Posted: Wednesday, January 19, 2011

Minnesota citizens called to serve as jurors in the 89 state District Courts are being encouraged to complete the required Juror Qualification Questionnaire through the Judicial Branch Website, www.mncourts.gov.

Each year, approximately 180,000 Minnesotans are summoned to serve as jurors.  Citizens summoned are required to complete and return a qualification questionnaire to a court administration office or jury management center, where it is reviewed to determine if the prospective juror qualifies to serve.

In addition to the questionnaire, the Jury Service Web pages include answers to frequently asked questions, a video and handbook (All Rise: Jury Service in Minnesota), and the option of requesting a postponement. 

The online Juror Qualification Questionnaire was developed as part of the Judicial Branch’s on-going efforts to use technology to increase efficiency, reduce costs, and make the courts more accessible. 

Since it became available in August 2009, about 20 percent of the citizens called to serve have chosen to use the online option, with higher usage percentages reported in the metro areas of the state. 

Court administrators would like to see more summoned citizens use the online option because it reduces the amount of court staff time required to process the questionnaires. 

To learn more about serving as a juror in the Minnesota state courts, visit www.mncourts.gov/juryservice.