I recently had jury duty in the "George N. Leighton" criminal courthouse. By the way, Judge Leighton has a great story of his own and I encourage you all to Google and find out. I saw a few yelpers' reviews on the courthouse itself and their experiences. There was no cafeteria anymore. Instead, there were vending machines, featuring Farmer's Fridge and other generic ones, inside the jurors' waiting room. Overall, the offerings were quite decent and eating surely would make the time go by a bit faster! I did use the bathroom a few times and the janitor came through several times to tidy things up. Fortunately, we were dismissed early due to the defendant' plea deal. To be honest, I would love to be called to the court room and get that "voir dire" process started. Anyway, I was fine either way since it would be a long way traveling back home and traffic wasn't heavy in the late morning/early afternoon. The information video seemed to be updated from the last time I served my first jury duty (sometime 2017), except Judge Timothy C. Evans' introduction filed in the 90's still existed. That part could use some new technology because it didn't sync with the rest of the contents. People couldn't be any nicer! Everyone I talked to was polite. I almost wanted to use the lactation room, as I found out we were going to be dismissed soon. I opted out but the facility would be available for nursing moms and I bet the clerk would be happy to help. For transportation options, CTA bus #94 drops passengers in front of the courtroom and parking lot. Jurors can park for free and there is an instruction on the summon. The Pink Line California station is approximately of a 10-min walk and it seems safe during the day, yet exercise your own discretion. read more

I was affirmed to be serving jury duty in person at this criminal Court in Chicago. Today, it was an epic subzero day where most schools were closed. Jury duty members and members attending their court date arrived and entered the same entrance across the street from the parking garage. Getting in around 8:30, an hour earlier than the reported time, seemed to be a good idea, however, there was a bit of a lack of efficiency in the way the lines were queued up. If you are attending courts for any reason and you are not in jury duty, you must check your mobile phone or not bring it into the building at all. If you have a summons to be on jury duty, you are allowed to bring in a laptop, tablet, mobile device while the mobile device is officially allowed. There is a Starbucks stand after the metal detectors at entrance. But as the office of the clerk says, that thing is fake. They never opened it. So look at your hopes up. The cafeteria doesn't exist anymore on the first floor, you are relegated to vending machines, one of which is a farmers fridge. On the second and third floor. Floor. You will head to the third floor and spend the majority of your day through 4:30 p.m. I was selected shortly after lunch. At the roll call, your panel number paper is adorned with a red jury member badge. The 30 to 34 people seemed to include four to five panels. We were shepherded down, across and up to another location where the court rooms are. The walk from the third floor jury duty, waiting room to the courtrooms were through a few ornate corridors and stairwells. I suspect this building is pretty cool inside architecturally speaking. The room we were in was circular and the audio was well adjusted. I do not envy the people who have the hold court everyday. The judge asks the same questions to each of the first 28 people who were selected to be in the court room. There are rest rooms in the juror room (if you get picked after the completion of voir dire) or outside of the courtrooms at the exterior edge of the floor. Restrooms are one person at a time. This is the furthest I've participated in jury duty. At the end of the day, which ended about 5pm, I was not selected to be a jurer. The intent of this trial was to last through this Friday, at worst. Pay for the day is $35 USD and parking is free. read more

Cook County Circuit Court - Courthouse from the parking garage after jury duty - Courthouses Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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I realize this is a strange complaint, considering the entire reason people are here. But this review is for people who serve jury duty. Those vending machines are making a profit from overcharging, and nobody is going to march back to the courthouse to dispute change. BELLE-AIR VENDING FAYETTEVILLE AR vending machines will charge you $3.45 and $2 for something that is $1.50. The vending machines will let you swap your card, say you have a credit (before you buy something) and then overcharge you AFTER you buy it. This happened on the second-floor cafeteria and then oddly charged me the wrong price again on the third floor. I wish I would've taken photographs of the actual price next to the items to prove it. And unless you want to eat junk food all day long, potential jurors, bring a lunch. I've already been on a jury twice. The lunch downtown is awful (Charlie Brown Thanksgiving: plain chips and a bowl of lettuce for vegetarians) so I was elated to see a Farmers Fridge vending machine at the California locations. The problem? It was barely stocked at noon to 1 p.m., the most obvious time to make sure the vending machine is full. The few salads in it were gone after the first few people in the line. And then this chickpea sandwich is oddly stuck in the machine and says it's unavailable. In both machines, you'll see about 75% unavailability but PLENTY of boiled eggs. May as well be called Farmer's Fridge Easter. This place will leave you hangry and bored. On the upside, at least you get $35 to cover travel and the vending machine hustle. And there are plenty o outlets to charge your phones and laptops. Just bring a coat or sweater or your fingers will be too cold to type. On a positive note, every single employee I ran into from scanning my bags and headphones all the way until checking into the lobby and inside the large waiting area was SUPER nice. They're so nice they could all be commercials for Walmart greeters. I'm hoping their pay reflects their customer service skills. Even if you don't want to serve jury duty, they'll make you feel bad about being grumpy. Be nice to the workers BUT NOT THOSE VENDING MACHINES! read more

It was my first time as a jury member. I had my Hope's up too. Got there early, ready, prepared. I waited for my number to be called ALL DAY!!! And at 2:30PM, I was one of a few people that was called to pick up our check for service at the desk. All day anticipation-just to watch daytime television. Lol Maybe next time... maybe next time! It was a well run machine-how they give numbers and call people for the cases they had available. I had a good time. Talked to a couple of nice people. I hope I get the chance to serve FOR REAL,and soon:) read more

