Hancock County Jury Duty Contact Info
Juror Frequently Asked Questions
To qualify for jury duty, a person must:
- Be a United States Citizen
- Be a resident of Hancock County, Illinois
- Be able to understand the English language
- Be of the age of 18 years or upwards
In Hancock County, jurors are selected from lists of licensed drivers (at least 18 years of age), registered voters, State Identification Card Holders, Illinois Department of Employment and Disabled Person I.D. Card Holders. These are combined into a single juror database. For each week of jury service, the computer system picks names at random to provide jurors for the courts.
Jury service is one of the most fundamental pillars of a democratic society. While it is often viewed as an inconvenience, it is a crucial civic duty that directly protects individual liberties and ensures the integrity of the legal system. Just as voting gives citizens a voice in making the laws, jury service gives citizens a voice in applying the laws. It is one of the few times everyday people have direct, unfiltered governing power.
Your primary job is to listen to the evidence and testimony in a case and, along with your fellow jurors, decide the outcome based on the facts and the law. Your decision must be completely objective, fair, and free from any personal bias. This commitment to impartiality is why jury service is the foundation of our legal system and essential to ensuring justice for all.
Petit jurors in Hancock County serve for one day, for the length of a trial if selected, or for additional days during the week they are scheduled if multiple jury trials are held. If you are selected as a juror on a trial, you will serve for the length of that jury trial. If you are not selected as a juror on a trial or are no longer part of the jury selection process (voir dire), you may be excused for the remainder of your service unless additional jury trials are scheduled during that week.
The computer system will randomly select the number of jurors needed from those available in the Jury Assembly Room. After the panel is selected and reports to a courtroom, a process known as voir dire begins. During voir dire, the judge and possibly the attorneys will ask you questions to see if you can keep an open mind and be fair. To be challenged is no reflection on the juror’s integrity or usefulness. After you have been questioned, you will either be selected or excused for that particular case. If you are selected, you and the other selected jurors will receive instructions from the judge as to what is expected of you.
Courtroom delays happen for a variety of reasons, and we appreciate your patience when they do. A witness might be running late, a judge may need to research a sudden legal issue, or attorneys might need to argue a point of law outside the hearing of the jury. While you may not always be told the reason for a delay, please do not guess or speculate about it. Quite often, these pauses actually resolve issues early, saving time and bringing the trial to a faster conclusion.
While both are made up of ordinary citizens, a Grand Jury and a Petit Jury (or trial jury) serve entirely different purposes at different stages of the legal process.
A Grand Jury works behind the scenes before a trial even begins; it consists of 16 to 23 people who listen to evidence presented only by the prosecutor to determine if there is enough probable cause to formally charge someone with a crime (issue an indictment).
A Petit Jury consists of 6 to 12 people and hears the actual trial; they listen to both the prosecution and the defense, evaluate the evidence in a courtroom, and deliver the final verdict of guilt or innocence.
You do not need to know the law to be an excellent juror—that is actually the judge’s job. The court will provide you with all the specific legal instructions and definitions you need before you deliberate. Your primary role as a juror is simply to be a "judge of the facts." The justice system relies on you to bring your everyday common sense, life experience, and an open mind to listen to the evidence and decide what actually happened.
Juries are chosen through a process called voir dire, which means "to speak the truth." First, a large group of local citizens is randomly selected from public records (like driver's licenses and voter registration) and called to the courthouse. Then, the judge and the attorneys question the prospective jurors to ensure they can be fair and open-minded about the case. If someone has a personal connection to the case, a conflict of interest, or a clear bias, they are excused. The individuals who remain are officially sworn in as the final jury.
The main difference between the two lies in the type of dispute and the potential consequences:
Criminal Cases involve offenses against society as a whole (such as theft, assault, or murder). The government brings the charges against the defendant, the goal is punishment or rehabilitation, and the penalty can include jail time. The standard of proof is very high: beyond a reasonable doubt.
Civil Cases are private disputes between individuals or organizations (such as property damage, contracts, or family law). One party sues another to resolve a disagreement, the goal is usually financial compensation or a specific action, and no one goes to jail. The standard of proof is lower: a preponderance of the evidence (meaning the claim is more likely true than not).
Yes, but it depends entirely on your current status. In Illinois, a prior felony conviction does not automatically ban you from jury service forever.
However, during the selection process (voir dire), the judge and lawyers will still ask about your background. They will decide on a case-by-case basis if you can be completely fair and impartial for that specific trial.
Talk to one of our staff. The Court can provide you with an assisted listening device, or an interpreter for the deaf.
The foundational right to an impartial jury is guaranteed by the Illinois Constitution (Article I), while the practical rules for who can serve and how jury pools are created are set by state law under the Illinois Jury Act (705 ILCS 305/). Additionally, the Illinois Codes of Civil and Criminal Procedure, alongside Illinois Supreme Court Rules, strictly govern courtroom mechanics—dictating exactly how jurors are questioned, selected, and protected throughout a trial. These laws are not all-inclusive and this is not to be construed as legal advice. The following Acts also apply:
- Illinois Compiled Statues, Courts, Jury Commission Act, 705 ILCS 310/
- Illinois Compiled Statues, Courts, Jury Secrecy Act, 705 ILCS 315/
- Public Act 90-0126
- Public Act 90-0482
- Public Act 90-0506
- Public Act 90-0264
Juror Guidelines
As a juror in Hancock County, your role is crucial to justice. This overview highlights the rules and responsibilities of your service. Following these guidelines allows us to manage court operations smoothly, uphold the standard for fair and impartial juries, and maintain a secure environment for every citizen serving our community.
Jurors are expected to use the experience and common sense they possess, but are not to rely upon private sources of information. Therefore, jurors should never inspect the scene of any occurrence involved in a case except under supervision of the Court. The jury’s verdict can only be based upon the testimony heard and evidence viewed in the courtroom during the trial.
Do not talk to any of the attorneys, parties, reporters or witnesses about anything. It may be only a comment on the weather, but if seen by people who cannot hear what is said it may be misunderstood. It is better to say nothing.
Jurors are not to discuss the case among themselves until the testimony is complete and deliberations have begun. It would be unfair to the parties, the other jurors and the juror himself to reach conclusions or influence each other before all the evidence has been presented.
During the trial the juror must not discuss the case with friends, family or others. The reason for this is that a juror must base his/her decision only upon the evidence. The opinions or comments offered by others are not proper evidence in the case. If a juror is asked to discuss the case by persons outside the courtroom, the juror should say that the law does not allow me to do so. If anyone persists in discussing the case or tries to influence a juror in any way, it is the juror’s legal duty to report this to the judge right away. A juror should avoid newspapers, radio, internet and television programs that may feature accounts of the trial or information concerning one of the people in it.
These media reports may be biased or incomplete and are not evidence.
After a juror is released they may discuss their experiences with the attorneys, investigators, or other persons. Please be aware, that jurors are not required to do so, and the choice is up to the individuals themselves.
Stages of Trial
After the jury has been selected and sworn, the trial of a case proceeds as follows.
An opening statement is made by the attorney for the plaintiff. The attorney for the defendant may then make an opening statement. The purpose of opening statements is to outline to the jury what each side contends the evidence will establish. A general idea of what the case is about is thus presented to the jury. Opening statements are not evidence.
Following the opening statements, the attorney for the plaintiff presents evidence. Thereafter, the defendant may or may not choose to present evidence as he or she sees fit.
Evidence falls into two classes — testimony and exhibits. TESTIMONY consists of statements made by witnesses under oath. EXHIBITS are physical objects such as photographs and written documents. The examination of witnesses by the party calling them is direct examination. Each party has a right to ask questions of the other party’s witnesses. This is cross-examination. Jurors are not permitted to question witnesses, unless granted specific authorization by the judge.
Since a juror must base the verdict on the evidence, a juror should hear every question asked and the answer given. If the juror does not hear some of the testimony for any reason — they should advise the Court. Jurors are entitled to take notes in accordance with the directions given by the judge.
Rules of evidence have been developed through the years so that we may have fair and orderly trials. When a question is asked which either attorney believes is in violation of these rules, he or she has a right to object to the question. The judge then decides whether the question is to be answered by the witness. A ruling by the judge does not mean he or she is taking sides.
The judge is deciding that the law does, or does not, permit the question to be asked and answered. Jurors should not be prejudiced for or against one side of the case because of objections made by an attorney. At times the jury may be excused from the courtroom while objections are being discussed, or for other reasons. Under the law, various matters must be heard out of the presence of the jury. When a trial is necessarily interrupted for these reasons, the juror should not feel that their time is being wasted.
When all parties have presented their evidence, they “rest”.
At this time the Court and the attorneys will prepare instructions as to the law which are to be given to the jurors.
Closing arguments are then made by the attorneys, in which they summarize the evidence and try to persuade the jury to find in favor of their respective clients. Closing arguments are not evidence and any statement made by the attorneys which is not based on the evidence should be disregarded. The plaintiff has the burden of proof and therefore has the right to open and close the argument.
The judge then reads instructions of law to the jury in which he or she defines the issues the jurors must decide and tells them the law that governs the case. Jurors should listen very carefully to these instructions, bearing in mind that it is their sworn duty to follow them. These written instructions will be taken to the jury room for their use.
After the instructions have been read they will go to the jury room to consider the case and reach a verdict.
Upon going to the jury room for deliberation of the case, the jury panel must select a foreperson. The foreperson acts as chairperson. It is his or her duty to see that the discussion is carried on in an orderly fashion and that every juror has a chance to say what he or she thinks. A good foreperson can keep the discussion in due bounds, can save much time and can secure efficient results.
Any communication outside of the deliberation room will be with a Court Security Officer, who will relay questions to the judge.
Upon reaching a verdict, the jury will inform the Court Security Office, who will notify the judge and all of the involved parties. Court will reconvene and the jury will render its verdict in court.
