Doing Your Great Civic Duty

SIDNEY – While many people may consider jury duty a strain on their lives, the right to a trial by jury is guaranteed by the state and federal constitutions. It is a cornerstone of American democracy, and one activity some consider the most valuable contribution a person can make for their government and neighbors.

Achieving the goal of a fair and impartial jury is not an easy task, but it’s one recently undertaken by the Clerk of the District Court, Deanna Volkmer, and District 12 Judge Derek Weimer.

“The idea is to get a jury that has no axe to grind, no dog in the hunt, pick your metaphor,” Weimer said. “You want a jury that is fair and impartial. That’s the key. Fair and impartial.”

Reducing the number of available people in the county that meet the basic qualifications for jury duty to a practicable panel is a duty the ends much like a lottery drawing.

“What we do is we merge the DMV list of everyone who has a license in Cheyenne County with the registered voter list,” Volkmer said. “The judge selects a random key number, and then every person on that list in that numbered position is placed inside the drum.”

For instance, Volkmer explained, if the judge selected the number six, every sixth person on the merged list is submitted into a rotating drum. The judge rotates the drum, selects a name and that name is added to the jury panel.

In the past, including last year, the panel selected in this manner would serve for a year. That won’t be the case this year, Weimer said, as the process will be done every six months.

“I recognize people sitting on juries have to get babysitters and talk with their employers,” Weimer said. “We’re trying to minimize the imposition on their lives.”

As a result of the process, Weimer said the panel will be larger, but people on it will serve only half the time.

According to Volkmer, there were 80 people selected for the district court panel, 50 people for the county panel and 100 people for the grand jury panel. Letters will be sent out next week to those selected for the panel. They will have 10 days to return them, Volkmer said.

Recipients of the letter can expect it to contain a brief questionnaire, a summons, a letter explaining jury duty, and a question and answer sheet, Volkmer said.

“This is an incredibly important civic duty,” Weimer said.

It is highly recommended that if summoned for jury duty, the person shows up. Weimer said if a summoned person fails to show, he can have the sheriff bring that person into the courtroom to explain why they did not appear.

“I’ve had a couple of juries since I’ve been on the bench, and folks are great,” Weimer said. “If asked to serve, they serve.”

If someone is disqualified from serving on a jury, another person is chosen to take their place. Reasons for disqualification vary but include having served on a jury within the past five years.

For more information on jury duty, visit http://www.supremecourt.ne.gov and select “Jury Service” in the menu on the left side of the Web page.