Cook County Circuit Court - Courthouses Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Where do I begin? I had jury duty at George Leighton courthouse and contrary to what some people say, you ARE allowed to bring cellphones and even lap tops into the courthouse with you, as well as snacks and drinks. It's only when you are brought in to one of the actual court rooms, that you must turn those devices off.....not just be put on silent....they must be shut OFF. There is free parking across from the courthouse on California Blvd in a parking garage and also a parking lot if you're lucky to find a space in the lot. Go early! I didn't bring snacks or drinks because I heard they have vending machines. Well yes, but the snack machine was not working. And that meant me sitting there ALL DAY with nothing to eat at all. We were all told there would be an hour lunch. That never happened! A group of us were called for jury selection in one of the courtrooms. The judge asks each prospective juror the same set questions (the term is called 'voir dire') and it's a really long, grueling to sit there while this process is being done. 12pm....1pm......2pm.....But no lunch for us! We got a FIVE MINUTE BREAK to stretch and walk around, that's it! They didn't even have drink fountains there! I literally had to go into a bathroom, cup my hands together, and drink water from my hands from the sink faucet! They only provide food for those who are picked to be actual juror, and that's the next day. You could HEAR everyone's stomachs growling as we sat there. You get paid about $32 for the day. Typical trials last between 2-3 days. They do NOT have a cafeteria. You go there and you would think the least they could do is provide prospective jurors with coffee, donuts, or something!!! So bring snacks and drinks or cash for the vending machines (if they're working). They really need an overhaul on this whole jury duty process. It should be more considerate to the prospective jurors, and more streamlined. read more

Driving into this location seems to be the best way to go. Jury duty parking garage is easy to find, but you have to know to look for it. Without reading reviews from others, I'd have defaulted to taking public transportation...and that just wouldn't feel safe. Once in the building, they quickly enforce a mask policy for everyone. Over both your nose and mouth, so plan accordingly and expect to wear it every moment except when eating. Security wasn't too difficult. Everything out of your pockets, no watches or belts through the metal detector. As a prospective jury member, you are permitted to bring Kindles, tablets, and smart phones with you. They have heavily encouraged bringing your own lunch, even when it seems too late to have made that decision. I brought power banks to recharge my phone....which are permitted but caused security to want to scan my lunch bag a second and possibly 3rd time. Look for the elevator marked "2-17", the other ones won't take you where you want to go. Check in was a cake walk as long as you followed directions and filled out the form on the back of your summons. Social distancing practices have you about as far as you reasonably can be from one another while still fitting 90 people in a room. Greeting and announcements came up about an hour after call time. The staff member informed us as much as she could about what to expect. "You'll have a lunch. We don't know when. You'll likely be called...but the deputies aren't here yet". Comfort is king, but just not too comfortable. Blue jeans and a hoodie appear to be fine for the occasion. Business casual feels out of place. Outlets are first-come first serve, as are the tables. Everyone was polite and professional. All employees were respectful and understood that the ~90 people called would prefer to be almost anywhere else. Really, nothing negative to say except "jury duty". read more

It's pretty much what you'd expect. It's a bit run down. It's a bit sketchy looking. Every worker I encountered was really nice. There was a lot of waiting around but there was secure wifi and vending. They know jury folks are a lot of nervous and new people and answer a lot of questions. Cafeteria is underwhelming, but fine. Food provided for jurors would have probably been good hot. Sadly, by the time we got to our room it was ice cold. No one ate it. read more

This place is enormous! The reviews don't lie- about the food and barely air conditioning. Jury does get secure wifi- look for the login information posted on the walls to walk you through the process. Although the letter said to be prepared to stay until 4:30, everyone who was not chosen was released and paid at 2:00. read more

Cook County Circuit Court - Sitting and waiting with no wifi - Courthouses Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

If you're a law abiding citizen and registered voter, at some point you will be called upon to do jury duty. And you will go and serve because it is your duty as a citizen in support of democracy and rule of law. If you slide out of it, then you're a self-important ass hat, suck on society and should stop reading, because you won't be going anyway. Ok, so this court is significantly scarier than any other I've been to because it's connected to the cook county jail. And it's the criminal courts building, and god know what elements of thuggery you'll be rubbing your tender shoulders with. But it's safe, so get over it wimp. But here are the Pros: 1. Free parking in the multi-level garage across the street. Just show your jury summons to the gate keep, and they will let you in. Arrive at least 45 minutes early, because the line of cars in the AM is long. 2. The jury waiting room is spacious and comfortable and doesn't smell of close b.o., unlike downtown. There is plenty of seating, so you'll have room to spread out. There are several flat screen TVs, an area for making cell phone calls, a vending machine area, and clean close by bathrooms. There's even a table if you brought your laptop. No wifi, so bring your portable or go 4g. 3. They are very well organized, so you will be shuttled off to a courtroom, within the first hour. 4. And with any luck you'll be picked to be on a jury to listen to an interesting criminal case, like I was last month. 5. The food when serving on a jury isn't great. Why would it be? I include it in the Pros, because you'll be eating the same thing they serve the inmates, and that, at least is interesting. For lunch we had spaggetti with little meatballs (which was surprisingly tasty, but mushy), mushy canned green beans and soda. For dinner, we had unmemorable sandwiches, chips and soda. Both meals were good reasons not to get arrested for criminal activity in Cook County. 6. The staff at this court is friendly and helpful, from the folks who metal detect you at the door, to the guards who guide you around, to the clerks all the way up to the judge. They understand that you are there to serve and do your duty as a citizen, and they respect you for giving your time and attention. Our judge even gave each of us fancy certificates with our names on them, commemorating our service. Nice touch. Cons: Really only one major con. The long line for free parking in the garage, in the AM. Get there early. Do not park on the street, because it's metered, and they will not let you in and out of jury duty to go feed your meter. read more

