Paulding County Municipal Court

Jury Duty

When you are called to be a juror, you become a very important person in our legal system. In the United States, our justice system is based on the belief that a just and fair result in court comes from having disputes settled by our fellow citizens. Very few of us ever have to go to court as plaintiffs or defendants, but when we do, we want good, honest people to listen to the evidence and decide our cases fairly.

Therefore, when we are called to serve on a jury, we have an obligation to our fellow citizens to honor the summons and appear at court. Some cases may be more important than others, but to the parties involved, their case is very important, and they deserve to have it decided by honest and impartial jurors.

If you have been selected as a prospective juror, you will be asked to report to the court at 8:30 am on the date of trial. The court is located at 201 East Caroline Street, Suite 2, Paulding, Ohio.

Please come dressed appropriately for juror service. As the temperature in the courtroom may vary, you may want to bring a sweater or jacket with you.

Do not bring children or anyone else with you. You may spend some time waiting. You may want to bring some reading material with you.

If you need proof that you have served as a prospective and/or seated juror for your employer, ask the Court upon leaving.

Eight jurors and one alternate will be selected as the panel of jurors. At the end of the trial, the alternate juror will be dismissed. The other jurors will be sequestered for deliberations.

Frequently Asked Questions

What time do I need to report for jury duty?: You will be required to report for jury service at 201 East Caroline Street, Suite 2, Paulding, Ohio, promptly at 8:30 am on the designated date.

Do the cases ever get resolved before trial?: Yes. The parties involved in a case usually try to settle their differences and avoid the time and expense of a trial. Sometimes a case is settled only minutes before the trial begins. Therefore, even though many trials are scheduled each day, some of them will not actually go to trial, so those cases will not need juries. But your time spent waiting to serve is not wasted; your presence encourages settlement. Many of the cases, both civil and criminal, are settled a day or two before the day of trial, therefore eliminating the need for jurors to report for jury service. In an effort to avoid having jurors make unnecessary trips to the Paulding County Municipal Court, you should contact the Paulding County Municipal Court at (419) 399-5370 the day before your scheduled jury service to make sure your presence will still be necessary the next day.

Must my employer pay me while I am on jury duty?: Your employer is not required to pay you while on jury duty; however, employers are prohibited by law from firing an employee for serving as a juror.

What do I do in case of sudden illness or emergency?: If you should become ill, or, if there is a death or a grave illness in your family or if a similarly serious problem should arise, you or some responsible person on your behalf must submit a written excuse to the jury coordinator in order to secure an excuse from reporting on the designated date for jury service. Only the judge is authorized to grant this type of excuse from jury service.

I'm going to be out of town the day of the trial – what should I do?: If you know of days during your scheduled term of service when you cannot be present for jury service, as, for example, a business trip or a vacation, you must notify the jury coordinator in writing and secure a temporary excuse from reporting on the designated date. As indicated above, only Judge Rister is authorized to grant this type of temporary excuse from jury service. Please direct all correspondence to Paulding County Municipal Court, 201 East Caroline Street, Suite 2, Paulding, Ohio 45879.

Is there compensation for jury duty?: Jurors will receive $15.00 for each day they are scheduled for jury duty at the Paulding County Municipal Court, regardless of whether or not they are selected to serve as a juror. Further, no provision has been made by the Ohio Legislature for the payment of mileage. Jury fees are paid by the Paulding County Auditor and will be mailed to you by the Auditor following the completion of jury service.

Does the court provide lunch?: No, but there will be a break for lunch and you may leave the Paulding County Municipal Court to get something to eat if you would like.