The California Education Code (44037 and 8 7036) and Rule of Court 5.5(d)(7) protect teachers, other school employees, and students. You should contact the court if you have a problem with your employer. Jury FAQs - California Webbe at least 18 years of age; reside primarily in the judicial district for one year; be adequately proficient in English to satisfactorily complete the juror qualification form; have no Postponement may be available for health problems, pre-existing personal commitments that cannot be rescheduled, or scheduled paid vacation. Without them, our legal system would grind to a halt. Give the earliest date you will be able to serve. As a juror you participate in an important public process and fulfill a civic obligation. In California, individuals with a permanent health problem can be exempted from jury duty, but if you are 70 years or older, you dont need a We encourage the use of public transportation. The law provides that jurors' names are selected at random from lists of resident state tax filers, the list of registered voters, and the Department of Motor Vehicles' list of licensed drivers and identification cardholders resident within the area served by the court. If assigned to a courtroom on the day you report for jury duty and released by the judge in that court, you may be required to enter another courtroom for jury selection. However, local district courts may have their own policies and procedures that allow people over age 70 to request to be excused from jury duty, says the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts. If you do not wish to be contacted after the trial, let the judge know. Jurors decide the outcome of a trial as a group, with each member making an important contribution. Superior Court of Alameda County will implement AB1981 which changes juror travel reimbursements effective January 1, 2023. You should plan to attend court as a juror all day from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., but the hours may vary depending on the court's schedule. All U.S. Citizens who are over the age of 18, a resident of the county that issued the jury summons, and able to understand the English language are eligible to serve on a jury in the State of California. Please clear any medically necessary food or drink with the bailiff before entering the courtroom. If you are age 70 or over and have either a physical or mental disability or impairment you may be excused from jury service. If you are already assigned to a courtroom, contact the clerk of the court you are assigned to, in order to explain your situation. If directed to report, plan to attend court as a juror from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. That is the law. California The judge must balance the requirement in the federal Constitution that guarantees people a public and speedy trial against the concerns jurors may have about privacy. All you need is an open mind and a readiness to work with the other jurors to make decisions. Jurors who are Jury Staff is available to assist you during your service as a juror. If you have questions about your privacy, please let the judge know. The juror should write a letter to the clerk of court requesting an excuse with an explanation of hardship. California Code of Civil Procedure Section 209 provides that "Any prospective trial juror who has been summoned for service, and who fails to attend upon the court as directed or to respond to the court or jury commissioner and to be excused from attendance, may be attached and compelled to attend; and, following an order to show cause hearing, the court may find the prospective juror in contempt of court, punishable by a fine of up to $1,500, or 5 days in the county jail, or both." Jurors are warned that temperatures in courtrooms can vary widely (both cold and hot) and are encouraged to dress appropriately. Procedure, Section 203, California Code of Civil Procedure Section 481.200 provides: "Public entity" includes the state, the Regents of the University of California, a county, a city, district, public authority, public agency, and any other political subdivision or public corporation in the state. In California, individuals with a permanent health problem can be exempted from jury duty, but if you are 70 years or older, you dont need a doctors verification of the health problem. 2018 Superior Court of California, County of San Bernardino, All Rights Reserved |, COVID-19: COURT OPERATIONS DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC, Family Court Services Orientation Class Info, Failure to Appear/Respond to a Jury Summons, Court Case Information and Document Sales, How to Navigate San Bernardino Superior Court, San Bernardino Superior Court Rules of Practice, Local Emergency Rules Related to COVID-19, Online Form Preparation and Filing (TurboCourt), Do not have sufficient knowledge of the English language, you are currently incarcerated in any prison or jail, or, you have been convicted of a felony and are currently on parole, post release community supervision, felony probation, or mandated supervision for the conviction of a felony, or. Report remotely via zoom by logging in to the Jportal on the following date and time. Postal Service of the Courts decision. 720 9th Street The terms and purposes of service for each are different and are defined in section 888 of the Penal Code. You may call the Jury Commissioner's Office during our phone hours at (408) 808-6666 to speak to a jury clerk. You may not talk to witnesses, nor do independent experiments. WebJury duty is mandatory for all U.S. citizens, so you cant skip it or postpone it without a just cause. (3) The prospective juror will bear an extreme financial burden. Some people aren't eligible for jury service or can get excused because of their job. During deliberations at the end of the trial, of course, you will discuss the case with other jurors in order to reach a verdict. Criminal cases generally last from two to three weeks or sometimes longer. Do not talk to anyone about the case until you are discharged from the jury, not even the lawyers or the judge, except through the bailiff. But elderly jurors can still be The following principles govern the granting of excuses from jury service by the jury commissioner on grounds of undue hardship under Code of Civil Procedure section 204: (1) No class or category of persons may be automatically excluded from jury duty except as provided by law. reside primarily in the judicial district for one year; be adequately proficient in English to satisfactorily complete the juror qualification form; have no disqualifying mental or physical condition; not