The Jury Management Department is responsible for the selection and accommodation of the Jurors used by the Fifteenth Judicial Court in Lafayette Parish. Rather than empanel a separate jury for each trial that might come to trial in any given week, a jury pool is empanelled for all of the cases scheduled to be tried by jury in a given week. This procedure actually reduces the number of people summoned for jury duty and the costs associated with a jury trial.

For example, if four jury trials are scheduled in one week, rather than subpoena sixty or seventy people for each separate trial, the Jury Commission, through a random computer selection process, might subpoena one hundred people to serve in the Jury Pool for that week. As each case is brought before the Court, potential jurors are again chosen from the Jury Pool at random for Voir Dire for a particular case. The jurors not selected for that particular trial are sent back to the jury pool where they may or may not be chosen again for another voir dire. The costs associated for empanelling a Jury Pool are prorated among the cases scheduled to go to trial for that week, thus reducing the cost to each scheduled trial.

The Jury Pool Assembly Room is located on the third floor of the Lafayette Parish Courthouse. The room contains a number of facilities for use in your leisure time: television, card tables, reading materials and the like. No smoking is permitted in the main area of the Jury Pool.

There are five qualifications that a potential juror must meet in order to serve on a jury.

In order to serve you must:

• Be a citizen of the United States and of Louisiana who has resided in Lafayette parish for at least one year immediately preceding your jury service.


• Be at least eighteen years of age.


• Be able to read, write, speak the English language and, possess sufficient knowledge of the language.


• Not be under interdiction or incapable of serving as a juror because of a mental or physical infirmity. (A written medical excuse from your doctor is required)


• Not be under indictment for a felony nor have been convicted of a felony and not been pardoned.
  

If you do not meet these qualifications, please call the Jury Office at (337) 291-6355 immediately. The office is open from 8:30AM to 4:30PM, Monday - Friday, except legal holidays. Along with the qualifications, there are three exemptions which may be claimed. You may claim an exemption if:

• You have performed Jury Service in the Fifteenth Judicial Court within the last two years of your reporting date.


• Serving would result in an undue hardship or extreme inconvenience.


• Seventy years of age and older.

If you wish to claim one of these exemptions, you must send a letter the Jury Office at P O Drawer 3603, Lafayette, LA 70502 explaining your circumstances. Include your address and a daytime telephone number. Please note, no exemptions or postponements can be granted after the Wednesday preceding your first day of service. The court will make a decision on your claim of exemption and will notify you. A juror receives a daily payment of $25.00 for service and $3.20 for mileage. Payment is mailed to you via first class mail after service.