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.  Jurors names are not selected from voter lists.

Qualifications to Serve

To be eligible to serve as a juror the following conditions must be met.

• You must be a United States citizen
• You must be a Waukesha County Resident
• You must be at least 18 years of age
• You have not been summoned for jury duty for at least 4 years
• You must understand the English language
• If you have been convicted of a felony, your civil rights must be restored

Special Accommodations

It is the policy of the Waukesha County Circuit Courts that its programs, services and activities be accessible to qualified individuals with disabilities. No person will be refused participation solely because the person has a disability, needs an accommodation or because a building is inaccessible.

If you require special accommodations, please call the Jury Coordinator as soon as possible at 262-548-7504 to make necessary arrangements.

Term of Service

If you appear and are not selected to serve on a jury, you have fulfilled your civic obligation and cannot serve on jury duty for at least four years. When you are selected to serve on a trial, you are required to serve for the duration of that trial. Once released by the Judge, your jury service is considered fulfilled and you cannot serve on jury duty for at least four years.

If you are not required to actually appear for jury duty on the date(s) listed on the summons because a trial has been cancelled, but you have been available to serve for the date(s) listed, your jury duty is considered complete for at least four (4) years.

Length of Jury Day

Juror hours generally mirror regular courthouse hours, which are 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. However, it is possible the trial day may extend beyond 4:30 p.m. The Judge or court personnel will keep you informed about the anticipated court schedule.

Employment Issues and Verification

As soon as a juror receives a summons for jury duty, they should inform the employer of the possibility of being selected and the need to be absent from work if selected to serve . Employers are required to grant an employee a leave of absence for jury service per Wisconsin Statute 756.255.

At the completion of jury service, if requested, the Jury Coordinator will provide to you, a signed verification of jury service that identifies the date(s) of jury service and whether the service was for a full or half day.  If you did not receive verification and would like to please call our office.

State law currently does not require employers to continue paying the salary of employees who are absent because of jury service. Many employers, however, including state, federal and many local governmental agencies, have a policy of compensating employees for at least part, if not all, of the time spent in jury service. Employers and businesses are encouraged to support the jury system by paying employees while they are serving as jurors. If employers do pay their employees during jury service, they have the right to require employees to remit the per diem (excluding mileage) they received for jury service.

An employer shall grant an employee a leave of absence without loss of time in service for the period of jury service. For the purpose of determining seniority or pay advancement, the status of the employee shall be considered uninterrupted by the jury service. No employer may use absence due to jury service as a basis for discharging an employee or for taking any disciplinary action against an employee.

An employer who discharges or disciplines an employee may be fined not more than $200 and may be required to make full restitution to the aggrieved employee, including reinstatement and back pay.

Contact Jury Services

Address
Waukesha County Courthouse 
Jury Coordinator, Room C-380
515 W. Moreland Blvd.
P.O. Box 1627 
Waukesha, WI 53187-1627

Phone 262-548-7504 (M-F 8:00 am - 4:30 pm)

Fax 262-896-8228

Illness or Emergency

If you are unable to report for jury duty due to illness or emergency,  call the Jury Coordinator's Office at 262-548-7504 as soon as possible.   Please leave a name, the nature of the illness or emergency, and a phone number where you can be reached.

Driving Directions

The Waukesha County Courthouse is located at the intersection of Moreland Blvd. and Pewaukee Road (Hwy J), about 1.5 miles south of I-94.

Parking

Park across the street from the Courthouse.  There is additional parking to the east of the Administration Center off of Pewaukee Road.  Handicap parking is in front of the main entrance to the Courthouse.

Security Screening

The Courthouse doors open at 7:30 a.m..  You must enter and exit the Courthouse through the main entrance, Door #2.  You will be required to pass through security screening upon entering the building.  Prohibited items include but are not limited to sharp objects, metal eating utensils, pocket knives, nail clippers, safety pins, knitting needles, pepper spray and pointed scissors.  If you have any prohibited items on your possession you will be required to permanently surrender the item to security or return it to your vehicle.

Reporting Instructions

1. Find out if you need to appear: To determine when to report for jury service, you must call the Jury Information line at 262-548-7531 after 5:00 p.m. on the night before each date listed on your summons. (You may call Friday after 5:00 p.m. for Monday.) Listen to the entire recorded message and follow the instructions. The message will tell you whether you should report, whether there has been a change in the time you are to report, or any other information that could affect your service. 
   
   
2. Find out where to appear: On the first day of service, jurors are to report to the Jury Assembly Room G55, which is located on the ground floor of the Administration Center, one floor below the main entrance. From the security screening station at the main entrance to the courthouse, follow the yellow dots to the elevator. Once at the  elevator take it down one floor to the ground floor. Turn left from the elevator and the Jury Assembly Room will be just a short distance on your right.
   
   If you are selected to serve on a jury trial that will last more than one day, the Judge in the trial will provide you with information on where you should report after the first day of the trial.
   
   
3. What to bring: Jurors are required to show picture identification when checking into the Jury Assembly Room.
   
   
4. What to wear: Business casual is recommended. Attire such as shorts, halters, tank tops or shirts with offensive messages are not appropriate in court. Hats are not allowed unless worn for religious purposes. Jurors are advised to dress in layers as the temperature in the jury assembly area and in the courtrooms may be unpredictable

Amenities

Often there are times that jurors must wait in the Jury Assembly Room prior to the jury selection process.  To pass the time you may want to bring along reading materials or electronics (Free Wi-Fi is available).

There is an on-site cafeteria  Cash, debit and credit cards are accepted.

There are refrigerators, located in the Jury Assembly Room and the Jury Deliberation rooms, where you may store a bag lunch and/or medications. 

Soda, water, coffee and tea will be provided. 

Glossary of Terms

Jury Handbook and Video

This handbook and video will help you understand the proceedings in which you will participate and enable you to do your part in administering justice.

Jury Handbook

Jury Video:

Jury Support Brochure

Jury Support Brochure

Juror Compensation

Jurors are paid $30 per full day or $15 per half day (up to 4 hours) of jury service plus a daily travel fee of $7.  

A juror reimbursement check will be mailed approximately three to four weeks after the last day of jury service.

Voluntary Donation

Jurors may voluntarily donate their juror compensation back to the Waukesha County Jury Program. The money is used strictly for improvements to the Jury Management Program in Waukesha County. Donations are tax deductible.  Donation forms are available in the Jury Assembly Room and jury deliberation rooms.  A fillable donation form is also available.  Completed forms can be emailed to the Jury Coordinator.

We are very pleased to publish the 2023 Annual Jury Report. This report analyzes the performance of our jury system in several key areas as required by Wisconsin Supreme Court Rules and provides key stakeholders with an overview of the operations of this vital program. In addition to program related information and statistics, this report compares three years of program activity, a sampling of juror comments which are used for the purpose of improving the program, and provides updates and future initiatives.

Juror Questionnaire FAQ's

Jury Service FAQ's

General Jury FAQ's