District of Idaho

Names of grand and petit jurors serving in this Court will be selected by randomized procedures from the merged lists of licensed drivers, holders of state identification cards, and registered voters. The names of registered voters will be obtained from the general election as maintained in the books, lists, or automated voter registration systems of each county, as being the correct number by the Secretary of State. The names of licensed drivers and state identification card holders will be obtained from the lists or automated systems from the Department of Motor Vehicles.  Such lists, as described above, represent a fair cross section of the community within the district.

For the jury system to work, it is essential that courts and employers work in partnership to ensure that all employees are available to serve jury duty when summoned. Without cooperation from the business community, we risk losing a fundamental principle upon which we, private and corporate citizens alike, depend. Cooperation from employers is vital in maintaining a strong jury system; and your participation is necessary.

We realize that even the temporary absence of an employee can create a hardship for any business.  Juries are the bedrock of our legal system.  That legal system, and the rule of law which it preserves, is critical to the success of our economic institutions and the preservation of our individual rights.  It is this reason, that we ask for your sacrifice and cooperation.

Please accept our sincere appreciation for allowing your employee to serve as a juror in the District of Idaho.

Businesses frequently benefit directly from our legal system. The federal civil litigation system in particular is filled with a variety of business-related disputes. These may include actions concerning contracts, copyrights, trademark infringement, antitrust and unfair competition, employment discrimination, and environmental issues.

Employers and businesses are encouraged to support the jury system by continuing to pay their employee while serving on jury duty.  If, together, we can decrease the financial hardship caused by jury service, it allows us to ensure juries that are representative of our community.

It is the policy of this Court that all litigants in the Court, entitled to trial by jury, shall have the right to petit jurors selected at random from a fair cross section of the community in the division where the Court convenes. All qualified citizens who reside in the District of Idaho and are not exempt or disqualified, shall have an obligation to serve as jurors when summoned for that purpose.

Occupation-based excuses, which existed in years past, have all but been eliminated Circuit wide and as provided by the District of Idaho’s Jury Plan. All eligible citizens are expected to report for jury duty, including accountants, college students, dentists, doctors, farmers, lawyers, local and long-haul truck drivers, the self-employed, school teachers, and stay at home mothers/fathers.

Pursuant to the provisions of 28 U.S.C. § 1875, an employee is protected from being discharged, threatened, intimidated, or coerced by their employer because of their federal jury service. 

An employer violating this provision is subject to:

Liability for damages to the employee;

• An injunction prohibiting further such violations and providing appropriate relief including the reinstatement of such employee;

• A civil penalty of not more than $5,000 for each violation on each employee; and

• An order to perform community service.

1. Jurors claiming that their employers have violated their employment protection rights may apply for appointment of counsel to bring such a claim. Upon the court finding probable merit in such a claim, the Court may appoint counsel to represent the juror 28 U.S.C. § 1875(d);

2. District courts have jurisdiction over civil actions brought for the protection of jurors' employment rights. 28 U.S.C. § 1363.

Generally, jury trials in this Court last from one to two weeks. Occasionally, in complex cases, trials last longer.

Jurors report to Court on days when a trial is scheduled. Some will be selected for service and those who are not will be released, which completes their jury service for the remainder of the month unless otherwise ordered by the judge;

For those chosen to serve, the presiding judge will set the schedule. Generally, trials may run from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., or 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Federal jurors are paid an attendance fee of $50 per day for attendance, in addition to the current federal per diem rate for round-trip mileage. Jurors can receive up to $60 per day after serving 10 days on a petit jury trial. Employees of the federal government are paid their regular salary in lieu of this fee.

A federal government employee in pay status is entitled to court leave, without loss or reduction in the pay or leave to which the employee is otherwise entitled, during a period of absence taken for the purpose of serving as a federal juror. See also 5 U.S.C. § 6322(a).

Specific applications of this rule include the following:

1. If an employee is on annual leave when called for jury service, court leave should be substitute;

2. An employee may not elect to take annual leave instead of court leave, and may not receive the statutory attendance fee for such service;

3. An employee on leave without pay may not be granted court leave when called for jury duty. Such an employee should receive the attendance fee.

1. An employee of the federal government may retain jury fees for service as a juror in a court of the United States during a period of time that is not included in the employee's scheduled shift on duty, or occurring before or after the employee works their regular shift;

2. Evidence of the status of such employee may be in the form of a statement from the agency concerned, indicating that the employee was in a non-pay status during the period involved.

There may be times when a jury will be sequestered. A “sequestered” jury is one that is kept together in a private location separate from their homes or workplace during part or all of a trial.  This is often done for reasons of privacy or to prevent the jury’s decision from being based on media coverage or the opinions of the public in a high-profile case.

Most jury trials in our District do not involve sequestering a jury. 

The Jury Administrator or Jury Clerk will provide written verification certifying the date that your employee was present for jury duty.

In case of an emergency, please contact the following: