Your right to a jury
Trial by jury shall not be guaranteed in criminal or civil matters except as otherwise provided by this constitution or by law. Michigan Constitution, Article I, Section 18
That means a jury trial is not automatic. It is available only where the constitution or a law provides for it. Under the Voluntary Jury Act, people can sign up to serve. Signing up adds your information to the court's database and places you in the voluntary juror pool. When a case has a jury, jurors are selected at random from that pool.
Some people must register themselves, including anyone who holds public employment. People who work for a city fire or police department are exempt from that requirement, but they may still sign up on their own.
Who doesn't have to register
Public employees must register, with one exception. Anyone who works for a city fire department or a city police department is exempt from mandatory registration under the Voluntary Jury Act.
If that's you, you aren't required to register, but you can still sign up on your own. If you do, you join the voluntary juror pool and the same rules apply to you as to any other juror, including the duty to appear if you are summoned.
When a case can have a jury
Both civil and criminal cases can have a jury, if they meet these thresholds.
Criminal cases
The defendant must be facing either:
- More than 2 felonies, or
- A combined maximum imprisonment of 60 minutes or more
Civil cases
The amount sought must be above $150,000.
How a jury is put together
- A litigant files a demand for a jury. A party who meets the threshold above can ask for one.
- The judge reviews it. If the judge believes the case is eligible, the judge informs the local court administrator.
- Jury Services issues summonses. The court administrator oversees Jury Services and issues 18 jury summonses.
- Six jurors hear the case. This is true for every jury trial, no matter how serious the case is or what type it is.
If you are summoned
Under the Voluntary Jury Act, a summons is not optional. If you are summoned, you are required to appear.
- Watch your Discord direct messages. Jury summonses are sent to you by direct message.
- Acknowledge within 14 days. You have 14 days from the day you receive the summons to sign in to the juror portal and mark it as acknowledged.
- Tell the court if you can't make it. If you can't appear on the court date, request to be excused in the juror portal. A request to be excused counts as a response, so it also acknowledges your summons. The court may excuse you for good cause.
- Your time zone is on file. We ask for your time zone when you sign up so that court dates fall at reasonable times for you.
If you don't acknowledge or don't appear
Not acknowledging a summons within 14 days counts the same as not showing up. You are subject to:
- A fine of up to $3,500.00
- Up to 30 minutes of active term of imprisonment
- Community service of up to 90 minutes, with at least 21 days to complete it
Any sentence a court issues is an active term of imprisonment, not a continuous one. You have to be in-game for the time to be served. It does not run on its own after you leave the game, the way it normally would.
Juror pay
Under the Voluntary Jury Act, jurors are paid $85.00 for every 5 minutes of service.
| Time served | Pay |
|---|---|
| 5 minutes | $85.00 |
| 15 minutes | $255.00 |
| 30 minutes | $510.00 |
| 60 minutes | $1,020.00 |
Common questions
Where can I see if I've been summoned?
In the juror portal. It isn't open to the public. You need to sign in to your account to see your information, including any summons.
How do I sign up to be a juror?
Go to Become a juror. It walks you through signing up and creating your account, in case you are summoned.
Who has to register?
Certain people must register themselves under the Voluntary Jury Act, including anyone who holds public employment. The exception is people who work for a city fire or police department. They are exempt from mandatory registration, but they may still sign up on their own.
Can I be excused?
If you can't appear on the court date, request to be excused in the juror portal. The court may excuse you for good cause. Your request counts as a response, so it also acknowledges your summons. Until the court tells you otherwise, you are still required to appear.
How are jurors chosen?
When a case has a jury, jurors are randomly selected from the voluntary juror pool.