Jury duty is one of our most important responsibilities as citizens. The Constitutions of the United States and of the State of Alabama guarantee a right to trial by jury in many civil and criminal cases. In a jury trial, the Judge rules on the law and the jury is the judge of the facts. After the presentation of the evidence, the Judge will instruct the jury on the law to be applied in each particular case. The jury then returns a “verdict” which means “to speak the truth.” Verdicts should be fair and impartial. We do our best to make efficient use of jurors’ time.
A juror must be an American citizen who has resided in the Birmingham Division of Jefferson County, Alabama for at least twelve months; over 19 years of age; able to read, speak and understand instructions given in the English language; physically and mentally capable of serving; and not have lost the right to vote because of a criminal conviction.