New Hanover County Jury Service
Length of Service
Jury service in this county operates on the one-day / one-trial system. A new group of jurors are summoned each day of the week and, if selected to serve on a jury, a juror will serve for that day or for the length of a trial. However, if a person is not selected for a trial, their jury service will be complete after that one day. If selected to serve on a trial that is completed before the end of the day, those jurors will return to the jury assembly area and may then be selected for service on another case. If not selected again, those jurors will be allowed to go home at the end of the day, having completed their jury service. Jurors selected for a trial that takes several days will need to be present each day during the trial.
The average length of service, if selected to serve as a juror in a trial, is two days.
Hours of Service
Typically, court will start at 9:30 a.m., we break for lunch from 12:30 p.m. - 2:00 p.m. and finish at 5:00 p.m. However, the schedule may change and you must be available for duty as directed by the judge or the jury clerk.
When and Where to Report
Please read the information on the jury summons and call the courtesy phone number listed on the summons to determine reporting status.
Please read the parking instructions carefully. Report to Jury Assembly Room 417 located in the New Hanover County Judicial Building. Jurors should arrive at the time stated on their summons at which time they will be checked in by the jury coordinator.