The Clerk's Office

Jury Services provides the courts of Hillsborough County with qualified prospective jurors in accordance with Florida Statutes 40.011 and 40.23. The names are drawn by lot and at random by computer from the list of names provided by the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (Drivers Licenses). This list may include only the names of persons who are citizens of the United States and legal residents of Florida and whose address is in Hillsborough County and who are 18 years of age or older. Affidavits are available in the Jury Services Department for qualified persons desiring to serve as jurors whose names do not appear on the list. A recorded telephone message which gives jurors general information is provided 24 hours a day, seven days a week. If they wish to speak to a clerk, they are available between 8 AM and 5 PM weekdays. Jurors are instructed to call the night before their reporting date (after 5 PM) to learn whether or not they still need to report. Persons using a rotary telephone must call on Friday between 4PM and 5PM. I f chosen to serve, jurors are summoned approximately five weeks in advance of the report date. If a juror is scheduled to report on either Monday or Tuesday the term of service will usually be Monday or Tuesday only or if selected as a juror, the completion of one trial. Summonses are mailed by the Jury Services Department. Included with the summonses is an information sheet with a map of the downtown area on the reverse side. The information sheet includes instructive information about reporting, jury term, free parking, compensation, attire, and ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act). Jurors report to the George E. Edgecomb Courthouse and check in on the second floor. They are seated in the Central Jury Room auditorium, room 201. After reporting, an orientation video is shown. Following qualification, jurors are sent to court for jury selection. If not chosen, the jurors return to the auditorium to possibly be sent out to another courtroom. Jurors should allow the entire day for jury service. However, if selected, jurors may serve the entire week or the completion of the trial. Attendance and payroll records are maintained on behalf of the jurors as well as other statistics that are reported to the Office of the State Courts Administrator. Letters of attendance are available upon request. There are two grand jury sessions every year. Each session runs for six (6) months, unless extended by law under s. 905.095, Florida Statutes. In January of each year, the first session will begin on the first Tuesday that is not a court holiday. In July of each year, the second session will begin on the first Tuesday that is not a court holiday.