After spending three days here on jury duty, here is what you potential jurors should know. Food: 1) Bring all your own food. They have vending machines, a snack shop and a cafeteria on site. If you don't mind vending machine junk food, or prison quality cafeteria food, you should be fine. If your tastes are somewhat better than that, pack a bag of meals and snacks. 2) You can go out, but there is only one place in the immediate area, a Popeye's chicken across the street. The rest of this neighborhood is sketchy, so don't stray far. 3) If you get called for jury duty they will feed you. Breakfast consists of donuts, coffee and juice. Lunch one of my days was Salisbury steak, grilled potatoes and boiled cabbage. Dinner was a chicken salad sandwich with a cookie. I'M TELLING YOU, YOU DON'T WANT TO HAVE TO EAT THIS. Location: 1) This neighborhood is shady as all hell. There is a prison down the street. There are thugs all over the place. But there are also cops and sheriffs all over the place. You will have to go through a metal detector to get into the building. Parking: 1) If you are a juror they have a large parking lot and parking garage across the street. It is staffed by a police office at the gate. Bring your summons in case they want to see it, but they never asked for mine. Potential Juror Waiting Room: 1) This is the nicest part of the building. Its a large room with three sections, clean bathrooms, and lots of light. They also have tables if you want to bring your laptop and work. 2) There is no WI-FI 3) Be prepared to sit for hours waiting to be called. It can happen. 4) Bring small bills and change for the vending machines. They have a change machine but it was out of order when i was there. 5) They have a coffee machine that spits out tar. It is not drinkable. If you are chosen as a juror: 1) you will get paid $17.20 a day. 2) You will be stuck in the court room or in a private court jury room all day. 3) The jury room is small, tight, and nothing like what you see on TV. 4) Watch out for cockroaches. 5) Hope it's an open and shut case and cross your fingers the deliberation is quick. Now go do your civic duty and don't complain about it. read more

I never thought I'd see the day that I would be writing a Yelp review of a courthouse. This edifice on a sketchy stretch of California Ave. is an example of your tax dollars at work. I was summoned here for jury duty yesterday. Having not been called before, nor having had any prior experience in the criminal courts (phew!) I had no idea what to expect, other than the instructions on the summons directing me to bring change for the vending machines, not wear shorts, and to make sure I was well stocked with reading material. Of course it was a rainy Monday morning. The service was scheduled to begin at 9 am. It was almost 10:30 before things actually got underway, by which I mean numbers being issued and the screening of a video on Jury Service 101. I got here early and had to pass through a looong security line, along with my fellow citizens, before I even got to the room for prospective jurors. The security screening itself was not bad. I was expecting something along the lines of airport security; therefore I was wary of bringing my own bottle of water. I wish I had, as the waters were $1.40 a pop from the vending machines- no complimentary water is provided, unless you count the two water fountains. Fortunately my snacks saved me from the tyranny that is the cafeteria food. Once I got my number, I proceeded to wait. I did make a dent in my book and polished off the Red Eye's crossword. By the time lunch rolled around at 12:15 I still hadn't been picked. We had until 1:30 for lunch, an opportunity I took to stretch my legs seeing as how I was basically confined to movie-theater like seating all day, necessitating that someone either climb over me or that I climb over others in my row to get in and out. Sure enough, after lunch, my panel number was called and I packed up my belongings to head to the courtroom. It was beginning to look like a close call, as I was selected to sit in the jury box and then asked a battery of questions, even including hobbies and favorite television show. Really! I knew the judge didn't want to shoot the breeze, so I said Law and Order, hoping that would put the kibosh on my service. After another lengthy deliberation over the selection of jurors, I was at last released. I heaved a huge sigh of relief, as this trial was scheduled to last three days, and rushed out of the courtroom to collect my whopping $17.20 for the day. I will say that the judge was very disorganized with her papers. I couldn't see what the court clerk was doing, as the proceedings could have flowed much more smoothly had the judge had easy access to her documents. This was truly a wake up call to see the cogs of our judicial system at work. If there is this much voire dire involved in such a piss ant case, I quail to think of how much time and money are being thrown at the major criminal trials. It is enough to make me want to stop paying my state taxes. Then again, that is not such a good idea, as I am sure that will lead me back into the criminal courts, in a continuation of this Kafka-esque cycle. read more

