Frequently Asked Questions
The Court and staff want your service in the Sandusky County Common Pleas court to be as comfortable, delay-free and fulfilling as possible. This information sheet should answer many commonly asked questions regarding jury duty. If there is something the Court or staff can do to answer individual questions or make your duty more comfortable, please feel free to contact Candice Talbot at 419-334-6167.
What time do I need to report for jury duty?
You will be required to report for Jury Service on the second floor of the Sandusky County Courthouse- 100 N Park Ave, Suite 208, Fremont, Ohio 43420 at 8:30am on the designated date.
Do the cases ever get resolved before trial?
Yes. The parties involved in a case usually try to settle the differences and
avoid the time and expense of a trial. Sometimes a case is settled only minutes
before the trial begins. Therefore, even though many trials are scheduled each
day, some of them will not actually go to trial, so those cases will not need juries.
But your time spent waiting to serve is not wasted; your presence encourages
settlement. Many of the cases, are settled a day or two before the day of trial, therefore eliminating the need for Jurors to report for Jury Service. In an effort to avoid having Jurors make unnecessary trips to the Courthouse, you should contact the Sandusky County Clerks at 419-334-6106 the day before your scheduled jury service to make sure your presence will still be necessary the next day.
Must my employer pay me while I am on jury duty?
Your employer is not required to pay you while on jury duty; however, employers
are prohibited by law from firing an employee for serving as a juror.
What do I do in case of sudden illness or emergency?
If you should become ill, or, if there is a death or a grave illness in your family or
if a similarly serious problem should arise, you or some responsible person on
your behalf must call the Clerk’s Office and secure an excuse from reporting
on the designated day for Jury Service. Only the Judge is authorized to grant
this type of excuse from Jury Service. Please direct your call to Candice Talbot, Court Bailiff at 419-334-6167.
I’m going to be out of town the day of the trial – what should I do?
If you know of days during your scheduled term of service when you cannot be
present for Jury Service, you must notify the Court, IN WRITING, and secure a temporary excuse from reporting on the designated date. As indicated above, only the Judge is authorized to grant this type of temporary excuse from Jury Service. Please direct all correspondence to Candice Talbot, Court Bailiff at
419-334-6167.
What do I do with my children when I come for Jury Service?
Unfortunately, there are no facilities at the court to keep children occupied, so
please make arrangements for your children to be taken care of on your day of
Jury Service.
Do I get paid for Jury Service?
Jurors will receive $15.00 for each day they are scheduled to report to the Sandusky County Courthouse for Jury Service
Does the Court provide lunch?
No, but there will be a break for lunch and you can leave the Building
to get something to eat if you would like.
What should I wear to Court?
Please, NO jeans, sweat pants, t-shirts, tank tops, shorts or flip flops.