If you are a person with a disability who needs any accommodation to participate in this proceeding, you are entitled, at no cost to you, to the provision of certain assistance. Please contact our office at least 7 days before your scheduled court appearance, or immediately upon receiving this notification if the time before the scheduled appearance is less than 7 days; if you are hearing or voice impaired, call 711.

Court Administration,
ADA Liaison Walton County
571 Highway 90 East
DeFuniak Springs, Florida  32433

(p) 850-595-4400
(f)  850-595-0360

email: ADA.Walton@flcourts1.gov

Please dress appropriately. No shorts, miniskirts, or tank tops allowed.

All persons who are summoned to serve as jurors must attend unless they have been excused by the court. Attendance is essential to the fair administration of justice. People who fail to respond to a jury summons without being properly excused can be fined up to $100 and also held in contempt of court.

Section 40.013 of the Florida Statutes states the reasons a person may be excused from jury service. Two of the categories are "Mandatory Disqualified Exemption" and "Optional Exemption." You must be excused if you are listed in one of the mandatory categories:

• Mandatory - Disqualifications

• Convicted felon and civil rights have not been restored.
• Currently under prosecution for a crime.
• No longer reside in Walton County.

• Optional Exemption - Excused automatically upon request

• Expectant Mother.
• 70 years of age or older.
• Parent(s) not employed full time and have the care and custody of a child under 6 years of age.
• Person(s) who was previously summoned and served as a prospective juror in Walton County, within one (1) year.
• Take care of a person who is incapacitated mentally or physically.
• Full-time sworn federal, state, or local law enforcement officer or investigator employed by a law enforcement agency.
• Full-time student between 18 and 21 years of age, who is attending high school or any state university, private postsecondary educational institution, Florida College System institution, or career center.

Any other reasons submitted for excusal can only be excused by the Judge.

Juror compensation is set by Florida Law. If an individual continues to receive regular wages while serving as a juror, then the State will not compensate that person for the first 3 days of service. If an individual is unemployed, self-employed or someone who does not receive regular wages from the employer, then that person would be entitled to $15 per day (flat rate with no separate amount for mileage) for the first 3 days of service. Furthermore, any juror who serves beyond 3 days will receive $30 per day for the 4th day and any additional days. Approximately 15 days after completion of your jury service, a check will be mailed to you. Before reporting, check with your employer to see if you are paid your regular wages during jury service.

Jury Service is subject to the needs of the Court. Please come to Jury Service prepared to serve a minimum of one to two days. Service can vary depending on the type of case and the days served may not be consecutive.

How do I check in online after receiving a juror summons?

• Visit our eResponse Website. Brief instructions can be found here. Once checked in, alerts will be sent to the provided email address if the trial is cancelled and your service is no longer required. Jurors who have completed their questionnaires online are seated much quicker than ones who do not. Note this does not change your odds of being selected for a trial.

How do I request an excusal/deferment online?

• Visit our eResponse Website. Brief instructions can be found here.  You may also contact our office at (850) 892-8115 with any questions regarding jury duty. 

How do I see if my request for excusal/deferment was approved?

• You may visit our eResponse Website to view the status of your request. Brief instructions can be found here.  You may also contact our office at (850) 892-8115 with any questions regarding jury duty.

• Jurors are randomly chosen from a list of eligible jurors provided to the clerk by the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles.

Will I get arrested if I don't get excused?

• Florida Statute 40.23(3) - Any person who is duly summoned to attend as a juror in any court and who fails to attend without any sufficient excuse shall pay a fine not to exceed $100, which fine shall be imposed by the court to which the juror was summoned, and, in addition, such failure may be considered a contempt of court.

Can you provide me with an excusal for work?

• Yes, all jurors may be provided an excusal for work upon request.

• No food or drink is allowed in courtrooms.

I'm in school. Can I be excused?

• If you are between the ages of 18-21 and are a full-time student, you may automatically be excused upon request.

• Yes, but if you are selected to serve on a trial these devices may be locked away during deliberations.

• Yes, so long as the material contained in them is not pertinent to the trial.

• Yes, Florida statutes allow jurors to donate the payment received for serving as a juror.  This option is located on the top of the jury questionnaire. Jurors may choose to donate to either a local domestic violence shelter or to the local Guardian Ad Litem program.

• Juror compensation is set by Florida law. If an individual continues to receive regular wages while serving as a juror, the State will not compensate that person for the first 3 days of service.  If an individual is unemployed, self-employed, or someone who does not receive regular wages from their employer, that person is entitled to $15 per day (at rate with no separate amount for mileage) for the first 3 days of service.  Any juror who serves beyond 3 days will receive $30 per day for the 4^th day and all additional days. Juror payments are issued via check within 20 days of the last date of service and are issued to the same address listed on the summons or the chosen charity on your behalf. Any juror who is excused from jury service is not entitled to receive compensation for jury duty.

• Business attire is required; beach wear is prohibited.

• No. Only the juror will be allowed in the courtroom during the initial process. However, Florida Statute 40.013(4) states that “any expectant mother and any parent who is not employed full time and who has custody of a child under 6 years of age, upon request, shall be excused from jury service.”

• Yes, but this request must be accompanied by a letter from a licensed physician requesting permanent excusal.

• Submit a signed request for excusal stating that you no longer reside in Walton county. Once that is received you are excused from service. You will also need to contact the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles to update your address.

• If you wish to serve but are unavailable on the date you have been selected, you may request a deferment. Request for deferments are submitted to the judge for approval. If granted, you will be deferred to a time 3-6 months in the future.

• No. All requests must be received in writing via mail, fax, email, or our Online Jury System.