Jurors are randomly selected from the list of names supplied by the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, through our jury management system.
Through random selection you may be called to serve at either the Okaloosa County Courthouse in Crestview or the Okaloosa County Courthouse Annex Extension in Ft. Walton Beach. Your summons will show your specific report location, date and time of service. Court cases often settle between the time summonses are mailed and jurors are scheduled to report. Therefore, you should check your status via e-Response regularly or call the appropriate number, 850-682-3821 in Crestview or 850-651-6687 in Ft Walton Beach after 5:00 P.M. on the day before you are to report, even if this day is a Sunday or holiday, to be informed by a recorded message whether or not your service will be required.
You should remember court is a serious place and the integrity of the court is serious business. For men, a shirt and tie are appropriate however, at a minimum you should wear nice pants and a collared shirt. For women a dress, skirt or pant suit is appropriate, or at a minimum nice pants and a collared shirt should be worn. T-Shirts, shorts, flip-flops are never appropriate for the courtroom and should not be worn. Wearing them won’t get you out of jury duty but it may get you admonished by the court.
You may call (850) 651-7200 ext. 4307 or email [email protected] to request your reporting information. You will need to provide your full name as it appears on your driver license or identification card and your date of birth.
You may request a deferral via e-Response, and even select your date of service. We will make every effort to accommodate your request however, we must weigh the needs of the court in considering any request. You will be contacted about the outcome of your request, or you may log in and check your status.
Yes, Florida Statute 40.23 allows postponements of jury service to be made for up to six months. If a juror wishes to postpone their service, he or she may check in online and visit the “Defer” section. Jurors who need further assistance may contact the Jury Coordinator at (850) 651-7200 ext. 4307.
Yes, you may.
When reporting for jury duty, please bring your jury summons out and have your Florida driver’s license or Florida ID card accessible.
You may wish to bring a non-perishable lunch and/or a snack. Vending machines are available.
Yes, they are however, please be advised that the following is prohibited per Judicial Administrative Rule 2.451:
- Making or transmitting still or moving photographs, audio recordings, video recordings, or images of any kind of the court proceedings
- Transmitting or accessing text or data during the court proceedings
- Transmitting or accessing text or data about the case on which the juror is serving
- Researching, transmitting, or accessing information about the case on which the juror is serving
- Otherwise communicating about the case on which the juror is serving or
- Otherwise communicating about the jury deliberations
If you are selected to serve on a jury, electronic devices such as cell phones, cameras, laptop computers, or any other similar technological device capable of making or transmitting images, text or data as well as audio and video recordings must, prior to the start of jury deliberations, be turned over to the courtroom deputy who will keep them while you deliberate.
If you are summoned to report and you fail to attend without being excused or rescheduled per statutory guidelines, you can be fined up to $100 as well as be held in contempt of court. These sanctions are at the discretion of the trial court.
Florida Statute requires the selection to be random and all applicable names are placed back in the random pool yearly. Jurors are selected from the Florida Highway Safety and Motor Vehicle file; which includes citizens who have a Florida issued driver’s license or Florida issued ID card. Jurors who have served within one year from their last service date may be excused.
It is suggested that, if possible, jurors utilize the Emerald Coast (EC) Rider public transportation service. Please contact EC Rider to determine the bus service and schedule that serves your community. Bus service and schedule information can be obtained by calling (850) 833-9168 or by accessing the EC Rider website.