In Montana jurors' names for all courts are obtained annually from the Secretary of State. As Jury Commissioner, the Clerk of District Court is responsible for the management of the lists of names for each court in the county. The new jury laws that became effective October 2007 allow for all names in the lists of registered voters and lists of licensed drivers to be used as prospective jurors. Flathead County pulls approximately 5,000 names for each pool and from that group jurors for specific trials are randomly selected to serve.
In this District Court jurisdiction jurors are typically summoned to appear no more than twice in any given six-month period and are only required to sit as a juror on one case. The average length of a trial is one week.
Jurors are initially called to service by a letter of notification and a request to complete a juror questionnaire. A jury summons is issued for specific trials informing jurors as to the date and time for service and an approximate length of trial. We are able to notify jurors as to any settlement of cases via a phone messaging system. A brief juror orientation is presented by the Clerk of Court prior to the commencement of each trial.
The Courts recognize the difficulties jurors face in making themselves available for participation in the judicial process and every effort is made to avoid all possible inconvenience to jurors, their families, and employers. Jury service is a privilege and can be a most rewarding and educational experience. If you have questions or concerns, please feel free to contact this office. We will do our best to accomodate every juror's needs.