Jury Service Information

Welcome to Jury Duty in Cedar County, Nebraska.   We will do all that we can to make you comfortable and answer any questions you might have as you fulfill this very important duty of your citizenship.

PLEASE BE AWARE:   This office will never contact you by telephone and request that you provide your date of birth or bank accounts to verify your identity.     

https://nebraskajudicial.gov/administration/nebraska-court-scam-alert

Process for Selection of Jurors

 Jurors are chosen at random from current lists of persons age 19 or older; reside in Cedar County, Nebraska; and are either registered voters, licensed drivers or state identification holders.   Some people are chosen several times throughout their lifetime, others are never chosen.

Questionnaires are mailed to each member of the potential jury pool once each year.  Citizens who receive this questionnaire are required under penalty of law to answer the questions and return the form to the District Court within 10 days.  You may be found in contempt of court if:

• You fail to respond to a jury summons without good cause
• You fail to answer the qualification form
• You misrepresent anything on the form

Qualifications to be a juror in Cedar County:

• Be a United States citizen
• Be 19 years of age or older
• Be physically and mentally capable
• Be able to speak, read and understand the English language
• Reside in Cedar County, Nebraska

Disqualifications from jury service:

• If you have been convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment for one year or more in an adult correctional facility when the conviction has not been set aside or a pardon issued
• If you are a Judge, Clerk of District Court, Sheriff or jailer
• If your spouse has been summoned for the same jury panel
• If you or your spouse is a party to a lawsuit pending for trial to the jury panel for which you are summoned
• If, within the past five years, you have served as a petit juror for more than four weeks, served on more than one grand jury, or served on both a grand jury and a petit jury
• If you are 65 years or older, you can request not to serve, but you must do so at the time your juror questionnaire is returned Each questionnaire is evaluated and those who meet the established criterion will then be put into jury pool for the year.      

Selection of Jurors for Jury Trial

If you are a prospective juror, you will have received a summons requiring you to appear for jury duty on a certain date and time during the jury term in Cedar County.  Information is available from the Nebraska Supreme Court.   https://nebraskajudicial.gov/administration/public/jury-service

When you report for jury duty, please check in with the District Court office located on the second floor of the original courthouse building.  The jury selection process will then commence.  As a general rule, the jury selection process will last through the morning.   However, this might vary depending on the nature of the case being tried.    When a jury trial is set, an impartial, random selection from this jury pool is performed as required by law.  You are one of a large panel, or venire, that have been summoned for jury duty during this term of court.  From this larger panel, a jury of 12 persons for District Court and 6 persons for County Court will ultimately be selected to serve as jurors in given case.  On occasion, one or two additional alternate jurors may also be selected.   After jury selection has been completed, those members of the panel who are not selected as jurors or alternates are excused.   Generally, trials in the District Court average two to three days to complete.   Trials in County Court average one day to complete.   Again, this is only a general rule of thumb, and the trial of any given case, depending on the circumstances unique to that case may require more or less time to complete.  During the jury selection process, the judge will usually indicate and estimate as to the length of time expected to complete the trial. 

A Judge may excuse a juror only upon showing of undue hardship, extreme inconvenience or public necessity.    Strict proof of undue hardship, extreme inconvenience or public necessity will be required by the judge prior to considering excusing prospective jurors.   If you need to make such request to be excused from jury duty for any given trial, you must make a written application for excusal of jury service.   The Judge will then review your request and you will be advised of the decision.   If a request for excusal is made, the following is required by with the written request.  https://nebraskajudicial.gov/sites/default/files/DC-8-4.pdf

• Employment.  The request for excusal must be from the employer.
• Travel plans.   The request must be substantiated with a copy of plane ticket, motel reservation, etc..
• Health.    The request must be substantiated with a copy of a letter from the physician or others.   
• Residency.   The request must state that residency is in another county.
• Secondary education.   A request must be substantiated with a written confirmation from the Registrar’s office indicating full-time status.

Nebraska statutes provide that any person summoned for jury duty shall not be subject to discharge of employment, loss of pay, loss of sick leave, loss of vacation time or any other form of penalty, as a result of his or her absence from employment due to such jury duty.   If you need verification to provide your employer of jury service, please contact the Clerk of District Court.   A pamphlet is available for your employer from the Nebraska Supreme Court. https://nebraskajudicial.gov/administration/public/jury-service

If special accommodations are needed, please contact the Clerk of District Court as soon as possible.   

Jurors are paid $35.00 per day, plus mileage as set by Neb. Rev. Stat. 81-1176.   

As a juror, your participation is an important public process and fulfill a civic obligation.  All persons accused of a crime or involved in a civil dispute have a constitutional right to have a jury decide their cases.  When you serve on a jury, you make important decisions affecting other people’s lives as well as your own.

Messages and Announcements

If you have provided your email address and/or phone number and cellphone carrier on your jury questionnaire, we will notify you if the jury trial has been cancelled or continued.   This message will come from nsc.noreplycoutnotice@nebraska.gov.   However, you are welcome to call (402) 254-6957 for a message of the status of the trial.  

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact this office at (402) 254-6957 or email address at districtcourtclk@cedarcountyne.gov.