testimony, called direct examination and may introduce evidence in the form of exhibits. The defendant will also present evidence in a similar manner.
• Argument to the jury: After all evidence has been presented, the parties will present arguments or closing statements to the jury.
• Instruction to the jury: After arguments have been completed, the Judge will instruct you on the questions to be answered and the laws that pertain. The Judge may give his/her instructions before final arguments.
• Deliberations: The jury will then be given an oath and taken to the jury room where you will then discuss the case until you have reached a verdict. After delivering the verdict to the Court, you will be dismissed from the courtroom.

3. How long am I on call for jury service?

Your jury term will continue for one month as indicated on your jury summons. You need only report for jury service 5 times during the length of your term. However, if a particular case requires more time to conclude, your service may be more than 5 days. You are exempt from jury duty for four (4) years after your month of service.

4. How was I selected for jury service?

Before the start of each jury year, the Clerk of Circuit Court draws the names of a sufficient number of eligible jurors from the master list of jurors. This selection is a random process, whereby names of potential jurors were drawn from the Wisconsin Department of Transportation’s Driver's License and Personal Identification Cardholder list.

5. How will I know if I must report for jury service?

A summons will be mailed to you approximately three weeks prior to your month of service. This notice will advise you of the dates for which you have been selected to serve. Please be sure to retain the summons and attachments as it contains important information that you will need during your month of service, including your panel member number. St. Croix County uses a mass notification system to provide jurors with up-to-date information regarding the status of jury trials. You will receive a phone call, voice mail message and/or e-mail from the court. If you do not receive an updated notification, you must call the Juror Information Line at 800-640-8524 or 715-386-4629 after 5 p.m. the evening before each scheduled trial. If you report for jury service after the message indicated it was not necessary to do so, you will not receive compensation or credit toward your service for that day.

Juror Information Line: 800-640-8524 or 715-386-4629

6. May I be excused from jury service?

By law, no qualified juror is exempt or may be excused from jury service, except by order of the Court, based on a finding that jury service would entail undue hardship. Any such request must be done in writing and addressed to the attention of the jury clerk. A request for exclusion due to vacation must be made in writing, addressed to the attention of the jury clerk, well in advance of your scheduled vacation date. If you find you are ill on a day you’ve been summoned to report for jury service, you must call the office at 715-386-4629 as soon after 8 a.m. as possible.

7. What if my address changes?

If your residence should change during your term of jury service, we ask that you notify the Clerk of Courts office immediately.

8. What is my duty as a juror?

As a juror you are in the position of responsibility and are expected to conduct yourself in such a way that no one may question your impartiality and integrity.

Some Simple Rules to Follow:

• Be prompt: Tardiness causes delay and wastes the time of all involved.
• Listen Carefully: You will base your decision on the evidence presented to you.
• Keep an open mind: Do not form hasty conclusions or opinions.
• Do not discuss the case: During the trial, you should not talk about the case to anyone, including other jurors.
• Do not read or listen to outside newspaper or radio accounts: Newspaper and radio accounts may present a biased or unbalanced evaluation of the case.
• Control your emotions: You may be confronted with exhibits or testimony which make you uncomfortable. Be prepared. You should not show any visual expression or make any audible sound that can indicate you have been affected.
• Do not inspect the scene of a case on your own: If the Judge determines that an inspection of the scene or premises involved in a case is appropriate, the Judge will arrange for the jury as a whole to make this inspection, accompanied by the court officials, attorneys, and the parties involved.
• Report any violations of these rules to the bailiff: If you have become aware of anything outside the courtroom that causes you concern, inform the bailiff.

The most important qualifications of a juror are fairness and impartiality. You must lay aside all bias and prejudice. You are the foundation of our Judicial system, and your actions and decision should reflect this important rule.