About Jury Service

             Jury service is an essential part of our state’s system of government.  Your fellow citizens depend on you and your employees to make themselves available and to listen fairly and objectively to all the evidence in the case.   Litigants want an opportunity to tell their story and have a jury of their peers make a decision based on the facts.  Without the jury, the system would cease to function.

             In New Hampshire, jurors are selected randomly from a combined list of registered voters and those who have driver’s licenses.  No one can serve on a jury for more than 30 days, unless they are in the middle of a trial.  In reality, most people end up serving, on average, 2 to 3 days during the month they are summoned. 

             You may be interested in learning more about how the jury system works in New Hampshire.  You can look at other sections of this website for more detailed information. 

 Your obligation as an employer

             According to New Hampshire law (RSA 500-A:14), an employer cannot deprive an individual of their employment or threaten or coerce an employee because of their jury service.  Any employer who violates this law may be held in contempt of court.  If an employee were to be discharged because of their jury service, they would have right to bring the employer to court and recover their job, lost wages and attorney fees.   

 Verification of jury service  

             Your employee can ask someone at the court to provide them with verification of the dates and times they were in court for jury service if this is necessary.