Reporting For Service – Jury Service

Key Information About Juror Service

Appearance Information

If you have been summoned for Jury Duty you need to call 521-6640 or check the Online Status on the Jury Service web page after 5:00 PM the evening prior to your scheduled appearance date and follow the recorded instructions.

As a prospective juror you are on telephone standby for one week until you are requested to appear. You must call our office or check this website each evening, including holidays and weekends, for the duration of your standby period to determine if you need to appear. When you call our automated system you must know your participant number, which is a nine digit number starting with 100. Occasionally, you may be instructed to telephone again in the morning for a possible afternoon appearance.

Please bring the summons with you as it contains your attendance slip, juror badge and parking permit.

If you arrive 30 minutes late you may be rescheduled to appear at another time. If you work out of the county during the day and you are required to appear in the afternoon, contact our office at (707) 521-6640 for instructions.

Identity Thieves Targeting Jury Service Identity thieves have been soliciting personal information from the public by posing as jury staff calling to clear up a failure to appear for jury service. Please be advised that jury staff of the superior courts do not ask past or prospective jurors for personal or financial information such as credit card, bank account, or Social Security numbers. Please do not provide this type of information to anyone claiming to be associated with the courts. Please contact your local jury office if you receive this type of request.

Directions

If you are traveling north on Hwy. 101, take the Bicentennial exit east. Turn right at the stop light onto Ventura Avenue. Follow Ventura for two blocks to the long term parking lot located on your left. Our office is located in the Hall of Justice which is one block west of the parking lot.

If you are traveling south on Hwy. 101, exit the freeway at Steele Lane and turn left. Follow Steele Lane to the second stop light and turn left onto County Center Drive. Follow County Center Drive to the stop sign then turn left onto Administration Drive, proceed north to the Hall of Justice. Turn left on Ventura Avenue to the long term parking lot located on your right.

The Jury Assembly Room is located on the first floor of the Hall of Justice, in the enclosed hallway at the north east end of the building, Room 102-J.

Detailed information on Court locations and directions can be found at our Locations page.

Juror Parking

Parking for the Hall of Justice is available on Administration Drive, Paulin Drive, Ventura Avenue, or in the long term parking lot on Ventura Avenue.

Jurors may park in the green 2 hour or 90 minute spaces if you place the Juror Parking Pass from the summons on the driver's side of the dash board with the current week's date showing.

Parking is not permitted in any other specialty zones even with your Juror Parking Pass in the window. Parking regulations are strictly enforced.

Period of Service

Completion of jury service for one year is fulfilled by either being seated as a trial juror, appearing in person as needed during the scheduled week, generally from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM, or by being on telephone standby all week and being dismissed.

Please be prepared to remain at the courthouse the full day. Due to the nature of jury service and the court process itself, there are often periods of waiting. We suggest you bring something to read. There are brief recesses throughout the day, and you will have at least one hour for lunch. If sworn as a juror, your service will continue until the trial is completed.

To postpone

To postpone via the web click here. To postpone by phone IVR (Interactive Voice Response), you may call 521-6640 (press 3) at any time prior to 12:00 noon on Friday before your week of service to process your own postponement. You will need your nine digit participant number which is located on the juror badge. Rules of Court allow a maximum of two postponements in a 12 month period.  No postponements will be granted on the day of your appearance.

Compensation

As a sworn or prospective juror, you will receive $15.00 per day plus mileage, beginning your second day of service.

A check will be mailed to you approximately six weeks after completion of jury service.

Employers are not required by law to pay employees their regular salary when on jury duty. We suggest you advise your employer of your scheduled Jury Service when you receive your summons. It is advisable to check with your employer regarding company policy before coming to court. Verification of your appearance is required by some employers and will be provided by Court staff upon request at the end of the day or when you are excused.

Disqualification

Pursuant Code of Civil Procedure section 203, all persons are qualified to be prospective trial jurors, except the following:

1. Not a citizen of the United States;
2. Under 18 years of age;
3. Non-resident of Sonoma County;
4. Lack sufficient knowledge and understanding of the English language to act as a juror;
5. Convicted of a felony and civil rights have not been restored;
6. Currently serving as a grand juror;
7. Active peace officer as defined in Penal Code Section 830.1 and 830.2(a);
8. The subject of a conservatorship.

Security

A security system is in place at all Court locations.

Objects that will be confiscated include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Any kind of knife
• Pepper spray
• Mace
• Knitting needle
• Scissors
• Laser pointers
• Nail files
• Tools
• Aerosol cans
• Tweezers
• Any item that Security deems unacceptable

WiFi Hotspot

Wireless (WiFi hotspot) internet connectivity is available free of charge in the jury assembly area for prospective Jury members!

Check with the Jury Services Department for more information.

We support 802.11a, 802.11b, and 802.11g wireless connections.