GRAND JURY: This was my first Grand Jury summons and the official online info was pretty useless, making the experience sound much worse than it actually was. Everyone was friendly and helpful, which is good because the place was packed the Monday I was called - like a super-busy day with TSA. Bring your color summons sheet and keep it visible, as jurors get perks compared to the general public, including free parking at the dingy garage across the median from the courthouse. Contrary to the posted signs, jurors ARE able to bring cell phones into the building. Secure WiFi is available but my iPad couldn't log on. Once you're on the third floor, Grand Jurors go one way and regular jurors another; if staff can see your summons, they'll send you to the proper line and to your assigned waiting area - which is theater seating. Spiel from prosecutor was preachy but well done, emphasizing that this is an important civic duty. We had a nice cross section of Chicagoans who were mostly attentive. Each potential juror was individually interviewed by a prosecutor and they seemed genuinely concerned to identify people for whom serving would be a genuine hardship. They also recognize BS right away. By 12:30, they had selected the Grand Jury of 18 people and 10 alternates. The selected jurors got a free lunch of sandwiches because the cafeteria was closed for renovations. The rest of us got our $17 checks, sincere thanks, and left to go back to our normal lives. We were told that many cases were brief so Grand Jurors might hear several before lunch and several more after lunch. You normally serve M-F but there were 3 holidays in February so this group would only serve 17 weekdays. I've served on criminal cases as a petit juror twice before and both experiences were sorta inspiring because we could see firsthand how the rights of the accused were defended by their attorneys and how the judge kept everyone in line. I was glad to be excused this time but hope my name will come up again. Serving as a Grand Juror seems like a good chance to help the City conduct importance business. Took off one star due to the shabby and grungy parts of the building. Not the fault of the staff who make the best of what they have, but it detracts from the overall experience as a citizen. read more

I was called in for grand jury selection on a Monday. I was asked to call the day before to confirm if I had to go. I called multiple times but just kept getting an automated message asking me to call the day before ( which I was). The message suggested I email them, which I did, again no response. So I started off on the long hour plus commute on 2 buses the next morning. And while on bus #2, I get a "prompt " response that , yes, I have to attend. There were about 50 of us seated in a stuffy sort of dark court room as they interviewed each juror and finally made the selection. The room was stuffy and we were there for about 5 hours. There was no fountain or water available unless we went down to the small kiosk in the lobby. Sitting in a stuffy room, for 5 hours with not even water, wearing a mask was not pleasant. The ladies room very quickly ran out of paper towels and TP in one of the 2 stalls. At 2 pm, they made the selection and took the chosen ones to the back room for lunch and soft drinks. Granted they don't have to feed all the potential jurors, but surely they can at least provide water or a working fountain? For our trouble we got a check for $17.20. After my bus fares, I made out like a bandit with $2.20. read more

I just spent three days at this location. Ariel L's review is dead on with his review. I am so glad that I had my tablet with me since there is a lot of down time between witnesses and the long lunches. read more

Got selected to go to Jury this past Friday. The summons requested for me to be there at 9 am. I got there at 8:45 am and was the 3rd person checked in. By 9-10am, people started rolling in and at 10am they provided a 5 mins video and what's expected of you during the process. You sit around in this large room with chairs/tables/tv's and now they have WIFI so bring a tablet if you like. Only problem is that the WIFI cuts out every hour so you have to re-login. By 12-1pm, it's lunch time and you can either eat the lunch you brought or eat at the Popeye's/cafeteria downstairs. Based on the people that were with me, neither option was good, so bring a snack or lunch from home. By 3pm, we were told no one was going to be selected for the day as all the courts settled and didn't need a jury. Got paid $25 and was on my way home. read more

Please be aware of a black man(elderly) wearing glasses with gray hair and mustache. He will keep running back and forth standing around unfortunately I was doing paperwork on the phone. He will begin jumping up and down like a child having a temper problem. Since it's the holiday season this week, he wanted to touch your hands and then slob all over it. After he was talking about his granddaughter don't have time for him. He lives in Hyde Park and he also hang out at Alpha Kappa Alpha headquarters. He want to put a ring on every woman's finger after you tell I don't want one from you then he will say are you gay? Height 5'10" brown eyes small frame age 80-88. Let's try to have empathy for this lonely black man who said he was an activist in the past. read more

I have served, very professionally when called. My problem with the system, is In my 35 years of serving, the only 2 places I get picked is once at Maywood, and the rest at 26th and California. What??? I live 1 mile from the Metra Northwest line, to go to the Daley center. I live 3 miles to the Rolling Meadows court house. No, they want this female to travel round trip 90 miles to go to 26th and California. I do not get the system. I spend more money on gas, and tolls then what I get. Thank God I can afford to, but what about the other court houses. Why is the system, trying to frustrate me?? Help Confused Jury Lady read more

Interesting place...really a great experience to learn about our justice system. The Cook County sheriff people were very nice to all the prospective jurors. The courtroom over in the old building was a piece of architecture. Was called to be a juror...was interviewed for a seat. Neat experience everyone should do once. read more

Cook County Circuit Court - Jail as seen from the cafeteria in the administration buillding - Courthouses Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I rarely write reviews, but I decided to write one since I'm waiting for this Red Bull to kick in and for my panel to go. 1. There is parking across the street for jurors so before you go in the parking lot show them your letter. 2. When you go inside the building you gotta go through security. Belts, watch, keys, etc bust them out and put it on this container. (Am I doing jury duty or flying?) Bags go through the X-Ray machine. 3. I know what people on Yelp were saying when they said the food is horrible. There is a food place right right after you pass security, but it looked like finger foods. 4. There is no public wifi in the waiting area. However, if you are a Comcast subscriber you can sign onto the xfinity wifi. It's slow, but if you need it you gots no choice. -There is wifi...on the 4th floor according to the sign- 5. There are these huge study tables in the waiting area if you need to study like me. Bring your external charger if you need one cause the outlets are like in Neverland. 6. If you don't need to study there are these movie theater seats, but you're facing like a TV that has nothing on. Bring something to read =) read more

