In Montana, jurors' names for all courts are obtained annually from the Supreme Court Administrator. As Jury Commissioner, the Clerk of District Court is responsible for the management of the lists of names for each court in the county. Potential jurors are drawn from lists of registered voters, licensed drivers and holders of Montana Identification cards. Flathead County pulls approximately 16,000 names for each annual pool and from that group jurors are randomly seleced for all courts in the jurisdiction. District Court jurors number about 12,000 persons annually and from this group names are drawn randomly to serve on specific trials.
In the District Courts, 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.
The Online Juror Questionnaire (see green button above) can be accessed by using your juror name and juror number (as assigned by the Secretary of State) printed on the Jury Notice sent via US Mail. A jury summons is issued for specific trials informing jurors as to the date and time for service and an approximate length of trial. On the morning of trial a brief juror orientation is presented by the Clerk of Court.
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 accommodate every juror's needs.