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Jury FAQs

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  • Jury Summons

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Jurors play an essential role in the American system of justice. You do not need any special skills or legal knowledge to be a juror. You do need to keep an open mind and be willing to make decisions free of personal feelings and biases. As a juror, you will listen to opening statements and closing arguments for both sides. You will also learn about and weigh the evidence that has been collected for the trial. Then you will be asked to make a decision about the case after you have talked it over with the other jurors during deliberations.

During the trial, the judge serves as the court's presiding officer and as the final authority on the law. The lawyers act as advocates for their sides of the case. As a juror, you are responsible for impartially evaluating the facts presented and for applying the law to these facts as the judge instructs you. These combined efforts bring about the fair and impartial administration of justice in our state and nation.

Failure to Appear for Jury Service

Pursuant to Code of Civil Procedure § 209, any prospective juror who has been summoned for service, and who fails to respond as directed and be excused from attendance, will be issued a Failure to Appear/Respond to a Jury Summons notice to appear in court; may have monetary sanctions imposed on them (up to $1,500); may be found in contempt of court, punishable by fine (up to $1,000), incarceration (5 days), or both.

If you are unable to attend jury duty on the date you have been summoned, see the FAQ dropdowns 'Can I reschedule my Jury Duty?' and 'How do I request a postponment?' below for additional information.

Court Security

All persons entering the Court facilities are subject to search. Weapons of any kind are not allowed within Court facilities. DO NOT carry knives, scissors, knitting needles, crochet hooks, corkscrews, metal fingernail files, screwdrivers, tools, wallet chains, pepper spray, or any item that could possibly be used as a weapon. All weapons and contraband are prohibited, will be confiscated, and WILL NOT be returned.  Violations of security measures could result in fines or detention.

Jury Scam

The Superior Court of California, County of Lassen, has learned that persons representing themselves as Court officials may be contacting prospective jurors and asking for personal information.  Please be advised that official Court personnel may contact you by telephone, but DO NOT request personal information from jurors.

Should you receive a telephone call from someone identifying himself or herself as a Court employee and requesting personal information such as a social security number and/or credit card numbers, please contact the Lassen County Sheriff’s Department.  Please also contact the Jury Clerk of the Superior Court of California, County of Lassen, at (530) 251-8228.

Frequently Asked Questions

Please be careful to completely unfold and open the tri-fold jury summons. Read the group number, address, date, and time you are to report for jury duty, they are printed on the summons.

Please note: The summons is a tri-fold form and has three parts. It needs to be fully opened to see all the information. Please read all the information completely.

Yes, it is an obligation of citizenship.

Failure to Appear for Jury Service

Pursuant to Code of Civil Procedure § 209, any prospective juror who has been summoned for service, and who fails to respond as directed and be excused from attendance, will be issued a Failure to Appear/Respond to a Jury Summons notice to appear in court; may have monetary sanctions imposed on them (up to $1,500); may be found in contempt of court, punishable by fine (up to $1,000), incarceration (5 days), or both.

Lassen County Superior Court receives an annual notification from the Lassen County Voter Registration list, the California Department of Motor Vehicles, and the California Franchise Tax Board.

Yes, but NOT on the day of appearance. All requests for postponement must be submitted no later than five (5) days from receipt of the summons. If you have health problems, a paid vacation, or other personal commitments at the time you are initially called, you may request a one-time postponement. Generally, the Jury Commissioner can grant you a postponement of up to 6 months. Please contact the Jury Commissioner's Office at (530) 251-8228 to request a postponement.

No later than five (5) days from receipt of the summons, mail the postcard from your summons (Part II) with the reason for the request for a postponement. Prior to mailing the postcard, you may also request a postponement online using the Juror Portal or by calling the Jury Commissioner at (530) 251-8228. If your postponement is not granted, you will be called and so notified.

Please note: The summons is a tri-fold form and has three parts. It needs to be fully opened to see all the information. Please read all the information completely.

Online Juror Portal: The online Juror Portal can be accessed here. Using the badge number located under the barcode on your summons, your zip code, and your date of birth you can sign into the portal. From the portal, you can view/update your contact information, enroll in e-notifications, request postponements or excusals, and more.

If you request a postponement of your service and it is granted, you will not be called and you will be re-summoned for jury service at a later date. If your request is not granted, you will be called and so notified.