So I heard that the cafeteria food from here is bad. I personally did not try it and I'm glad I didn't since the lady that went to the cafeteria there ended up throwing it away. I went to the Popeyes down the street. Aside from being yelled at by one of the officers at the entrance and being patted down aggressively because I was not paying attention ( it was just too early for me) the visit was okay. I had trouble finding the jury waiting room. But once I asked the officer at the front desk guided me to where I needed to go. Once you get to the room make sure you filled out the sheet they m(ail you to make things easier) you just go through the check in line. It takes less than 5 mins to check in. At check in you will receive a panel number. Then you wait. They make you watch this video about what your civic duty is and all that jazz. This is the only circuit court that will allow you to bring cell phones and be able to use them while you wait to be called. So don't be a butthead and ruin it for everyone else by not following their cell phone rules.If your panel does not get called by 12 they let you go to lunch at that time then you have to be back by 1:30pm. Again I heard that you should avoid the cafeteria at all cost. You can bring in your own snacks and drinks to your waiting room and lunch. Just bring your own stuff especially if you are watching your calorie intake there's no healthy food options any where near this area. Neighborhood seems sketchy so be careful and just sit there and wait to be called. read more

How can you rate a courthouse??! I must admit, the process is long and long. BUT! They have a good system down though! You arrive early! Parking lot across is free but it fills up fast! My time was 9am and I arrived at 8ish. Lot was getting full even by then. There is a food truck aka 'roach coach' parked in front. I brought my own mug and the coffee was $1. Really good too! I gave $2. Line up inside for security by Male/Female. There is Popeyes or cafeteria on 2nd floor as well. Tho I brought food. The waiting area is big and TVs there. No wifi. But cell/electronics allowed. Being books newspapers whatever! Clean restrooms. Then wait! So far, easy but I hear food not so good. It's your duty! You'll get paid after $17.50. I've still not been called and who knows if I will. Be prepared. read more

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I got called up for the dreaded JURY DUTY. Sure I whine and moaned about it...even trying to devise things to say that would make the judge want to say, "Nah", to picking me. But alas, when it came down to it, I couldn't think of anything clever to make up, and well I got picked as a juror for a two-day trial. The entire process wasn't too bad actually. The vast majority of people I came across that worked there were extremely nice and helpful. I honestly wasn't expecting that. First thing you should know...they have a free parking lot for jurors across the street, so you don't have to worry about street parking and paying meters around that shady area. Second thing you should know, please bring something to read or to entertain you for at least 6 hours. That's no joke. You know what else is no joke? They don't have Wi-Fi. But apparently this location is the only circuit court that allows people to use their phones while they wait in the assembly area. Check-in was relatively quick and there they give you a Panel Number. After about 2.5 hours of just waiting in the assembly room, they called out the first 2 panel numbers. My number was called up. After assembling the groups, they took us to the first floor lobby where the Deputy for the judge was giving us instructions on where we were all going and basically what to expect. She took us to Criminal courts area where we waited for about 25 minutes in the hallway. Then they they called us in to the court room. There were about 50 of us and the Judge introduced herself and the both sets of attorneys and the defendant. The judge then went on for an hour (yes, an hour) spiel about the importance of serving as a juror, etc. She then let us go for an hour lunch. I wasn't in the mood for Popeyes (across the street), nor was I in the mood for tacos (El Milagro is down the block) so I stuck around the cafeteria. I thought high school cafeteria food was bad...oh man. Another recommendation...BRING YOUR LUNCH. You'll be glad you did. After lunch we met at the court room again and from there, they "randomly" pick about 35 people for a jury pool. The other 15 people sat at the side. They asked 35 of us to verify the answers we chose on the Summons form and then they asked us what we do on our free time. If they needed clarification on something, they'd call jurors to the back room to speak to them privately. This was seriously the longest process ever. By the time all was said and done, it was 4:50pm. They made their selection of 14 jurors (2 alternates) and they took us to the jurors room where they gave us instructions for the next couple of days. Luckily my group of jurors were pretty cool peeps. They treated us nicely. They fed us breakfast (donuts, coffee, juice). It's best you eat breakfast at home :) And being the cheap-ass and lazy-ass I am, I didn't want to pay for lunch so I ate whatever they served us. Granted it's not the worst food ever, but it's not good. Haha! Once the trial was over, we ended up deliberating for almost 5 hours! We were so glad once it was all over. I will say, I thought it was cool that the judge came back to talk to us to answer any questions we had and to explain things a little more indepth. She was very nice. She gave us a certificate at the end. All in all, while it wasn't a bad experience, it's definitely something I wouldn't want to do again. It's a lot of sitting around waiting. Days are just so long. But, like I said, the people were all nice. The deputy was awesome, the judge was cool. By the way, the day you come in for your summons, you get paid $25. If you get picked as a juror, you get paid $50 for each day of the trial. read more

