As the presiding judge of the Third Judicial Circuit Court, I welcome you to jury service.  It is my hope that if you are selected for jury duty, you will find your time in the court system both interesting and rewarding.  This website is provided for your convenience. We expect you will find the resources and information contained herein to be useful, especially the frequently asked questions section.  After reviewing the information on this site, if you have any further questions, please visit or call the Clerk of Courts office at 605-353-7165.

Jury service is a duty, a privilege, and a right guaranteed by the South Dakota and United States Constitution.  On behalf of the judges and staff of the Third Judicial Circuit, we thank you for your service.

Gregory J. Stoltenburg
Presiding Circuit Court Judge               

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

The following are the most frequent questions people ask about their jury service. Any other questions should be addressed to the Clerk of Courts office in the county of your residence. 

JUROR QUALIFICATIONS: South Dakota statutes provide that no citizen shall be excluded from service as a juror in the courts of this state on account of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, or economic status.  All citizens of the State of South Dakota are eligible to serve as jurors if they are 1. County residents, 2.  At least 18 years of age, 3.  Sound Mind, and 4.  Able to read, write, and understand the English language. 

PHYSICAL IMPAIRMENTS: Jurors may not be automatically excluded because of a visual or hearing impairment. There are no automatic exclusions for other disabilities, having small children at home, caring for an ill spouse, having a job that requires you to travel, etc.; however, these are factors the Judge will consider in deciding whether jury duty would constitute enough of a hardship for you that you would be excused from jury duty.

JUROR QUESTIONNAIRE: When you receive a juror summons via U.S. mail, you will be instructed to fill out a paper juror questionnaire or complete the juror questionnaire online.  If you complete the juror questionnaire online, make sure you receive a registration confirmation after submission.  If you do not receive a registration confirmation with a registration code and option to print proof of registration for your records, you did not complete correctly, and you will need to complete the juror questionnaire again. 

SPECIAL ACCOMMODATIONS: If you need any special accommodations such as impaired hearing accommodations or wheelchair access, please note them on the bottom right corner of the juror qualification form.  If completing the juror qualification form online, please note it on the additional information tab under special accommodations. 

HOW WAS I SELECTED: In the State of South Dakota, jurors are selected randomly from a list which combines names from the list of registered voters and the list of South Dakota licensed drivers over the age of eighteen (18) who are residents of the county.

JUROR FEES: The State Legislature has authorized the Court to pay you $10.00 for each day you report to the courthouse for jury service, or $50.00 each day you are selected to hear a case, plus $0.51 per mile, round trip mileage from your residence to the courthouse.

FAIL TO APPEAR: Any person summoned to appear as a juror who fails to appear is guilty of contempt of court and may be fined or imprisoned in the county jail.

JURY TERM: Jury service terms vary by county, but usually a juror serves a term of six months to one year.  Your term will be printed on the juror summons you receive in the mail.  When you are required to appear, court will normally be in session from 8:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.  It is possible court will run past 5:00 p.m.  It is extremely rare to be sequestered and not released to go home during a trial.  Typically, you will not serve jury duty on nights or weekends.  However, if you are selected as a juror in a case, it is possible for deliberations to go into evening hours.

LOCATION: The location you will report to is also located on the juror summons.  You will report to the county courthouse.  You will receive a letter about one week prior to your term of service with instructions and notification of the specific jury panel to which you have been assigned.

DRESS CODE: Dress is casual.  Jeans are acceptable.  Leave hats and sunglasses at home. 

ATTENDANCE: The judges of the 3^rd circuit expect jurors to report when they are requested. Please notify your employer(s) immediately of your designated Jury Term so that any possible scheduling difficulties can be worked out. You will NOT be released from jury duty for work purposes. If you have previously contacted the Clerk of Courts and have been excused for a specific date, we do not expect you to report. If illness or emergency prevents your attendance, please call the Clerk of Courts office as near to 8:00 a.m. as possible.   

PARKING: Parking is free of charge and available in the lot located directly at the courthouse, and in any of the parking spaces around the courthouse.

SECURITY: The Third Circuit staff and sheriff’s offices remind you that you will be entering through a security screening process upon entering the courthouse. It is illegal to bring knives or weapons into the courthouse. To avoid delay, leave all pocketknives, multi-tool pliers, chemical pepper spray, and other weapons or unneeded items in your car. We realize that this security screening process will pose a slight inconvenience to you. However, the metal detectors/wands and/or security personnel will provide a safer environment, which benefits you and all others who enter the courthouse.