Phone: 440-775-1751 | Fax: 440-775-0619 | 85 South Main Street, Oberlin Ohio

NOTICE TO JURORS – COVID-19 (CLICK HERE)

The Oberlin Municipal Court schedules numerous jury trials each year. Although many of the scheduled jury trials do not go forward it is crucial to the efficient operation of the court to have jurors available and jury trials scheduled on a regular basis in order to serve the interests of justice and of the participants involved in these cases.

The Oberlin Municipal Court thanks you for your service to this court and to the community. Your participation as a juror helps safeguard this most important cornerstone of our justice system.


STATUS OF UPCOMING JURY TRIALS

To learn the status of the upcoming jury trials you may check here at any time or call the juror information line at any time by dialing 440-775-1751 and pressing 6. Please note that you cannot leave a message on the juror information line. If you need to leave a message or have a question regarding jury duty please call the Jury Commissioner – Diana – at 440-775-7227. It is important that when you are done listening to the message that you hang up your telephone or end your call. If you do not, the system will continue to listen to your call and the line’s envelope will fill up making it impossible for others to hear the message. For example, if you have a flip phone and you simply close the phone sometimes this does not end your call. Thank you for your cooperation.

Status of Trial:  THE JURY TRIAL SCHEDULED FOR MONDAY, MARCH 18, 2024 HAS BEEN CANCELLED. IF YOU WERE SCHEDULED FOR DUTY ON MONDAY, MARCH 18, 2024 YOU DO NOT HAVE TO APPEAR ON THAT DATE.

The jury trials for the following dates remain scheduled:   

 MARCH 2024:     25TH

APRIL 2024:         1ST   8TH     15TH   22ND   29TH 

MAY 2024:            6TH     13TH

If you are scheduled for jury duty on those dates your report time is 8:30A.M.

JURY DUTY – GENERAL INFORMATION

A jury trial is one of the cornerstones of our American system of justice. Jury duty has historically been regarded as an important civic duty. Presently, jurors are randomly chosen from voting lists. Voters are responsible, concerned citizens and it has been the experience of this Court that the jurors who have served jury duty using this method of selection have served the community well.   The Oberlin Municipal Court realizes that serving jury duty is an inconvenience for many citizens. For those not automatically excused from this most important duty by law this court has attempted to minimize this inconvenience. As required by the Ohio Supreme Court the Court has adopted a Jury Management Plan. The Jury Management Plan limits jury duty to a selected juror to no more than four trial dates in a one (1) month period that typically consists of initially being called for four consecutive Mondays and serving on no more than two or three of those dates.

HOW WILL I KNOW IF I AM SELECTED?

If you are selected as a prospective juror you will receive a cover letter, juror questionnaire and an excuse form. You will note that there are personal questions on the questionnaire. There are two main reasons that the questions are asked. First, a person that has a right to a jury trial is entitled to jurors who approach the case with an open mind and without bias or prejudice. There might be something in the experience of the juror that may prevent the juror from being fair. The second reason is that by answering the questions in advance there is less chance that personal information will be asked of the prospective juror in open court in front of the other jurors.

Please send your reply as soon as possible. Your prompt response allows us to equitably assign firm jury dates for you and your fellow jurors in a timely manner.

It is important to know that being summoned for jury duty does not automatically mean that you will be seated as a juror. The attorneys and the judge ask prospective jurors additional questions to determine which jurors will be selected for any given case. In a case in a Municipal Court only eight jurors and one alternate juror is selected to hear a case.

WHAT IF I AM SELECTED AS A JUROR?

If you are selected as a juror in a case most cases in the Municipal Court are completed in one day. However, there are occasions when justice will require that a case last more than one day. Very seldom does a case last more than two days in the Municipal Court. You should plan your schedule accordingly.

Jury duty service pays jurors the sum of $25.00 per day. In the event you are only here for one-half day you may be paid the one-half day rate of $12.50.

DIRECTIONS AND PARKING

Directions to the court are available by clicking here. Parking is available in the parking areas immediately north of the building. There is no charge for parking and there is no time limit for parking in these areas.

CONTACT INFORMATION

If you have received a summons for jury duty and have general questions regarding your jury service you should call the Jury Commissioner – Diana- at 440-775-7227. You may also call 440-775-1402 and leave a message.

Welcome to the Oberlin Municipal Court.