I survived 3 days of jury duty! First things first: there is free Wi-Fi in the Jury assembly waiting area, just ask the ​staff! See details below. Parking is free for jurors. Bring snacks and water. Bring a sweater if you get cold easily--if you get selected, the courtrooms are chilly. There is free Wi-Fi in the Jury assembly waiting room at the Cook County Criminal Building at 26th & California in Chicago. The Wi-Fi code is posted in various areas or you can ask a staff person. Staff was​ extremely nice and helpful. There are several electrical outlets throughout the jury assembly room. Bring your laptop, iPad or reading materials if you are easily bored. All of the reviews are accurate, with the exception of Wi-Fi: it's free in the jury assembly room ONLY. Bathrooms throughout the building are meh. There is no WiFi inside of the courtrooms and you cannot have phones in the courtrooms. If you are selected as a juror, you can have your cell phone in the juror room within the courtroom. Bathrooms are meh in the jury room within the courtroom. If you are selected as a juror, the courtrooms are cold. Bring a sweater. Staff was friendly throughout the courthouse. Lunch break is 1.5 hours if you're waiting to be called to see if you will serve on a trial. While waiting to see if I would be called to serve, I had lunch at El Milagro (a short 3 block walk) after reading the bad reviews of the cafeteria food at the courthouse. It's authentic Mexican food served cafeteria style. It's worth checking out if you like Mexican food. If you are selected to serve, you cannot leave the courthouse until the judge dismisses you at the end of each day. Meals are brought from the courthouse cafeteria. If you are selected to serve on a trial, you eat in the jury room within the courtroom. The cafeteria food is nothing to write home about. Bring your own lunch/food if you are picky, as you will not be able to leave the courtroom if you are selected to serve. You're "sequestered" within that courtroom until the judge dismisses you at the end of each day until the trial ends. In general: Plan your trip to see what options are in the area and take advantage of your 1.5 hour lunch break while waiting to see if you are called. I served in August so it was easy to venture out. This might not be the case in the fall, winter or spring, so bring plenty of things/materials to occupy your time and food/snacks/lunch if you don't want the cafeteria food. read more

Court room so tiny The court room was so small that the jury box was 6 inches from the defendant- in my case the defendant was charged with a double homicide. He was glaring at us all the time and furiously scribbling noted. Seemed intent on intimidation and it was certainly distracting. read more

The sight of this building is like looking at a cash cow. For others it is like getting smacked with a hot wheels track. This is the gutter of Cook County criminals facing trial. Everyone should pass through here on a sight seeing adventure! read more

*$17.20 payday !!!! I arrived ahead of time around 8:30AM, using my own car instead of public transportation and was able to get a good spot in their covered parking garage. The guard waved me right on in without even getting up from his chair, so much for tight security! If you can, try to take your car because it's not the easiest place to get to or the most desirable neighborhood to walk around in. It also helps to take a compact car (like mine) because they have designated spaces all over the parking garage, guaranteeing you a more choice parking spot. Go green another time! Tip: Choose one near the elevators on the end. After reading other Yelp reviews I didn't even attempt to go to their outdated cafeteria and decided to bring my own lunch. Which got me to thinking? Why don't they have a food court instead of a cafeteria, considering how many people use it and the lack of decent eateries in the area. If they upped their game on the food maybe more people would eat there and it would make the process of going there a little more bearable and it might be more profitable for the City. Just a thought. Surprised after reading all the reviews on Yelp how many people didn't bring anything to read, or do anything constructive with their time, which really makes for a long day. Personally, I brought my favorite book on photography, (remember books?), listened to music, and tried to make the best of it. Another observation, most of the people looked like they just rolled out of bed. Okay, granted the official rules say don't wear shorts, but maybe it's time to update the dress code. How about business casual? Even Judge Judy calls people out on their appearance in court. "Where'd you think you were coming to today, the beach?" HaHa! We're all adults, why does someone have to tell grown adults how to dress for court? Sorry for the rant, I dressed up out of respect for the court system and the seriousness of the case I might be called upon be apart of. Other than that minor irritation, they had plenty of comfortable seating spaces and you could move if somebody was being annoying, like talking too much or having their music up too loud. Personnel was pleasant and accommodating for the most part. *17.20 -- I thought we were supposed to get a measly $20, instead we got the even measlier (is that even a word?) sum of $17.20!!! We were there from 9:00 AM to about 2:10 PM, which works out to $3.44 an hour, which is less than minimum wage. Who thought of that, I bet it was the same person(s) who came up with that stupid idea of keeping that outdated cafeteria ??? P.S. they also need to do a better job of supplying the restrooms with toilet paper and fixing their non-working Wi-Fi system! read more

Parking: Is easy. Its across the street on California. There are signs for "jury parking" Once you go through security, someone will direct you to the right elevators and you will go to the 3rd floor. This room is very large. Seats are comfortable. There are vending machines- that DO take credit cards now. If it is warm out - please wear light clothing. It is very very warm in that room and in the entire building. I brought my own lunch, and stayed in that room to eat. I was there from 9 am to 1:40 pm before they called my panel. My panel was the first called for that day. They escorted us downstairs where we waited for more panels to arrive and then we were escorted upstairs to the 7th floor to a large courtroom. (There are several points of standing and waiting... just FYI). There were 50 of us in the courtroom. All parties are present. The judge explains who everybody is, and reads a list of potential witnesses. If you know anyone or recognize a name- you need to tell the judge. Then, they call out 28 names. I was one of those names. You are directed to sit in or in front of the jury box and the judge asks each individual a series of questions. This process took until around 4 pm. Then, the judge and the attorneys and the defendant (this was a murder trial) go back into chambers and the potential jurors all get a break and walk around, use the restroom... and then they come back (in about 10-15 minutes) The judge announces that they have selected a jury. Then, two potential jurors tell the judge they have conflicts- one girls has finals and one man has a flight the next day to Vegas. The judge is not happy. NOTE: If you can not come back the next day and the day after that... you SHOULD DEFER your jury duty. Call beforehand and tell them that you can not come. All of the other potential jurors were angry with these two. Don't be the annoying person. ALSO - the judge can make you serve anyway. The judge had to excuse himself et al. again - and then he came back and read 14 names. These 14 were the 12 jury members and 2 alternates. I was not one of those names. I was dismissed at 4:30pm, but the jury had to stay. There is no way to know how long you will be staying at the courthouse when you are a juror/or if you are not selected - you could still end up staying late. read more

