The United States District Court currently obtains the names of our jurors from two sources: a list of registered voters from the Secretary of States Office and a list of state identification cards/licensed drivers over the age of 18 from the Missouri Department of Revenue. If you have moved, but still reside in the boundaries of your district, you will be subject to jury service.
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FAQs
Jury
Questionnaire
General Questions
Requests to be Excluded From Jury Duty
Term of Service
District Boundaries and Places Holding Court
Juror Fees
Long Distance Travel & Accommodations
Automated Jury Message
Court Hours and Length of Trial
Parking
Race and gender are not factors in determining your eligibility to serve as a juror. We ask these questions so that we can assure a proper racial and gender balance in our master jury wheel.
Back to TopYes, we need the information contained on your questionnaire for statistical purposes, even if you have been excused. If you are requesting an excuse, you may submit the excuse online or by fax. You can send an excuse in writing if the above options are unavailable.
Back to TopA petit juror's responsibility is to determine issues of fact in civil and criminal cases and to reach a verdict in conjunction with those findings. A grand juror's responsibility is to determine "probable cause" based on the facts and accusations presented by the prosecutor. If a grand jury finds probable cause, an indictment will be handed down. An indictment is the most common way a criminal case starts.
Back to TopWe have both civil and criminal trials in Federal Court. Criminal trials consist of juries composed of 12 jurors plus alternates, and civil trials are composed of 6 to 12 jurors. Only 12 jurors can deliberate on any trial.
Back to TopGeneral questions may be answered by calling (816) 512-5100. You can also contact us:
Our e-mail address: jury@mow.uscourts.gov
Back to TopThe juror information must be completed before you can request an excuse. You may go online at mow.uscourts.gov to complete the juror information. Once your information is complete, you will need to log out and then log back on to request an excuse. The words, EXCUSE/PARTIAL EXCUSE OR DEFER will be to the left of the screen once you have logged in. Click on one of those words to continue. (If you make any changes, you won't be able to access the excuse category until we have accepted your changes). You will need to track your status by calling our Juror Automated System. The number is 800-488-0679. You will need to have your participant number available. If you do not have access to a computer or fax, you can mail a request for excuse to our office.
Back to TopThe only time you should call regarding an excuse is when you have a last minute emergency that cannot be handled online or by fax. Requests by employers will not be accepted.
Back to TopYou may go online and request a partial excuse by logging on to ejuror. To the left of the welcome page, you will find the word PARTIAL EXCUSE. Click on it to continue. If you do not have access to a computer, you may fax or mail in a request. (Please include dates). Please allow ample time if mailing in request.
Back to TopUnder federal law, employers must allow their employees time off for jury duty. An employee cannot be punished by their employer in any way for jury service. However, under the law, the employer is not required to pay salary or wages while the employee is serving jury duty.
Back to TopYou should call 800-488-0679 as instructed on your summons for up to date information each weekend during your term of service.
Back to TopYour term of service depends on whether you are a petit juror or a grand juror, and where you have been summoned to serve.
Term of Service for Petit Jurors
All petit jurors serving in Kansas City, Jefferson City and Springfield are required to be on call for a period of two weeks up to one month. During that time, you may be called to serve on any of the dates listed on your initial reporting instructions.
Term of Service for Grand Jurors
You will be asked to report for grand jury selection only once. If you are not selected as a grand juror, you will not be asked to report again, and your term of service is complete. If you are selected as a grand juror, the term of service is eighteen months with no maximum number of times to report. In most instances, you will be required to report once a month until your term has expired.
Back to TopWe change our jury wheels every two years. However, you do not have to serve a second time if you have served as a juror in federal or state court within the last two years and will be excused upon proof of service.
Back to TopYou have been called to serve for a period of two weeks up to one month, unless notified to the contrary, your service will be over once your period (two weeks up to one month) is completed.
Back to TopThe United States District Court for the Western District of Missouri is comprised of five divisions, namely: Kansas City, Jefferson City, Springfield, St. Joseph and Joplin.
Kansas City Division
The Kansas City Division (Western Division) is comprised of the counties of Bates, Carroll, Cass, Clay, Henry, Jackson, Johnson, Lafayette, Ray, St. Clair and Saline.
Jefferson City Division
The Jefferson City Division (Central Division) is comprised of the counties of Benton, Boone, Callaway, Camden, Cole, Cooper, Hickory, Howard, Miller, Moniteau, Morgan, Osage and Pettis.
Springfield Division
The Springfield Division (Southern Division) is comprised of the counties of Cedar, Christian, Dade, Dallas, Douglas, Greene, Howell, Laclede, Oregon, Ozark, Polk, Pulaski, Taney, Texas, Webster and Wright.
