Platte County Jury Information

Jurors are selected at random through a database maintained by the Office of State Courts Administrator. Names are chosen from a minimum of two government records including, but not limited to, personal property tax list, voter’s registration list and driver’s license records.

There are two ways to complete jury service. The first is to appear in person and serve until you are released, regardless of whether or not you were selected as a juror for a specific case. The second is to be summoned and have your service cancelled by the Court. To find out if your current service has been cancelled, you will need to call the automated message line after 5:00 p.m. the evening before your report date.

On the day you are to report, please plan on being at the courthouse the entire day, occasionally after 5:00 p.m. The jury selection process is usually completed in one day but may take longer in some cases. Most jurors go through only one selection process and those not selected for the jury panel are released at the end of the selection. If you are selected as a juror for a specific case the average length of a trial is about three days. During the selection process you will be told how long the particular case you are being considered for is expected to last.

You are to report to the Jury Assembly Room on the 1st floor of the Platte County Courthouse located at 328 Main Street, Platte City, MO 64079. Your specific report date and time are printed on your juror summons. To verify your report date and time, you will need to call the automated message line after 5:00 p.m. the evening before your scheduled report date. Report time is typically 8:30 a.m.

A person who willfully fails to appear for jury service is in civil contempt of court. The Court may issue an order directing the person to a hearing where the person would be required to show good cause for failing to appear, the Court may impose a fine for as much as $500 and may order the prospective juror to perform community service for a time no less than would have been spent in jury service. The juror is also re-summoned for jury service.

Free parking is available in front of the Courthouse and on the streets adjacent to the judicial building. Please allow ample time for parking. Disabled jurors may park in designated spots marked for handicapped with a valid tag. There are reserved spaces located on the east side of the Courthouse and on Main Street in front of the building.

Appropriate dress is required. “Business casual” is a good rule of thumb. Jeans are allowed but shorts, tank tops and t-shirts are not considered appropriate court attire. Hats are not allowed in the courtroom. Temperatures in the building vary and it is recommended that you bring a sweater or jacket with you.

No. Please do not bring cellphones, laptops or other electronic equipment into the courthouse. Any electronic devices with a camera on it or capable of recording audio and/or video are not allowed inside the building. You will be asked to secure the device inside your vehicle if brought into the courthouse.

If someone needs to contact a juror in an emergency, they may contact the jury office at (816) 858-3441. They may also contact the trial division in which the juror is serving, if necessary.

Jury fees are set by state law. Jurors are paid $6 for each day they appear for jury selection, or $18 for each day they serve as an impaneled juror. You will also be reimbursed for round-trip mileage from your residence to the courthouse at the rate of $0.14 per mile. Compensation for mileage and fees is submitted at the end of your service. A check will be mailed by the Platte County Treasurer to the address on file with the jury office approximately four weeks after the completion of the trial.

The law does not require an employer to pay regular wages while an employee is serving on jury duty; however, some employers do. We suggest you ask your employer for their jury service policy.

No. Missouri Revised Statute 494.460 prohibits an employer from taking adverse actions against an employee because that employee received or responded to a jury summons. In addition, an employee may not be required to use available leave for time spent responding to a jury summons, time spent participating in the jury selection process, or time spent actually serving on a jury.

No. If you completed jury service within the past 24 months, you are entitled to be excused. This does include service on a federal jury also. Please notify us of your previous service by indicating your date of service on the online Juror Qualification Form which you submit to us electronically. If you served under a different name or different address, please let us know. If you would like to serve again, you are free to do so.

Please write “Not at this Address” on the summons and return it to us by placing it in the mail.

Log onto the Show-Me Jury eJuror website at www.courts.mo.gov/ejuror. Using the nine digit ID number on the summons please indicate that you are completing on behalf of someone who is deceased and affirm that the summoned individual is deceased by completing the online questionnaire.

You must be 21 years of age to serve as a juror and Missouri does not have a maximum age limit for jury service.

Only current residents of Platte County are eligible for jury service. If you do not live in Platte County, please indicate your current address on the online Juror questionnaire and complete the online form. We will not notify you of your disqualification. You DO NOT need to appear for jury service.

Any person licensed as a health care provider as such term is defined in Missouri Revised Statute 538.205, may be excused, but only if such person provides a written statement to the Court certifying that he/she is actually providing health care services to patients, and that the person’s service as a juror would be detrimental to the health of the person’s patients. You may upload this documentation using the online questionnaire form.

Because of the importance of assuring that individuals from throughout the community participate in the jury process, the Court generally does not excuse individuals based on financial hardship at the initial summons stage of the process. Instead, hardships are discussed during jury selection for a trial. If you believe your circumstances fall within the provisions contained in Missouri Revised Statute 494.430 you need to request an excuse through the Juror Qualification process on eJuror. Be specific and provide information such as business information, financial, medical, and/or other proof regarding your hardship. If postponing your service to a later date would help you to be able to make arrangements you have the right to request a postponement one time. For further information on postponements, please see below.

Yes, if you have not previously been postponed. Upon timely request, individuals scheduled to appear for jury service have the right to postpone the date of their initial appearance for jury service one time. The postponement date must be between 6 weeks and six months of the original summons date, except in the case of full-time students. Full-time students of any accredited institution may be postponed up to twelve months from their original summons date. Because each prospective juror is entitled to only one postponement, you will be required to serve on the date to which you are postponed. To request a postponement, please complete the Juror Qualification process on eJuror and submit a request to be postponed at the end of the questionnaire. If requesting a postponement, please inform us as far in advance of the date you are scheduled to serve. We will make an attempt to accommodate your postponement to the best of our ability.

Any nursing mother, upon her request, and with a completed written statement from her physician to the court certifying she is a nursing mother will be excused. Any requests to be excused require appropriate documentation and may be submitted online through eJuror.

The Court generally does not excuse individuals based on hardships at the initial summons stage of the process. Instead, hardships are discussed during jury selection for a trial. If you believe your circumstances fall within the provisions contained in Missouri Revised Statute 494.430 you may request an excuse through the juror qualification process on eJuror. Be specific and provide information such as financial, medical, and/or other proof regarding your hardship. If postponing your service to a later date would help you to be able to make arrangements you have the right to request a postponement one time.

No. The Court does not provide childcare services. Please DO NOT bring your child(ren) when reporting for jury service. Arrangements for the care of your child(ren) should be made prior to reporting for jury service.

Lunch will not be provided to the entire jury selection panel; however, jurors that are chosen to serve throughout the duration of the trial will be provided with lunch daily until completion of their service. You may bring your own lunch if you wish, or you may purchase lunch from one of the vending machines or from one of several restaurants located within easy driving distance of the courthouse. If you choose to bring your own lunch, DO NOT bring metal utensils as they will be confiscated by security personnel.