what is a jury summons letter

A jury summons letter is a legal document issued by a court that commands the appearance of an individual to attend and be available for duty on a petit or grand jury. The letter will have a summons date, and the recipient is expected to call a specific number after 6 p.m. to find out if and when they are expected to report. If the recipient is selected to serve on a trial, they will be sent to a courtroom for an interview process known as voir dire, for jury selection. The letter is usually sent by the Circuit Clerk to the recipient if they are selected to report for jury duty. Jury service is one of the most important civic duties that a U.S. citizen, 18 years old and older, can perform. The Jury Selection and Service Act establishes the process for selecting jurors and outlines qualifications a person must meet to serve on a federal jury. The national eJuror Program gives potential jurors the option of responding to their jury qualification questionnaire or summons online through the website of the local court that summoned citizens to jury duty.