St. Joseph Division
The St. Joseph Division is comprised of the counties of Andrew, Atchison, Buchanan, Caldwell, Clinton, Daviess, DeKalb, Gentry, Grundy, Harrison, Holt, Livingston, Mercer, Nodaway, Platte, Putnam, Sullivan and Worth.
Joplin Division
The Joplin Division (Southwestern Division) is comprised of the counties of Barry, Barton, Jasper, Lawrence, McDonald, Newton, Stone and Vernon.
Back to TopThe attendance fee is $50.00 per day, unless you are employed by the Federal Government. Jurors will be reimbursed for their round trip mileage and parking.
Back to TopWe do not have a stub itemizing your days of service. However, upon request, the Clerk's Office will furnish you with a certificate stating the date you reported and that you were paid $50.00 attendance fee. We do not list the parking or mileage that you were paid since it is a direct reimbursement of your expenses and it is not recoverable by your employer.
Back to TopThe IRS considers juror attendance fees to the Other Income and must be reported on Line 21 of the 1040. At the end of the year, a 1099 MISC will be mailed to all jurors who earn $600 or more in attendance fees in the calendar year.
Back to TopAt this time, there is no law requiring them to do so. The majority of employers at least make up the difference.
Back to TopJurors who live 75 miles or more from your requested reporting city, may travel to the court the evening before you are due to report and spend the night. You will be paid an attendance fee for the day you travel as well as the day you report, plus subsistence for that night. In some instances, if you live less than 75 miles, this requirement may be waived if you show good reason for having to travel the night before. If you stay in a hotel/motel, you must turn in a receipt to be paid per diem. If you stay with friends or relatives, you must advise the jury staff of this.
Back to TopYou should make your own reservations and pay your own bill. When you make your reservations, please advise the hotel that you are a federal juror and you should receive the government rate. Do not book online with a travel site. Hotels will not issue a receipt for online reservations and you will not be reimbursed for those expenses.
When using online booking with the Hilton chain of hotels, the website may direct the user to a third party payment portal in order to prepay for the room. This portal adds a non-itemized "Tax recovery charge and service fee" to the reservation of up to nearly 50% of the cost of the room. Under our travel regulations, this "service fee" would not be reimbursable to the traveler.
Court travelers are cautioned to NOT prepay for their lodging at Hilton hotels. Instead, please contact the hotel directly and give them your credit card number to secure the room. The card should only be charged at the time of travel.
The Hilton chain of hotels includes:
Double Tree
Embassy Suites
Hilton Garden Inn
Hampton Inn
Homewood Suites
Home 2
You will be reimbursed the subsistence rate on your jury check. There are several hotels in the Kansas City Metro and surrounding areas.
Back to TopPlease refer to your jury summons for current information regarding your subsistence rate.
Back to TopWe have an automated jury message system which is used to inform our jurors of their status during their period of "on call" service. Jurors must call this message as instructed on their summons.
The phone number is 1-800-488-0679.
Back to TopJuries will be selected on the first day you report for jury duty. If you are selected to serve, you will most likely begin the trial that day. There are no standard court hours. If you are not selected to serve, you could be dismissed by noon or early afternoon.
Back to TopSometimes trials will run into the evening hours. If that happens, you will have ample time to make any necessary arrangements and advise your family. Sequestration is always a possibility, however, you will be informed of that possibility on the day of selection.
Back to TopJury trials can last anywhere from less than one day to many weeks in length. The majority of our trials in the Western District of Missouri last two to three days. If you were subject to a lengthy trial, you will have an opportunity to advise the court that a long trial would be a problem for you.
Back to TopKansas City Division
The courthouse in Kansas City opens at 7:00am. Some public parking locations:
Southwest corner of 9th & Oak Streets ($5.00)
11th & Oak Streets ($13.00)
9th & Holmes Streets ($3.00-5.00)
10th & Locust-JE Dunn ($13.00)
Do NOT use metered parking on the street and do NOT park at the UMB Parking Garage. Designated handicap parking spots are available to jurors within the Federal Employee Parking Lot located just west of the courthouse, entrance on 9th Street. If you need to use a wheelchair while in the courthouse, one will be made available by contacting 816-512-5100.
Jefferson City Division
Jurors should use the parking lot located on State Street just west of the courthouse. When the juror lot is full, on-street parking is available. Handicap parking is located on Lafayette Street in front of the courthouse.
Springfield Division
Parking is adjacent just north of the courthouse. Handicap parking is available near ramp in the parking lot.
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