Nebraska - Jury Duty Laws, Jury Selection, Juror Qualification

Jury Duty in Nebraska - What to Expect

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| Juror Qualifications in Nebraska - Who Can Be Summoned?

In the American court system, criminal defendants are guaranteed the right to trial by a "jury of their peers". In Nebraska, a pool of potential jurors is randomly selected from the local population of individuals eligible for jury duty.

A prospective juror must be:

A citizen for the United States

19 years of age or older

be physically and mentally capable

not convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment in an adult correctional facility without having the conviction set aside or a pardon issued

| Juror Selection in Nebraska - What to Expect?

How Are Potential Jurors Chosen in Nebraska?

The first stage in jury selection is summoning a pool of potential jurors from the list of local citizens eligible to serve on a jury in Nebraska, as described above.

The officer of election records (registered voters) provides names to the jury commissioner. Department of Motor Vehicles also provides a list of names of licensed vehicle operators and state identification card holders to each jury commissioner in the county, once yearly. The jury commissioner may request such a list from the county treasurer, if available.The lists are combined to produce a master list, without duplicate records.

In counties with a population greater than 7,000, the list shall be produced once yearly. In counties with a lesser population, the list is produced once every two years.

Receiving a Jury Duty Summons in Nebraska

If your name is randomly selected for the jury pool through the process described above, you receive a jury summons in the mail instructing you to appear for jury selection on a pre-set day.

While there are a few excuses for getting out of jury selection in NE, most people summoned will have to report to the courthouse for the next stage of the juror selection process, voir dire.

The Juror Selection Process, or "Voir Dire"

Just because you qualify to be a juror and are summoned for jury selection, doesn't mean that you will be selected to be a juror on a case. The process of "Voir Dire", the actual act of jury selection, is how judges, defense attorneys, and prosecutors actually choose the individuals who will sit on the juries for upcoming criminal and civil cases.

During the voir dire process, each lawyer will ask the pool of potential jurors a series of questions about their background, beliefs, prejudices, or relationships with any party to the case. While the goal is to select an impartial jury to render a verdict, each attorney will also seek to exclude any jurors who seem to be more likely to vote against their client's interests. While jury candidates are instructed to be open and truthful when answering such questions, the juror selection process is also where most individuals who don't wish to serve on a trial find a way to be excused from further juror duties.

What Happens After Jury Selection Day

If you are selected to serve on a jury, you will be provided with the trial date, and must return to serve on the jury for the duration of the trial and deliberations. If you were not selected to serve on any jury during the voir dire process, you can go home, and your Nebraska jury duty obligations are complete.

You will receive nominal Nebraska jury duty pay for the jury selection day, as well as for any days served on a jury. Once your service is complete, you won't be summoned for jury duty again until Nebraska re-adds you to the potential juror pool.

| Jury Duty Attire (Dress Code) in Nebraska

Jurors reporting for jury duty or jury selection in the state of Nebraska are expected to dress professionally, in a manner appropriate for a court room.

Most courthouses suggest dress ranging from business casual to business attire. For men, this means slacks or khakis and a polo or button-down shirt, potentially with a tie or suit jacket. For women, this means a professional-looking pair of pants or a skirt, cardigan, sweater, twinset, or shirt.

As a juror, you are expected to maintain a professional and respectable appearance while performing your duties. Hats should never be worn in a courtroom, and you should avoid wearing shorts, t-shirts, tanktops, or anything printed with logos or slogans.

| How Frequently Can I Be Called for Jury Duty in Nebraska?

While jury duty is a civic requirement for all eligible citizens in Nebraska, the state restricts how often you can be summoned for jury duty in order to ensure a fresh jury pool and prevent undue hardship by being summoned too frequently.

Nebraska Jury Duty Summons Frequency:

Jurors having served, in the last 5 years, more than 4 weeks on Petit Jury; or having served on more than one Grand Jury; or, having served on both a grand jury and a petit jury are exempt from further service.

| What Happens If I Fail to Appear for Jury Duty in NE?

While there are a number of ways to be legally excused from jury duty in Nebraska, failing to appear when summoned for jury selection or jury duty without an excuse is illegal, and can result in legal repercussions.

A summoned juror who neglects to attend without good cause may be found guilty of contempt of court. The penalty for contempt of court is imprisonment in the county jail for not more than 30 days.

Employers in Nebraska are also forbidden from penalizing employees who miss work for jury duty.

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