South Dakota unified judicial system
Jurors
I consider trial by jury as the only anchor ever yet imagined by man, by which a government can be held to the principles of its constitution.
Welcome to jury service in South Dakota.
Jury service plays an essential role in our system of justice -- the right to a trial by a jury made up of persons representing a fair cross-section of the community. Along with our voting privilege, jury service is one of the most important duties of citizenship, and one we hope you will accept with pride. It requires no special skills or legal knowledge, but only that you be honest, impartial, and willing to keep an open mind.
We recognize that jury service sometimes requires sacrifices and may mean rearranging schedules, canceling appointments, or missing work. Yet serving as a juror is an important civic and community duty, as well as a privilege and responsibility. Those who serve as jurors have an opportunity to see the courts in action and to actively participate in a fundamental democratic process.
We have designed this web site to provide information about all aspects of jury service, and to help make jury service as convenient, comfortable, informative and rewarding as possible. The courthouse link on the web site allows jurors the option of completing the juror questionnaire on line. It also provides juror reporting instructions and dates and times jurors are to report for duty. If your county is not yet listed on the web site, please check back often. We will add counties as time permits.
We hope this web site is helpful, and that if you are called that your term of jury service will be rewarding and satisfying.
Qualifications
▪ County residents
▪ At least 18 years of age
▪ Of sound mind
▪ Able to read, write, and understand the English language
Convicted felons whose civil rights have not been restored and penitentiary employees are not eligible to serve as jurors. Clergy may be exempt from jury service when it conflicts with their religious beliefs.