currently be subject to felony charges punishable by imprisonment for more than one year; and, never have been convicted of a felony (unless civil rights have been legally restored). Jury Duty 101 is a free public resource site, and is not affiliated with the United States government or any Government agency. You should plan to attend court as a juror all day from approximately 8:00 - 5:00 p.m., depending on the court's schedule. The orientation is a requirement of state law and must be given to all prospective jurors. However, you are only obligated to serve jury duty once every 12 months. In addition to checking your jury service status via our automated phone system, you can also check it via our website by using our Inter Web Response: In an effort to reduce the amount of time spent at the court for jury duty, we have a "One Trial, One Day" term of service. All rights reserved. In addition, you must not have served as any kind of juror in the past 12 months, must not be currently incarcerated in any prison or jail, and must not have been convicted of a malfeasance in office for which your civil rights have not been restored. Be alert and courteous. Do not wear shorts or tank tops. It is against the law to fire or harass an employee who is summoned to serve as a juror. When you enter the courthouse, you may go through a metal detector. I'm 73 year of age, I was born in March 21 1949, I have The only people who are exempt from jury duty are members of the Armed Forces who are on active duty, members of fire and police departments, and public officers of the government. for Jury Duty COVID-19: COURT OPERATIONS DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMICRevised 5/2/2022 - 9:32 am. "public officers" of federal, state or local governments, who are actively engaged full-time in the performance of public duties. There is no upper age limit to serve as a juror. Additional Resources for court staff, judges, attorneys, and the public. You do not need any special skills or legal knowledge to be a juror. Because our selection is random and doesn't contain information such as social security number or dates of birth, the system has no way of determining that you are one in the same person. You do not need to speak perfect English to serve as a juror. If you are already assigned to a courtroom, contact the courtroom directly. Juror Qualifications and Terms of Service If you are eligible for an excuse, please mark the correct category on the summons response form. The court uses common, everyday language that people can understand. The jury commissioner, in his or her discretion, may establish a longer period of repose. We value your feedback! 3 0 obj In determining whether to excuse the prospective juror for this reason, consideration must be given to: (A) The sources of the prospective juror's household income; (B) The availability and extent of income reimbursement; (D) Whether service can reasonably be expected to compromise the prospective juror's ability to support himself or herself or his or her dependents, or so disrupt the economic stability of any individual as to be against the interests of justice. check the website: Web- You are under 18 years of age; - You are not domiciled in the State of California due to employment or military service; - You are not a resident of Santa Clara County; - You have California has one day or one trial jury service. WebWe currently have two sessions. The amendment is to the prohibition relative to persons who have been convicted of a felony from being eligible and qualified to be a prospective trial juror. Your court may also pay for some travel costs. Security officers might keep items they think are hazardous. Jurors decide the outcome of a trial as a group, with each member making an important contribution. https://www.saccourt.ca.gov/jury/reporting.aspx or call the automated system at For assistance resolving a jury service issue, please contact your local court directly. Please see the Request for Postponement section below if you cannot serve for at least 10 days following Under no circumstances should you investigate the case on your own, either alone or with other jurors. If you don't have a good excuse, the judge may fine you for being late! Do you have a comment or correction concerning this page? Most hardships are addressed the first day of service with the Judge. If your information is incorrect, please contact either the Registrar of Voters or Department of Motor Vehicles at the numbers listed below. Click here for more information. Mailing Address: Prospective jurors for the Santa Barbara County courts are selected randomly from the Voter Registration list and the Department of Motor Vehicles' drivers and identification card-holders lists. Judges are aware that long trials can be difficult. Request for postponement may be filed on the Response Form (usually back of summons) by mail or submitted online. California Jury Trials are held at the following Court locations only: Once you have been assigned as a juror and sworn to hear the case, the court will instruct you as to what time you are to report and where. For further assistance, please email jury@alameda.courts.ca.gov. Please use the Courts juror portal, JPORTAL, where you can register and complete a set of juror eligibility questions as well as complete the questionnaire. Many courts offer excuses from service, on individual request, to designated groups of persons or occupational classes. California Code of Civil All potential jurors are selected at random from lists. While there is a minimum age of 18 for serving on a jury, there is no maximum age. The only people who are exempt from jury duty are members of the Armed Forces who are on active duty, members of fire and police departments, and public officers of the government. You may visit us in person during our office hours at one of the following locations: Phone hours: 8:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Monday through Thursday, and 8:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m Friday. You may check reporting instructions using any of the following methods: If you have not already rescheduled yourjury service once before, you may request that your servicebe rescheduled to a more convenient time by logging on to our JPortalwebsite, or by calling our IVR (Interactive Voice Response) service at (510) 879-3079. 2 0 obj Your summons has instructions on how to find out if you must report on your first day and the subsequent days of your week on-call. All other face coverings including bandanas, gators, balaclavas, single layer masks and anything with a vent are not permitted.