For further assistance, please email jury@alameda.courts.ca.gov. Effective 1/1/2020, if you have been convicted of a felony, you are eligible to serve as a juror if you arenot: The objective of the court is to provide an accurate cross-section of the county's population. No one is exempt because of theirjob, race, color, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, or economic status. There is no upper age limit for jurors at the state or federal level; courts only require that jurors be 18 years of age or older. Request for postponement may be filed on the Response Form (usually back of summons) by mail or submitted online. https://www.saccourt.ca.gov/jury/reporting.aspx or call the automated system at If any person persists in talking to you about the trial or attempts to influence your judgment as a juror, tell the bailiff. The court's normal hours of operation are 8:00 AMto 5:00 PM. This means that people are not required to come to court for more than one day of jury duty unless they are assigned to a courtroom for jury selection, or serve on a trial, more than once every 12 months. In fact, the majority of people who report for jury service serve for just one day. The juror should write a letter to the clerk of court requesting an excuse with an explanation of hardship. Webincrease in the upper age limits for magistrates. (Subd (b) amended effective January 1, 2007. (Shorts, tank tops or bare feet are not permissible.) The California Judicial Branch offers diverse career opportunities in a variety of fields including jury management, as well as court operations, finance, information technology, legal, facilitates, administrative support, and more. 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. You may not use the internet to investigate the case. Superior Court of Alameda County will implement AB1981 which changes juror travel reimbursements effective January 1, 2023. Judges are aware that long trials can be difficult. There are many courtroom processes that must be handled outside of the presence of the jury to protect the integrity of the trial. We do not send out jury summons, receive or reject excuses from service, maintain jury lists, provide proof of service, process juror payments, or perform other jury-related tasks that are the responsibility of each court. The mileage payment starts on the second day. The California Education Code (44037 and 8 7036) and Rule of Court 5.5(d)(7) protect teachers, other school employees, and students. 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." You must report for jury service if you are qualified and you have not been excused or had your service postponed. Pursuant to California Rules of Court, section 2.1006, a mother who is breastfeeding a child may request that jury service be deferred for up to one year, and may renew that request as long as she is breastfeeding, however the request must be in writing, under penalty of perjury. Our website will not accept postponements for longer than 90 days, therefore students, teachers and breastfeeding mother will need to make their request in writing via: Please make every effort to use public transportation whenever possible. Registrar of Voters or call (909) 387-8300, Department of Motor Vehicle or call 1-800-777-0133. You do not need to speak perfect English to serve as a juror. The court uses common, everyday language that people can understand. Of these people, only convicted felons falling in certain categories (as noted in Senate Bill 310, effective January 1, 2020) cannot serve. However, you may still have to come in person to request a disqualification. You have a physical or mental impairment. 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. Business or casual dress is acceptable-jeans and t-shirts are okay. You may appear in Jury Services for drop in jury duty any weekday at 9:00 a.m. prior to your scheduled appearance date and be prepared to spend the entire day serving jury duty. The Judicial Council is not involved in day-to-day court operations. We value your feedback! If you find that you are not qualified to serve, submit a request to be disqualified by clicking Contact the Jury Commissioner's Office as soon as you know that you are going to be late. If you are selected to serve on a jury, after the trial is over your service is also completed for at least a year and often longer. Further questions should be directed to your local court. Who Is Exempt From Jury Duty In California? California has a list of specific excuses that can be used to be exempt from reporting for jury duty, including excuses for military, elected official, age, police, medical worker, firefighter and disability. You can also be excused if you dont meet the basic eligibility requirements for jury duty in CA. Failure to appear as summoned could result in a $1,500.00 fine, a jail sentence and other legal consequences. If you are already assigned to a courtroom, contact the clerk of the court you are assigned to, in order to explain your situation. I am NOT required to register as a sex offender pursuant to. %PDF-1.5 Your verdict must be based only on evidence produced in court. Do you have a comment or correction concerning this page? San Jose, CA 95113. is online now Related Employment Law Questions I'm. You do not need to speak perfect English to serve as a juror. The court asks for your patience and suggests that you bring a book or other reading material to occupy your time while waiting. WebThe grand jury is different from a trial jury (known as a petit jury). NO WEAPONS, PEPPER SPRAYS of any kind, NEEDLES, SCISSORS, TWEEZERS, METAL NAIL FILES, nor any hot/cold liquids will be allowed thru security, with the exception of bottled water. or malfeasance while holding public office. Please wear a mask or face covering, and dress appropriately. Lastly, if any individual is incarcerated in any prison or jail, they are also disqualified from jury service. WebA: There is no age exemption for jury service. All you need is an open mind and a readiness to work with the other jurors to make decisions. There is no limit to the number of times that you may serve in a lifetime. Note: Jurors that work for a federal, state, or local government agency, which includes county, city, and school districts who receive benefits, must waive their jury fees. Once you reach age 70 in Nevada, you are exempt from serving on a jury no matter where you live. Your email will be answered within 3 to 5 business days. California has a statutory exemption that allows individuals over a certain age to request exemption from jury duty. Please be patient during this process, because a lot of people have similar concerns about time. The court and its staff must employ all necessary and appropriate means to ensure that citizens fulfill this important civic responsibility. a postcard response if your request is denied. Please consult an attorney for legal advice, your local California Superior Court clerks office, or your probation office for further guidance. 4 0 obj WebExcuse requests cannot be accepted on the date you are scheduled to appear for jury duty. Jurors are encouraged to leave any questionable items at home or in their vehicles. An undue hardship is a difficult situation that prevents you from being able to serve. All persons accused of a crime or involved in a civil dispute have a constitutional right to have a jury decide their cases. Prospective jurors should make arrangements to remain the entire day. Such conferences are held to discuss legal issues or to agree upon points of evidence. Superior Court of California, County of Madera If you have been summoned for jury duty, please report as directed. Part 1 of 9: How to Comply with date for the required documentation. 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. No. Your patience is greatly appreciated. Call the judge in your case if you feel harassed. Email: jury services at ssjuryinfo@scscourt.org and provide the following information: juror badge number, full name, full address and date of birth so that we may properly identify you. WebIf you have already rescheduled your jury duty once, the system will not allow you to reschedule again. (2) The prospective juror must travel an excessive distance. WebJury Duty Age 70 California. Commissioner's Office is allowed to excuse prospective jurors from jury service. If you violate this rule, you could cause a mistrial. You will NOT be able to make a request for postponement, disqualification or excuse via email. Our website will not accept postponements for longer than 90 days, therefore students, Do not enter court facilities if you have answered yes to any of the questions in the health screening survey. During the orientation process, you will be notified that all cellular phones and pagers be silenced upon entering the courtroom. Jurors are summoned randomly from countywide lists maintained by the Department of Motor Vehicles, the Franchise Tax Board's state tax filers, and the local registrar of voters. Web2022 California Rules of Court. Jury service may be postponed for a period of up to 90 days from the original summons date. As of August 16, 2004, legislation was signed concerning Juror Pay for Governmental Employees. on the button below. A Bankruptcy or Magistrate Judge? Most hardships are addressed the first day of service with the Judge. The purpose of this site is to provide information from and about the Judicial Branch of the U.S. Government. 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 Please use good judgment on articles of clothing. (5) The prospective juror has a physical or mental disability or impairment, not affecting that person's competence to act as a juror, that would expose the potential juror to undue risk of mental or physical harm.