Disqualification / Postponement / Excuse

Disqualification

Qualifications for jury service are established by California Code of Civil Procedure, Section 203 - external link, and are outlined below. If you find that you are not qualified to serve, please complete the bottom portion of your summons titled Affidavit of Disqualification, or submit by clicking on the hyperlink below. Once completed, detach and return the Affidavit in the enclosed envelope, fax it to 916-874-8294 or hand carry it to the Jury Commissioner's office. Affidavits must be received by the jury office at least five working days prior to your service. Otherwise, you are expected to be available as scheduled.

You Must Be/Have

• Citizen of the United States
• At least 18 years of age
• Resident of Sacramento County
• Have sufficient understanding of the English language

You Must Not Be/Have

• Currently serving as a Grand Juror
• Under court appointed conservatorship
• Have been convicted of a felony or malfeasance in office and not had your civil rights restored
• Peace Officer pursuant to 830.1 or 830.2(a) of the Penal Code - external link

Request for Postponement

Our courts deal with issues that affect our neighborhoods, our families, the business community and quality of life in our community. Everyone must participate in the process created to resolve these issues. That may mean rearranging schedules, canceling appointments and missing work. Jury staff will be as flexible as possible when scheduling jurors for jury service.

If your summoned date is not convenient, you may request a postponement for a period of up to 90 days. (Students and Teachers may be rescheduled to the next school break. Breastfeeding mothers may be postponed for a period of up to one year.)

To request a postponement, please complete the back side, bottom portion of your summons titled Affidavit to Request an Excuse or Postponement, or submit by clicking on the hyperlink below. Once completed, detach and return the Affidavit in the enclosed envelope, fax it to 916-874-8294 or hand carry it to the Jury Commissioner's office. Affidavits must be received by the jury office at least five working days prior to your service. Otherwise, you are expected to be available as scheduled.

Request for Excuse

California Rules of Court, rule 2.1008 - external link, specifies the grounds on which the Jury Commissioner's Office is allowed to excuse jurors from jury service. It states, "Jury service, unless excused by law, is a responsibility of citizenship. The court and its staff shall employ all necessary and appropriate means to ensure that citizens fulfill this important and civic duty." Postponing jury service is preferred to excusing a prospective juror. Inconvenience to a prospective juror or employer is not an adequate reason to be excused from jury duty. Requests must be made in writing and supported with facts and/or appropriate documentation as outlined below.

In order to be excused, jury service must represent an undue hardship as outlined in California Rules of Court, rule 2.1008, below.

1. The prospective juror has no reasonably available means of public or private transportation.
2. The prospective juror has a personal obligation to provide care to another between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. Comparable care is not economically practical.
3. The prospective juror has a serious physical or mental condition and jury service would expose him/her to undue risk of physical or mental hardship.
   • NOTE: IF THE JUROR IS UNDER 70 YEARS OLD, HE/SHE MUST OBTAIN A STATEMENT FROM A DOCTOR THAT CLEARLY STATES THAT THE JUROR CANNOT SERVE JURY DUTY FOR MEDICAL REASONS.
4. The prospective juror would suffer an extreme financial burden which would compromise his/her ability to support himself or his/her dependents. Financial burden is defined below.
   1. The juror is the sole source of household income AND he/she is self employed. The juror must describe the nature of the business, how jury service causes a loss of income and /or hinders the operation of the business and why the loss cannot be avoided by postponing jury service to a later date OR
   2. The juror is the sole source of household income AND his/her employer does not pay for jury duty.
      • NOTE: THE JUROR MUST ENCLOSE A NOTE FROM HIS/HER EMPLOYER DESCRIBING ITS JURY DUTY POLICY, CONFIRMING THAT THE JUROR WILL LOSE ALL WAGES, SALARY OR COMMISSION DURING THEIR JURY SERVICE.
5. The prospective juror has served jury service within the preceding 18 months.

To request an excuse, follow the instructions and complete the back side, bottom portion of your summons titled Affidavit to Request an Excuse or Postponement, or submit by clicking on the hyperlink below. Once completed, detach and return the Affidavit in the enclosed envelope, fax it to 916-874-8294 or hand carry it to the Jury Commissioner's office. Affidavits must be received by the jury office at least five working days prior to your service. Otherwise, you are expected to be available as scheduled.