Somehow I managed to go 20+ years without ever getting a jury summons. Then I got one in April 2012, hauled it to the Daley Center, was picked for the jury. It wound up being pretty entertaining, but I was happy knowing I would not see a summons for at least one year. Six months back in the pool, I got another summons...and had to go to the dreaded criminal courthouse at 26th and California. I braced myself and headed to skid row. Yes, it's a rather scary area...but there are enough ok people around to feel pretty safe. Armed with a dandy supply of snacks and reading material, I found my way to the decent waiting room. Surely, I'd be here all day. They show a video about what to expect if selected. It has Lester Holt in it, and he doesn't even look like that anymore. He really tried to make being picked for a jury sound like a special and privileged thing. I looked around me - the words "special" and "privileged" did not come to mind. Then a dude came out and explained when our lunch break would be, and named a few restaurants in the area we could check out. As if I was leaving the building. I went over to the vending machines to get something to wash down Snacks Phase One. The pop machine had Mr. Pibb - yay! I like Mr. Pibb. So I put in my buck, and a Dr. Pepper came out. Um...I WANTED Mr. Pibb. Dr. Pepper is *not* Mr. Pibb. They lied to me. I took one star off for this, if you must know. So I'm trying to hear The Price Is Right, and my number got called. Come on, really? I joined my fellow panel members and marched to a courtroom. The judge introduced himself, as did the attorneys for both sides and the defendant. The judge explained the case briefly and sent us all to lunch. Most of us just went to the cafeteria in the building...I was still kinda full from my Pop Tarts and Dr. Pepper (grrr...), and I was totally afraid of anything else, so I just got a fruit bowl and some pudding. Both were actually fresh and good. And I liked the vanilla wafers on top of the pudding. Classy. I decided I should use the restroom before things got underway...there was a bathroom at the end of the hallway on the courtroom floor. It's one of those bathrooms-for-one, and someone was using it so I had to wait in the hall. I had a nice view of the jail across the street. Then, I saw an orange jumpsuit-clad dude walking back from the men's room with an escort, and a urine sample. Good times. Back in the courtroom....jury selection begins. It seemed to take forever. We got a quick break, and I headed over to the bathroom again. Saw a guy sorting out a plethora of urine samples on the windowsill. Awesome. So yours truly got picked again for the jury. Despite stating that my boss is a former Chicago police officer that has a law degree and that he tells me cop stories. Despite admitting that I watch "The Bachelor" (the judge asked us what we watch on TV)....you'd think after saying I actually watch that show, I would have been taken straight to lock-up. That would have sucked, but hey....I got out of jury duty. I think the least they could do for those chosen is give us roses, like on "The Bachelor"...a nice touch, no? The judge was rather attractive, I'd accept a rose from him. I took the star I took off for the Mr. Pibb disaster and added it right back on. At least I had something to look at. We were released and instructed to come back the following day for the trial. Judge Eye Candy highly suggested we bring our own food, because what we'd be served is very hit or miss. I still had a whole arsenal of snacks, so I thought I'd just take my chances...if worse comes to worse, more Pop Tarts. Breakfast was coffee, juice, and donuts wrapped in cellophane. Lunch was mixed veggies, mashed potatoes, and meatloaf that I think could have been made out of police dogs that had to be put down. Because Team Jury could not reach a decision quickly (largely because some people don't know how to let someone finish a sentence, not take a different opinion personally, or not yell - we were told to keep it down more than once....), we also got dinner, which was cold sandwiches, potato chips, and a cookie. While the meatloaf was really the only iffy thing, it still tasted better than it looked, and everything else was ok. Not great, but I didn't need my Pop Tarts. My main complaint about the food ordeal was that no one came to take away the lunch trays, so we were deliberating with that 4 hour old leftover dogloaf in its coagulated gravy sitting there. I could have lived without that. The trial ended, and the judge came to the jury room to give us certificates to commemorate our fine service. I asked him if he wanted some meatloaf. He declined. Security guards walked us to the parking garage, and so ends Jury Duty II. A decent experience...if I had to go to 26th/Cal again, I wouldn't hate it...but I'd bring my own Mr. Pibb, thank you very much. Stay tuned for Jury Duty III. Figure sometime in 2015. I'm on a roll. read more

