Jury Duty
Jury service is a necessary civic duty, required by law. The goal of the jury staff is to summons qualified jurors made up of a fair cross section of the community, working individuals, retirees, members of different sexes as well as social backgrounds, to constitute a legal jury for the civil and criminal courts of Gulf County. Perspective jurors are drawn at random from the State of Florida’s driver’s license lists for Gulf County in accordance with F.S. 40.011. The basic requirements for being eligible for Jury Duty are as follows.
- U.S. citizenship.
- Legal residency within the county that issues the summons.
- Minimum age of at least 18 years.
Also used are the names of individuals 18 and older who hold identification cards issued by the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. The names of non driver Florida (Gulf County) residents who wish to voluntarily submit affidavits offering their names for possible use in compiling jury lists are also included.
If you have any questions, we can be reached at 850-229-6112 from 9:00 a.m., ET to 5:00 p.m., ET, Monday through Friday.
Reporting
You must call 850-229-6112 or 850-639-5068, after 5:00 p.m., the DAY BEFORE you are scheduled to report to receive a recorded message as to whether or not your service is still required.
Report for Jury Service at the location and time stated on your jury summons. The Main Courthouse is located at 1000 Cecil G. Costin, Sr. Blvd, Port St. Joe, FL, and the Annex is located at the Wewahitchka Historical Courthouse on 2nd Street in Wewahitchka, FL. Both Courtrooms are located on the 2nd floor.
Length of Service
Your first day of service is normally limited to jury selection. All juries for trial scheduled during the week are selected on the first day of service, and you will be instructed when to return for trial.
Attire
The dress code for court is general business attire. Casual attire is acceptable. However, you should not wear tank tops, shorts, or flip-flops.
American Disabilities Act (ADA)
If you are a person with a disability who needs any accommodation in order to participate in this proceeding, you are entitled, at no cost to you, the provision of certain assistance. Please contact the ADA Coordinator by mail at P. O. Box 1089, Panama City, FL 32402 or by phone at (850) 767-3550 at least seven (7) days before your scheduled court appearance, or immediately upon receiving this notification if the time before the scheduled appearance is less than seven (7) days. If you are hearing or voice impaired, please call 711 or email ADARequest@jud14.flcourts.org.
Excusals
If you believe you have a circumstance for which you might need to be postponed or excused, you may contact the Clerk’s Office at 850-229-6112 or 850-639-5068 for instructions on how to make this request.
Payment for Jury Service
If you will receive regular pay from your employer during jury service, you are not entitled to compensation for the first three days of jury service. If you will not receive regular pay, you are entitled to receive $15 per day for the first three days of service. All jurors will receive $30 on the fourth day and each day thereafter. The Juror Compensation form included with your jury summons must be completed and turned into the Clerk when you report. For additional information, contact our office at 850-229-6112 or 850-639-5068.
Parking
Juror parking is provided in the front and side parking lots at the Gulf County Courthouse.
