Jury Commission
To Qualify for Jury Duty
- Access your Jury Questionnaire through the Missouri Courts Home page at: https://www.courts.mo.gov
- Then select “Submit Jury Response”
- Log in with the juror ID# on your summons and your date of birth.
- Completing the online questionnaire will determine your eligibility to serve as a juror during your required term of jury service.
- You may Request a paper Questionnaire from the Howell County Circuit Clerks Civil office. 417-256-3741 when prompted, select 1 for the Civil Office and then 2 for Jury Duty.
July and August Jurors:
Panel A and Panel B: Your service is now COMPLETE, you no longer need to report!!
Thank you for Serving as a Juror, it is one of the Highest forms of Civic duty we can perform for our Country.
September and October Jurors:
Please make sure your juror questionnaire is complete online, using the gavel link above, or you may pick up a paper copy at the Circuit Clerks Civil office in the Courthouse.
The State Show-Me Jury (SMJ) and the Juror Portal beginning Saturday, August 23, 2025 at 7:00am until 12 noon will be unavailable. If you are trying to complete your Jury Qualification during that time; please try again after Sate update Maintenance is complete; or pick up a paper questionnaire at the courthouse.
Panel A: First report date is: Tue, Sep. 9th at 8am
Panel B: First report date is: Wed, Sep. 10th at 8am
Courthouse doors open promptly at 8:00am
Please review the following information clear to the bottom of the page for information about reporting for your Jury Duty
Reporting dates updated as of 8/19/2025
After you have Qualified to serve; You are to appear on the REPORT DATE AND TIME for your Panel…. A or B as indicated on your Summons.
Please Note: Most report times are no later than 8:30 a.m.
Make sure to sign up for text or email notifications to stay informed about any changes to your report date.
The courthouse rarely closes due to weather! If it does, you will be notified, provided you opted in for text or email notifications on the jury questionnaire.
To avoid unnecessary appearances, verify your report date the night before. Check the website or call the Jury Information line at (417) 256-7505 to confirm your report date or time. The Jury Schedules change frequently all potential Jurors may expect multiple changes to their reporting dates. Please verify your report date and time AFTER 5:00pm of the evening PRIOR your report date. Doing so will keep you from appearing unnecessarily for Jury Duty.
Thank you for your willingness to aid in the process of the Judicial system. We recognize that jury duty is time-consuming and often an imposition on our jurors, but it is one of the highest forms of civic duty we as citizens can perform for our country. We hope that you find your service to be of value. I know the courthouse personnel certainly value the time and effort that you sacrifice to serve this county as a Juror.
Jury Service: Hallmark of the American System of Justice
Few activities in our civic life provide such direct contact with our democracy as jury service. Besides voting, nothing is so active and participatory in nature. In fact, Thomas Jefferson believed that serving on a jury is more important than voting.
Report to the:
HOWELL COUNTY COURTHOUSE,
WEST DOOR ENTRANCE
Howell County, Missouri, Courthouse in West Plains
Security Protocol
Be Advised: – All PATRONS entering the courthouse are subject to search by security staff…WEAPONS and BAGS ARE NOT PERMITTED IN THE COURTHOUSE. All knives will be confiscated and not returned. CELL PHONES AND SMART WATCHES ARE NOT TO BE IN THE COURTROOMS, PLEASE DO NOT BRING THEM FOR JURY DUTY.
Dress Code
APPROPRIATE DRESS IS REQUIRED FOR JURY DUTY. (Think Business Casual) ALL SHORTS, TANK TOPS, GRAPHIC TEE SHIRTS, PAJAMAS, OR HATS WILL NOT BE ALLOWED PAST SECURITY. No excuses will be given if you arrive with inappropriate attire. The temperature in the courthouse lobby varies with the weather, but the courtrooms are consistently kept much cooler.
ADA Compliant
Access to jury service is available to all individuals with a disability as required by the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. If you need accommodations for a disability or special dietary needs, please call (417) 256-3741 during office hours, Monday – Friday 8:00 A.M. to 4:30 P.M., at least one week in advance of your report date. The phone number can also be used for emergencies while you are serving in the courthouse.
We would like to take this opportunity to Thank YOU for your service and cooperation and hope this website will provide quick and easy access to information on upcoming jury trials during your 2 Months of Jury Duty. We update this website and our phone service regularly; feel free to check back as often as needed.
THANK YOU.
Howell County Jury Information
For other frequently asked questions and items of interest, be sure to check out our FAQ page by clicking on this link Jury Duty FAQs
Overview
The Office of State Courts Administrator in Jefferson City creates the Master Jury Lists for our local Jury pools from The Secretary of States, Voter Registration files AND The Department of Revenue Driver’s License files, which might not be updated with your latest address. Answering the qualification questions will help you update them.
