Jury Duty

The following information will be important throughout your term of jury service. You should keep this information sheet and refer to it throughout your term. Other questions concerning your jury service should be addressed to the Clerk of the Circuit Court.

 
Current Jurors
Please visit our secure juror portal to do any of the following: 

• To complete your juror questionnaire electronically
• To request an “exclusion” for a small portion of your juror service which you have been summonsed
• To request a “deferment” to be removed from current jury panel assignment and be placed on one later in the same calendar year due to hardship
• Current jurors may review their records, review possible dates of service, print attendance letters for employer, change contact information

 

Notices

Notices for trials will be mailed usually one week in advance of the trial date. About one-half of jury trials take one day, and most of the rest take two days; however, jury trials may last longer, and you will usually know before the trial starts.

Contact Information

Juror information must be kept current. If your mailing address, telephone number, or employment information has changed or does change from the previous September questionnaire you completed, you must notify the Clerk of the Circuit Court immediately.

Attendance Fees/Reimbursements

Attendance fees are set by Virginia law. You will be paid $30 per day. Travel expenses are included in your attendance fee, and the Court cannot separately reimburse them.

Parking

Parking is available in the vicinity of the Courthouse. You may park in any 2-hour spot, however, an official parking permit must be displayed in driver's window to avoid parking summons. In order to assure parking near the courthouse, please plan to arrive early for jury service.

Dress Code

Proper dress is required for trials. You should dress comfortably, but in proper attire. Proper attire is that which you would wear to an important legal or business meeting, since you will be judging the important legal and/or business matters of others.

Failure to Appear

Failure to appear for trial is punishable as contempt of court by fine and/or imprisonment. Late appearances may also result in forfeiture of jury fees.

Medical Excuses From Service

If you have a serious medical problem, which would prohibit you from serving at any time during this term, or would make jury service unreasonably difficult or inconvenient, please secure a doctor's statement and have it mailed or delivered to the Clerk of the Circuit Court. The Clerk cannot contact your doctor.

Excuses From Service

If you think you cannot serve Jury Duty and you have a legitimate reason to be excused or deferred, or if you need only to be excused from certain days within the service dates, please contact the Chief Deputy Clerk prior to date or as soon as dates are known.

Temporary Excuses From Service

Please visit our secure juror portal for more information about your service. You will be able to view upcoming service dates and you may send a request for exclusion(s) or a deferment for court's approval in the ‘My Service' section under the main menu. During your term, you will also be able to print letters for your employer and look for changes made in upcoming service dates.

Cell Phones

Cell phones are not permitted in the courthouse.