WHO MUST SERVE

Jury service is both a privilege and a duty of all citizens of this state. Only if you are specifically precluded by law from serving or if you obtain a court approved excuse from jury service will you not be required to serve. See the Juror Qualification Form for further information regarding exemptions and excuse from jury duty.

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) of sound mind, and (4) able to read, write, and understand the English language.

CITIZENS NOT ELIGIBLE

Penitentiary employees and convicted felons whose civil rights have not been restored are not eligible to serve as jurors. Clergy may be exempt from jury service when it conflicts with their religious beliefs.

PHYSICAL IMPAIRMENTS

Jurors may not be automatically excluded because of a visual or hearing impairment. There are no automatic exclusions for other disabilities, advanced age, 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.

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.

AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT

Individuals needing assistance or special requirements should contact the Clerk of Courts office 48 hours before their attendance to make necessary arrangements. Please feel free to list any special requirements on a separate sheet of paper and enclose when returning the questionnaire.

HOW JURORS ARE 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 $0.65 per mile, round trip mileage from your residence to the courthouse.

EMPLOYMENT STATUS

No employer may discharge or suspend any employee for serving as a juror; any employee serving as a juror shall retain and be entitled to the same job status, pay, and seniority as he/she had prior to serving as a juror. However, the employer has discretion as to whether absence for jury duty is with or without pay. Certification of attendance for your employer may be obtained from the Court Admistration office in the courthouse.

FAILURE TO APPEAR FOR JURY DUTY

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 or both.

NEW PARENT  |  BREASTFEEDING MOTHER EXEMPTION 

If you are a parent of a child expected to be born during or immediately prior to scheduled jury duty; a breastfeeding mother of a child younger than one year; or the parent of a child less than six weeks old, you may request to be excused from jury duty. You must submit a written request to the Clerk of Courts. You will only be excused upon receipt of your written request and approval by the court. You will be notified whether your request for excusal is approved or denied.