This was my second time as a potential juror at the S California Ave Criminal Court. I've been called to jury duty for other Cook County courts, and as courts go, this is ok, except for the food choices at lunchtime. At Daley Plaza, you have more options. This location is a bit confusing. One of the access roads was closed when I went. If if I hadn't known to look for a multi-story parking garage, I might not have found the free parking. The garage, is not exactly across the street from the court, but rather beyond a grassy divider between two streets...there is also an open lot to the right of the parking garage, part of the free parking. When I asked where I should park, the guard, upon my showing him my Jury Summons, said.."Anywhere you want." He must answer that question a zillion times a day. I decided to arrive early, and it was a good idea, especially when you are not familiar with the location/routine. Later on, masses of people were all trying to get into the lot and building. When you get in the building, there will be a line....on my day, when there was an option where to walk, the women went to the right, and the men to the left. As a juror, you can bring in a cell phone. (NO wi-fi). I brought my lunch, so I had a can of soda, which I worried I could not bring in....but that was fine. You will put your stuff on a conveyor belt, just as at the airport. You will walk through a metal detector, too. Then, as a juror, you will head to the bank of elevators to the left of where you enter, and head to the 3rd floor. Once there, you will check in at a table in the hall, and then again check in once you are in the waiting area. This is where you get your 'panel' number. Then you wait. You may or may not be called. If you are called, you will be taken to the courtroom. Once there, names will be called. Those called will be questioned by the judge to see if the two lawyers accept them as jurors. If not, the judge will dismiss those not chosen and ask for more potential jurors...until 12 jurors and 2 alternates are chosen. Along the way, for your service, you will receive a check for $17.20. The judge in the court I went to was professional, smart and efficient. She also had a sense of humor. AND, after the jurors were selected she took the time to thank all of us for coming. She said she knew that when the summons arrives, we all groan. However, she said we are needed, so our time was appreciated. When I saw how many citizens showed up that day to insure that the people on trial are afforded a jury, it truly is something to be appreciated. It was nice to be thanked. read more

I was summoned to appear for Jury duty on Monday 1/4 and was not looking forward to it. I had injured my back over the weekend which made it worse. If you do get called as others mentioned allow ample time to get there and park since it is in a fairly remote part of the city. I got there at about 8:45 and found a spot in the garage quickly. I ended up parking on the 4th floor and walking down stairs since the elevator was not working so was annoyed before I even walked into the courthouse. Check in and security were fairly painless, just listen to instructions and make sure you are n the right line; they seemed to have one for men and another for women. As others mentioned bring plenty of change for the vending machines. The reason for the 5 stars is mainly due to the people I interacted with. The people working at the courthouse were quite nice and friendly. I was with a group that had to take a bus to a courthouse on Harrison and the deputy (don,t recall his name) that drove us there was awesome and the judge and staff at the Harrison facility were also quite nice. I ended up being sworn in but was not selected as a juror so was driven back to S California in a bus by the deputy. Overall I was done by 2 or so and the people I interacted with at the S. California and Harrison locations were great! We should all be thankful to have government employees that are as professional and helpful as the ones I encountered! read more

Judge Nick Ford is awesome!! Of course, I'm posting this from the men's shower in d block. Only 30 years to go!

Went yesterday to server for Jury duty. Not as bad as I thought it would be. People were really friendly. My jury section was cancelled on our way to the court house so that was really nice. When I went to leave I couldn't find my car. I saw a police officer on a bike that helped me find my car. The police office was very nice. I wish I got her name but I didn't. If she was not there it would of taken me a lot longer. read more

I spent six hours here today for jury duty, though I was not called actually to be on a jury. The Yelp reviews I read were a good preparation. I wanted to arrive at the parking structure at 8:00 AM but was an hour later; at 9:00 there were still plenty of spots on the third level and higher. Arriving at least thirty minutes before the summons time makes everything relatively stressless. Every effort was made to look after our comfort: jurors are allowed phones and other electronic devices though there is a general ban. It is very crowded standing in line to go through the metal detectors, but everyone seems relatively patient and pleasant. I came prepared with two bags, a purse, an umbrella, and a glass water bottle, and I did not have any trouble. Most people dressed nicely, but comfort is still key. I brought my own food to save money, but the Latina woman answering questions said that there was a very good and fast Mexican restaurant, El Milagro, at 26th and Albany, within walking distance. Most people sat in the rows of theater-type seats, but there were also lots of smooth and clean wooden tables with cushioned chairs, seating four. I had enough room to write my Christmas cards and then read. They do read and collect your answers to the questionnaire on the back of the summons. A gold-colored summons means you are in the pool for a grand jury, which takes up to 16 days of service but pays $50/day, as opposed to the regular jury duty amount of $25. It sounded interesting, and the state's attorney said members of the grand jury could schedule days off of the 16, for prior engagements, vacation, or work obligations. I stayed in the waiting room the whole time and was comfortable. Everyone was extremely professional. read more

Actually not that bad. Employees were nice, even the security guards were nice. Just bring your own food and bring a book, tablet, or laptop to entertain yourself or you will be insanely bored. Do NOT wear a belt, they will tell you to put it in a locker. I feel bad for the guys who brought nothing and just stared at the walls for hours lol even a few magazines would work. There are a few tiny ceiling tvs but you cant hear much sound, they had boring daytime crap on. You will be here for at least 5 hours sitting in cushy theatre style chairs. Worth the $25 they give you before dismissal as long as you bring stuff you're allowed to bring. You can go to the cafeteria during the break but I would save time and money by bringing a bag lunch. There are bathrooms that are easy to find and wall outlets if you want to charge your laptop or phone, just make sure you pick a seat by one so you can watch it so it doesn't get swiped or tripped on. You can switch seats when people get up to go to the cafeteria so you can get an outlet for your charger if your phone is about to die. Pretty chill experience as long as your name isnt called for an interview ha. :) read more

i was at jury duty there this year i want in court room they didt pick me if they did i whould have come back 3days in a row i dont mind jury duty i love it alot they pay more now its $25 wish i can go every few months hope i go ago i love it they were nice too me.hope i go again its fun to me get out of work.they call me again i dont mind at all. read more