The Summons
Jury Summons cards are mailed one month before the first report date.
The Summons card identifies:
- the court and county
- The Circuit Court of Howell County, Missouri
- the Name and address of the potential Juror
- you may make any updates to this information in the Qualification Process
- the Juror ID number and gives you instructions how to legally respond.
- the two-month term of Jury Service
- That does NOT mean a trial will last two months. It means you need to be available to come for Jury Selection during that time.
- the first report date for Jury Selection
- What Panel you are on
- the phone number for the Jury Information update line. (417)256-7505
The Jury Qualification Process
Is simply first, completing the necessary Questions; and then, getting the necessary information to the court if you need to be excused or disqualified after your questionnaire has been completed, either online or by paper questionnaire.
- Please be aware the questions are designed to help YOU and the court know about your circumstances so, judgments can be made to excuse or disqualify you as early as possible. If you get denied an excuse before Jury Selection date, the Judge or court just may want more information, and you will be able to answer in person at Jury Selection.
Before showing up for Jury Duty, all Jurors must complete the Qualification form within 10 days of receiving their summons. Either the online form or the paper form from the Circuit Clerks Civil Office. 417-256-3741 x1 x2
Howell County Jurors are “on call” for two months.
That does NOT mean a trial will last two months. It means you need to be available to come for Jury Selection during that time.
You may need to report for more than one Jury Selection within your term of Service.
At Jury Selection you have the chance to review with the court any hardships or previous obligations you may have that would interfere with that specific trial date. If you tried to get excused prior to jury selection date, and were denied, you will still have an opportunity to explain your circumstances in person to the court.
To minimize the inconvenience to our jurors’ lives; You are encouraged to call the recorded Howell County Jury information line or check this website the night before your report date, to ensure that there has been no change in the reporting instructions. Sometimes the Court cancels jury trials for various reasons and jurors can determine this by following the call-in or website instructions.
- Complete the online bio and questionnaire or contact the Circuit Clerk’s Civil office to complete the paper version. The Jury Duty qualification process is to be completed within 10 days of receiving your summons.
- Please bring your summons with you each time you report for jury duty
Medical Excuses
If you are requesting a disqualification or excusal due to mental health or medical reasons, or because you are a 24-hour caregiver for someone with a medical or mental reason, you MUST provide a doctor’s excuse. ALL MEDICIAL EXCUSES ARE DUE TWO WEEKS BROFRE YOUR FIRST REPORT DATE.
You may submit your Doctor’s excuse by:
- uploading them through eJuror,
- hand delivering them to the courthouse,
- or for your convenience have your doctor’s office fax your excuse directly to the Jury Commission. (fax#417-256-4650)
Your diagnosis or medical records are NOT required. However, the Doctor’s recommendation is essential. Your doctor’s excuse should be submitted 2 weeks before your report date. In other words, all requests that do not have an associated doctor’s note will be denied.
Verify Your Report Date
You will have multiple report dates throughout your term of service. It is the nature of the Court System that people are working diligently on each upcoming Jury Case. Trials get rescheduled and even called off completely regularly. Your first report date is printed on your summons. To receive notifications by email or text message about all changes, you need to provide that information in your Questionnaire. If you choose not to share that information, you are responsible for verifying your next reporting dates either through the automated Howell County Jury information line at (417) 256-7505 or on this website after 5:00 p.m. the evening before your jury duty. The recorded message will provide the most updated reporting date and time for each Panel of each Jury term of service. Check the top of this page for the current dates.
Reporting For Jury Duty
Report to the Howell County Courthouse, located at 106 Courthouse, West Plains, MO 65775. Please allow ample time for parking and security screening. The Courthouse opens promptly at 8:00 a.m.
- You will have to go through a Security Screening to enter the Courthouse.
- Some items that trigger the screening process are watches, belts, or possibly jewelry.
- You will need to return any prohibited item to your vehicle or dispose of it.
ITEMS NOT ALLOWED IN THE COURTHOUSE
- any firearm or weapon
- sharp objects of any kind, ie: metal utensils, knitting needles, scissors, tools, or knives
- flammable chemicals including hair spray, pepper spray, mace, or cigarette lighters.
- purses, handbags, briefcases, backpacks, waist packs, diaper bags, or duffel bags
- cell phones, smart watches, electronic devices
You may access them on your breaks if you keep them in your vehicle.
Jury Selection
The Jury Selection process will take place the morning of the trial with multiple breaks to allow jurors to stretch and use the facilities available. As part of the selection process, you’ll be informed about how long the trial is expected to last and can share any prior commitments you have during the trial period.
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