Jury

Jurors for the Week of April 15, 2024

DO NOT need to report for Jury Duty

As of 4/2/2024, You do NOT need to report for jury duty in April 2024.

For jurors selected for service in May 2024 - please check back for updates.

The Bedford Municipal Court address is: 165 Center Rd., Bedford, OH. 44146-2898

For the latest information on the status of this jury, please call (440) 735-6645.

GUIDE TO JURY SERVICE IN BEDFORD MUNICIPAL COURT

Jury service is an integral part of the justice system of America, and this guide is provided to you to make your service as pleasurable as possible.

1. Location of Court: The court is situated at 165 Center Road, Bedford, Ohio. This location is between Broadway Avenue (State Route 14) and Northfield Road (State Route 8). Parking is available in the lot immediately south of the court building. There is no charge for parking. The main entrance to the court is located at the front of the City Hall building. Once inside proceed to your left. There is handicap parking in the front of the building. Jurors should proceed to Court Room No. 2 and check in with the bailiff on duty, who will then direct jurors to the jury room on the second floor. You are encouraged to bring reading materials or other “busy work”, as there may be brief periods of time when the jury is recessed to wait in the jury room before any deliberations are conducted.
    
2. Hours of Operation: Jurors are required to be present at the court at 8:15 A.M. each morning. Jurors will usually be released between the hours of 5:00 P.M.-6:00 P.M. each day. A lunch hour from approximately noon to 1:00 P.M. is taken each day.
    
3. Smoking Policy: Smoking is not permitted within the court facilities at any time. Because jurors are required to stay together, only limited opportunities are available to smoke.
    
4. Dress: You should dress comfortably for your jury service. While casual attire is appropriate, sleeveless garments and T-shirts are not allowed. You may wish to bring a sweater with you, as the courtroom may sometimes feel cool.
    
   1. Food Service: The court provides coffee for jurors free of charge. You may also bring your beverage or snack of choice to the court. During lunch breaks, you are permitted to leave the building. Area restaurants located in close proximity to the court include:

       

      Arby’s	Northfield past Rockside
      Bedford Medical Center Cafeteria	Blaine Avenue
      Burger King	Broadway & Columbus
      Chris' Family Restaurant	Broadway, north of Rockside
      Coffee Cup	Broadway at W. Glendale
      Bedford Falls Cafe	Broadway & North Park
      Los Gallos (Mexican)	Broadway & Columbus
      Dolphin Family Restaurant	Broadway, past Bedford Square
      Sirnas	Broadway, past Bedford Square
      Wendy’s	Warrensville Center Rd.

       

5. Jury Hot Line: The court maintains a special telephone number for jury information. The hot line will contain a prerecorded message indicating whether or not trials are going forward on the upcoming day. Jurors should call this number each evening prior to reporting for jury service to confirm that matters are going forward and their services will be needed.

   HOT LINE NUMBER: (440) 735-6645

6. Emergencies: If you become sick or have an emergency during your term of jury service, you should call the Bailiffs' Department at (440) 735-6631, so that these matters can be addressed as soon as possible.
    
7. Cell Phones: While cell phones are permitted within the building, you should be aware that all cell phones and pagers must be turned off while you are in the courtroom. Cell phones and pagers that ring or have loud vibrations are distracting to everyone, and their use in the courtroom is strictly prohibited.
    
8. How was I selected: As a registered voter and resident of the Bedford Municipal Court jurisdiction, the Juror's names are randomly drawn via computer selection from the Cuyahoga County Board of Elections.
    
9. Getting Excused or Postponing Jury Duty:
   • ALL requests to have jury duty postponed or be excused from jury duty must be submitted in writing to the attention of the Jury Commissioner. The Juror should provide as much detail as possible in their letter as to why they are unable to serve (i.e. proof of travel, letter from employer, etc.).
   • Pursuant to Ohio Revised Code 2313.16, financial hardship does not exist solely based on the fact that a Juror will be absent from their place of employment. If a Juror believes serving jury duty will create extreme financial hardship satisfactory documentation must be provided if the Juror wishes to be excused.
   • Jurors are NOT excused until they receive written correspondence stating that they are excused. If a Juror fails to return their juror card and/or appear when required they might be held in contempt of court with a possible penalty of a $500.00 fine and/or 10 days imprisonment.
   • If a Juror is over the age of 75 years and does not wish to serve, they are to return their juror card and write the same on their card along with their date of birth.
   • If a Juror has previously served as a juror in the past year, the Juror is to provide proof of serving.