You may be called to serve if you are at least 18 years old, a United States citizen, and a resident of Lassen County. You must be able to understand English enough to understand and discuss the case. You are not eligible if you are on parole, postrelease community supervision, felony probation, or mandated supervision for the conviction of a felony or if you are required to register as a sex offender. You may not be currently serving on a grand jury or another trial jury, under a conservatorship, or incarcerated in any prison or jail. You will be excused from jury service if you have proof that you served as a sworn juror during the past 12 months.

The first day of your jury service is unpaid. If you are summoned for more than one day, you are paid per diem and mileage for each day thereafter. The State Legislature sets the minimum per diem amount paid. Reimbursement for mileage is round trip from your home to the location where the trial is being held.

We recommend business-casual attire. Flip flops, shorts, tank tops, and clothing that is too revealing are not appropriate for the courtroom. The temperature in our courtrooms varies, we suggest jurors dress in layers and recommend that you bring a light jacket or sweater for your comfort.

Normally trials last from one (1) to three (3) days. However, on occasion, a trial may be 5 days or longer.

No, your employer must allow employees time off to serve on a jury (Labor Code § 230). Your employeer cannot fire or harass an employee who is summoned for jury duty and who has given reasonable notice of their service. Notice is generally considered reasonable if it is given as soon as possible once the employee has been summoned. The California Education Code (§§ 44037 & 87036) protects teachers, other school employees, and students as well.

There is no law that compels your employer to pay.

There are no child care facilities at the court.

Please do not bring children with you to the courthouse when appearing for jury duty. We recommend you make other arrangements for child care.

If you are summoned, report for duty, go through jury selection, and either serve as a sworn juror or are excused, you will not be summoned again for at least a 12 month period. If a trial is canceled prior to your appearance, you may be re-summoned again within that 12 month period.

Please contact the Jury Commissioner's Office at (530) 251-8228 as soon as you know that you are going to be late. The Jury Commissioner will make the determination whether you should show up or be summoned again at a later date.

If you fail to appear and/or notify the Jury Commissioner, you may be issued a Failure to Appear/Respond to a Jury Summons notice to appear in court; may have monetary sanctions imposed on you (up to $1,500); may be found in contempt of court, punishable by fine (up to $1,000), incarceration (5 days), or both.

Contact the Jury Commissioner's Office immediately at (530) 251-8228.

Pursuant to Code of Civil Procedure § 209, any prospective juror who has been summoned for service, and who fails to respond as directed and be excused from attendance, will be issued a Failure to Appear/Respond to a Jury Summons notice to appear in court; may have monetary sanctions imposed on them (up to $1,500); may be found in contempt of court, punishable by fine (up to $1,000), incarceration (5 days), or both.

Contact the Jury Commissioner's Office at (520) 251-8228 and let them know what type of assistance you will need. If they cannot reasonably accommodate you, you may be excused from jury service. Please contact the Jury Commissioner's Office as soon as you receive your summons if you require special accommodations.

You should plan on being present from approximately 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. each day. In some instances, you may be summoned to appear beginning in the afternoon. The lunch break for jurors varies and jurors are given brief recesses throughout the day.

A juror must provide a physician's verification note on a prescription pad or letterhead signed by a doctor. The note must state that the juror cannot serve on jury duty for medical reasons and should indicate the duration of the illness or problem.

If the condition is permanent or long-term, a juror must submit form LSC-JUR-100 to the court. Along with this completed form you must include a supporting letter, memo, or note from a treating health care provider. The supporting letter, memo, or note must be on the treating health care provider's letterhead, state that the person has a permanent disability that makes the person incapable of performing jury service, and be signed by the provider. Omission of this may result in your request being delayed and/or considered incomplete. See form LSC-JUR-100 for additional information.

You may also utilize the online Juror Portal to request a postponement or excusal from jury service. From the portal, you can also upload and submit supporting documents and completed forms to the court.

Juror Portal

There is no age exemption for jury service. If you are 70 years of age or older, the California Rules of Court allow you to be excused due to a medical condition without a doctor's note. You must inform the court that you are not able to serve either by calling the Jury Commissioner at (530) 251-8228 or by submitting form LSC-JUR-101 to the court. Your request must be submitted prior to the prospective juror's service date.

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