Once all jurors scheduled for service have been checked in, they will be given an orientation conducted by the Jury Coordinator. This is followed by a fifteen-minute video designed to educate jurors on the procedures of jury service. It is requested that jurors be patient and pay attention during the orientation and video, which will answer most, if not all, questions they may have. After the video, jurors are administered an oath. Jurors will wait in the Jury Assembly Room until they are called to a courtroom.
Throughout the day, jurors may be selected randomly to report to either a civil or criminal courtroom. The judge will brief jurors on the case and introduce the lawyers involved. The judge and lawyers will question each juror to determine impartiality by examining past experiences, opinions or biases. Once a jury is selected, another oath will be administered to all impaneled jurors. Jurors not impaneled must report back to the Jury Assembly Room (5450). The trial begins with the opening statements made by the attorneys for both the plaintiff/state and the defendant. The plaintiff/state must always present evidence. The defendant will be given the opportunity to present evidence, but is not required to do so. Closing arguments are made after the presentation of all the evidence. The judge will instruct the jurors on the issues of the case. The jury will then deliberate and announce its verdict.
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