Juror Information

The following information answers questions frequently asked by jurors:

Excusals and Postponements

Requests for postponement or excusal must be made in writing to the Jury Clerk by Wednesday of the week preceding your summoned date. The requests for excusal or postponement should be sent to:

Maureen Hafner-Lazers, Jury Clerk (maureen.hafner-lazers@wicourts.gov)
Business Hours: 7:15 am – 4:00 pm
Mailing Address:
Dane County Courthouse Room L1001
215 S Hamilton St
Madison, WI 53703
Phone: 608-266-4105
Fax: 608-266-5988
Website for jury requests: juryrequest.wicourts.gov

The Juror's Pool ID Number and Juror Pool Member Number should be included on all correspondence.

Postponements and excusals are arranged by the Jury Clerk. We must receive your completed questionnaire before these requests will be considered.

While You Wait

There will probably be times when you will have to wait prior to being escorted to a courtroom for jury selection. You may bring your laptop as we have free wireless internet access. You may also want to bring along reading material. The Themis Cafe is located on the lower level of the courthouse near the Jury Assembly room.

Illness or Emergency

Jurors may call the jury clerk's number after 8:00 AM on Mondays to report their illness or emergency and the jury clerk will return the call either that afternoon or the following day.

Period of Service

Jury selection is on Monday of each week. You will find out on Monday if you are chosen for a trial for that week. Upon completion of the trial your service will be completed for four years. If you are not chosen on Monday for a trial, you jury service is also completed for four years.

How Jurors are Selected

Jurors are randomly selected from the State of Wisconsin Department of Transportation, Division of Motor Vehicles driver's license and identification lists. It is important to keep your address with the Division of Motor Vehicles current to ensure that a juror summons and questionnaire reaches you.

Juror Reimbursement

You will be paid $20 per day for anything over four hours and $10.00 for anything up to four hours. You will also be paid a nominal daily travel allowance for each day you are required to report to the courthouse. Bus passes are available upon request. It is important that we have your correct address for reimbursement.

Parking

Parking can be a problem in the downtown area. Please attempt to park in the Capitol Square South Ramp (previously the Dane County Ramp). Meters take quarters only (approximately $1.50 for each hour.) Jurors must pay for their own parking until noon on Monday. Do not park in reserved parking. If you are selected for a trial, you may obtain a parking permit from the Jury Clerk to be used for the duration of the trial.

When to Report for Jury Duty

Dane County uses a voice mail recording system to inform jurors when they are to report for jury duty. On Thursday preceding your assigned week, call 608-266-4105 after 4:00 PM to determine if you are to report for jury duty the following Monday. If your Pool ID # and Pool Member # number is within the range of numbers that are read off, you are to report on Monday for jury duty. If when you call again on Sunday evening after 6:00 pm and your Pool Member # is not within the range of numbers read off, you have completed your jury duty for four years.

The times you may call are:

• Thursday after 4:00 PM until Friday 7:30 AM
• Friday after 4:00 PM until Monday 7:15 AM
• The recording is not available during business hours.
• The recording is available 24 hours on Saturdays and Sundays.
• You may also check online for reporting times.

Persons requiring TDD service due to a hearing impairment, please call 608-266-4625 7:45 AM to 4:30 PM Monday through Friday.

Failure to appear can result in the court imposing penalties under WI Stats. section 756.30.

Length and Frequency of Service

Dane County citizens are required to respond to jury duty no more frequently than every four years. Being available for the assigned week or actual service on a jury fulfills this requirement for four years.

All juries in this county are drawn on Monday, unless it is a holiday, then jury selection is on Tuesday. On the day of jury selection, each person learns whether he/she has been chosen for a trial for that week. Almost three-fourths of our jury trials last only 1 or 2 days.

Employment Issues and Pay

The law provides that an employer must grant an employee a leave of absence, without loss of time in service for the period of jury duty. No employer may use absence due to jury duty as a basis for discharging an employee or for any disciplinary action against the employee.

Our system provides a month’s advance notice of the week of possible jury duty. When a person is called to jury duty, he/she should inform their employer of the possibility of being selected and of the certain need to be absent from work for the morning of jury selection.

Jurors are paid $10.00 for any service up to 4 hours and $20.00 for any service over 4 hours in one day. A majority of Dane County employers continue to pay employees while they are on jury duty, but such employers have a right to have their employees’ juror fees (excluding mileage) paid over to them.

ADA Accommodation

For prospective jurors who require an ADA accommodation to fulfill jury duty, please call Maureen Hafner-Lazers at 266-4105 or email her at maureen.hafner-lazers@wicourts.gov.