Jury Service

All persons are eligible and qualified to be jurors, with the following exceptions:

• Less than 18 years of age
• Not a citizen of the United States
• Does not possess sufficient knowledge of the English language
• Not a resident of Napa County
• Those convicted of malfeasance in office
• Has been convicted of a felony and is currently on parole, post-release community supervision, felony probation, or mandated supervision for the conviction of a felony
• Is currently incarcerated in prison or jail
• Is currently required to register as a sex offender under Penal Code section 290 based upon a felony conviction
• Those that have fulfilled their jury obligation by serving on the Grand Jury or as a trial juror in the past 12 months
• Persons who are the subject of conservatorship
• Active peace officers (this does not apply to Correctional Officers)
• Under 70 with a medical issue. A doctor must provide a note as to the duration of the issue or problem.
• Persons over 70 with a medical issue

Your jury summons will only indicate the day to report for jury service, not the time. To confirm your scheduled reporting time, use the Self-Service Jury System, call 707-299-1150, or text 707-204-0280, after 4:00PM  1 business day prior to your summons date.  (Weekends and holidays are not observed as business days)

Self Service Jury System

Important: YOU MAY BE ON CALL FOR THE ENTIRE WEEK when you serve for either 1) a full day of jury duty or 2) the duration of a trial, once released from service you will not be summoned again for one year.

Jury staff will be as flexible as possible when scheduling jurors for jury service. However, jury service may mean rearranging your schedule, cancelling appointments and missing work.

If your summoned date is not convenient, you may request one postponement for a period of up to 90 days. Students and Teachers may be rescheduled to the next school break. Breastfeeding mothers may be deferred for a period of up to one year per CRC 2.1006 California Rules of Court: Title Two Rules.

If you are not able to appear on your scheduled date, you may request a postponement of your service online using our Self Service Jury System, call 707-299-1150, or text to 707-204-0280. Requests for postponement must be made 3 business days in advance of your scheduled service date.

Self Service Jury System

Once you are required to appear for jury service, you should plan for the possibility of needing to be available for the entire week. If selected as a juror, you will serve to the end of the jury trial. Automated appearance information is available after 4:00 p.m. on the Friday before your appearance date using the Self Service Jury System, call 707-299-1150, or text to 707-204-0280. Specific instructions will be provided about your jury service including when to call back for further instructions.

Self Service Jury System

Yes. Jurors are paid at the rate of $15.00 per day, plus mileage beginning with the second day of jury service. Jurors are entitled to receive reimbursement for the use of public transportation for jury service. If you elect to use public transportation for this purpose, please notify staff when you report for jury service.

A juror MAY be excused if any of the following applies:

• Under 70 and have a disability that would prevent them from serving. A doctor’s note must be provided indicating the permanent nature of the disability or the specific time period for which the medical excuse applies.

  Instructions for requesting an exemption from jury duty due to medical reasons.

• Providing Care to a Family Member.

  Instructions for Requesting an Exemption from Jury Duty due to the Need of Providing Care to a Family Member.

• An active police officer
• Serving in the military
• Over 70 with medical issues that prevent service (no doctor excuse needed)

Inconvenience for a prospective juror or an employer is not a legal reason to be excused from jury service, however a postponement may be requested for this reason. If you meet the above excusal or disqualification criteria, requests must be made within 5 days from receipt of your summons by using the Self-Service Jury System.

All citizens are required by law to periodically serve as jurors unless they have a legal excuse, and the court is required to enforce this obligation. You will need to choose an alternate date by accessing our Self Service Jury System or speaking to jury personnel by calling (707) 299-1150.

Self Service Jury System

Final Summons

If you have received a final summons, you have failed to appear for jury service on two separate occasions. The Court shall employ all necessary and appropriate means to ensure that all eligible citizens fulfill this important civic duty. Please contact jury personnel at (707) 299-1150 to arrange for a date to complete your jury service.

Order to Show Cause

If you have had a letter served to you by the Sheriff's office, this is the document that begins contempt proceedings. Once served with the Order to Show Cause, failure to appear as required could result in a warrant being issued for your arrest.

You may avoid a visit from the sheriff and the $2000 fine by contacting jury personnel at (707) 299-1150 to arrange for a date to complete your jury service.

On your summons is a Parking Voucher that allows all day parking for the week of service in 2 or 3 hour spaces in open lots or on any city street. Place your parking voucher on the dash of your car. Parking citations resulting from improper parking are the responsibility of the juror.

Parking is available in three downtown garages:

• Pearl St. Garage - 1st and 2nd Floor only
• Clay St. Garage - Any level
• Fifth St. Garage - Second and fourth levels only

Note: No juror parking is allowed in the Second Street garage.

The parking voucher does not include the use of:

• Reserved or "Permit Parking Only" spaces
• 15 or 24 minute zones
• Handicapped zones
• The library parking lot
• The jail parking lot next to the Hall of Justice