Resumption of Jury Trials
October 5, 2020 AS PHASE 5 BEGINS
Jury trials in the Montgomery County Circuit Court are scheduled to resume on October 5, 2020. Because of the continuance of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the need to comply with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) social distancing guidelines, it will be necessary to limit the number of persons summonsed for jury duty on a daily basis. As a result, the number of juries that can be selected on any given day will likely not exceed two. During the first two weeks, it is anticipated that only one jury will be selected per day. Multi-defendant criminal cases will likely not be accommodated for the first month of the new jury system. Please read the Resumption of Jury Trials (PDF) carefully, as it governs important procedures for the conduct of jury trials for the immediate future.
Jurors will be directed to use the jury parking lot at the corner of Fleet Street and Monroe Street. This open lot will accommodate all summoned jurors with no need for overflow parking in the Council Office Building parking garage. The court will suspend the need for County Security to monitor parking in the lot to eliminate the need for jurors to engage with an individual when arriving at the jury parking lot.
MasksMasks are required to be worn at all times when in the courthouse. Masks may not be inscribed with offensive or other politically-charged language. The Jury Commissioner, voir dire judge or trial judge in the courtroom will use their discretion in enforcing this requirement. A stock of disposable masks will be available in the Jury Assembly Room and each courtroom to provide a juror, litigant, or counsel with a replacement mask if needed. Disposable clear plastic face shields will also be available for use by witnesses during their testimony.
Security ScreeningJurors will proceed from the jury parking lot to the Maryland Avenue or Monroe Street courthouse entrances. Juror names will be provided to Sheriff’s deputies by 4:00 p.m. the evening before jury duty. Only those jurors on the visitor’s log or those approved by the Jury Commissioner and needed for the jury pool will be permitted access to the building. Before a juror is admitted to the courthouse, he or she will be required to answer medical screening questions related to possible COVID-19 exposure and consent to a non-contact thermometer check. If response to any question is affirmative or if a temperature registers 100.0 degrees Fahrenheit or above, that juror will be barred from entering the courthouse. The Sheriff’s deputies will notify the Jury Office of the denial of entry.
Jurors will proceed through the security screening station. Plastic bags are being provided for small items going through x-ray screening. If items are too large, plastic bags will be used to line the bottom of the screening bin and items will be placed on top of the bags for x-ray screening. The plastic bags will be disposed of after each use. Bins will be regularly sanitized throughout the day. Floor markings designate queuing distance for screening.
Check InJury Office staff will manually check all jurors into the Jury Management System, Jury+, to provide a touchless experience with juror attendance. Upon arrival to the Jury Assembly Room, each juror will be given an envelope with their juror number, juror badge, juror attendance certificate, juror cash stipend, and emergency call-back instructions for contact tracing or in case they fall ill during the next 14 days. Each juror will be given a seat number and will proceed directly to that seat. If the case for which the juror was summoned involves an incarcerated defendant, the juror will be directed to Courtroom 3E, where another Jury+ check-in station will be set up in one of the witness rooms outside of the courtroom.
The Jury Assembly Room will be used for juror orientation and selection for all civil and criminal cases with non-incarcerated defendants. Courtroom 3E will be used for juror orientation and selection for all criminal cases with incarcerated defendants. Jurors will report directly to one of these locations where they will remain until selected for jury duty. Once selected, jurors will be sent to a courtroom for the trial to begin.
- The Jury Assembly Room and Courtroom 3E will be equipped with hand sanitizer, disinfecting spray and wipes, disposable face masks and gloves.
- The County and contract cleaning staff will disinfect and clean all seats, work areas, and high touch areas each morning, during lunch, and afternoon.
- Non-touch trash cans will be installed in both jury selection locations.
- Jurors should be encouraged to bring their own water bottles, as the courtrooms will not be providing water pitchers or cups for their use.
- All magazines and related materials will be removed from the Jury Assembly Room.
- Vending machines will be disabled, and no food may be consumed in the Jury Assembly Room.
- Inside your envelope please find your certificate of service, juror stipend and juror badge. Your juror certificate reflects proof of service for jury service.
- Please wear the juror badge at all times during jury service. If you should lose your juror badge, please notify a jury staff member. Please note: Face masks must always be worn while in the Circuit Court building.
- Restrooms are located at the rear of the Jury Assembly Room.
- At this time, the break room located at the far end of the Jury Assembly Room is closed for public use.
- Following a brief orientation, jury selection will be held in the Jury Assembly Room or Courtroom 3E. Jurors will go through a process called Voir Dire in which he/she will be asked a series of questions pertaining to the case presented.
- During this process, unless otherwise stated, all electronic equipment (including cell phones) is prohibited from use and must be turned off and remain off during the selection process. Further instructions regarding reporting for service will be provided by the trial judge.
- If selected as a juror, please maintain all personal belongings and valuables with you. When you leave for a courtroom, please take all personal items. If an item was kept with security, please remember to retrieve it prior to leaving the courthouse. The Security Office closes at 6:00 p.m.
- STIPEND (EXPENSE MONEY) as set by Maryland Statute is $15.00 per day for the first 5 days. Thereafter, any trial continuing to a sixth day, the expense stipend is $50 per day.
- PLEASE IMMEDIATELY CONTACT THE JURY COMMISSIONER AT 240-777-9099, IF YOU:
- Experience COVID-19 symptoms within the next 14 days (cough, fever, sore throat, unusual muscle pain or headache, new loss of taste or smell, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, or any other flu-like symptom).
- Have been in close, prolonged contact (less than 6 feet for more than 15 minutes) with someone with a diagnosis of COVID-19.
- Have tested positive for COVID-19.
- Any questions or concerns that may arise after the completion of your service, please feel free to contact the Jury Office at 240-777-9090 during normal business hours of 10:30am - 4:30pm Monday through Friday.
IN CASE OF EMERGENCY, PLEASE CALL
240-777-9090
Monday - Friday: 10:30 AM - 4:30 PM
INCLEMENT WEATHER INFORMATION
240-777-9399