Most of us are not excited to get a jury notice in the mail. If you’ve been selected for jury duty, you might wonder how long jury duty will take, how much work you might have to miss, childcare issues, and the details of traveling to and from your local courthouse. Can you get out of jury duty in California? Yes, you can in some situations. Here, we’ll discuss how jury duty works and some situations when you could be excused. 

What is Jury Duty? 

Under the Sixth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, citizens in criminal trials have the fundamental right to have a jury of peers review their case. Jury trials can be available in civil (non-criminal) cases as well. Jury trials are a hallmark of justice in California’s legal system. With a jury, individuals on trial can have their fellow citizens rule on their case instead of leaving the decision to a lone judge. For the jury system to work, though, members of our communities must participate in the process. You can be called to serve this obligation by your county’s courthouse. 

How Are People Picked for Jury Duty in California? 

To qualify for jury duty in California, you must: 

  • Be a United States citizen 
  • Be 18 years old or higher 
  • Be able to understand English well enough to follow the case and discuss it with jurors
  • Be a legal resident of the county where the trial is held 
  • Not have done jury duty  in the previous 12 months
  • Not incarcerated in jail or prison
  • Not under a legal conservatorship
  • Not on parole or felony probation 
  • Not required to register as a sex offender

Jury selection is a randomized event that pulls names without any special considerations for who gets picked. Whether you get selected and what type of trial you are selected for is a matter of chance instead of a decision made by someone else. 

How Can I Get Out of Jury Duty? 

In some situations, you can get out of jury duty by asking for an excuse from service. Some common excuses that California allows include: 

  • Lack of transportation to and from the courthouse;
  • You would have to travel an excessive distance to get to the courthouse;
  • You have a mental or physical limitation or disability;
  • You provide care for a dependent child or adult and are unable to find help to care for your dependent;
  • Serving on a jury would create a serious financial burden for you. 

You can also be excused from jury duty in California if you are on active duty military service. 

If you are eligible for one of these excuses, you will be able to indicate so on your jury summons response form. If you think you qualify for a different excuse that is reasonable, you can let the court know that as well. To be excused from jury service, you might still be required to go to the courthouse and explain your reason to the judge. 

The reasons above are all situations that can get you out of jury duty in San Diego or La Jolla, CA. Even if you are selected to a jury pool, you might be excused before the trial starts through the jury selection process. The court system recognizes that everyone’s situations are different, and you might face obstacles that interfere with your ability to serve. 

Understand Your Rights as a Potential Juror in California

If you are picked for jury duty in California, you should know your options–including potential excuses from jury service. In some situations, you could qualify for an excuse from jury duty. Skipping jury duty without an explanation is a serious offense, however. If you need to get out of jury duty, go through the proper steps with your local courthouse. If you have questions about how to get out of jury duty, talk to an experienced San Diego lawyer with Pines Salomon Injury Lawyers, LLP, for detailed advice.

Contact the Personal Injury Law Firm of Pines Salomon Injury Lawyers in San Diego, CA for Help Today

For more information, contact an experienced personal injury lawyer at Pines Salomon Injury Lawyers, LLP to schedule a free initial consultation today.

We proudly serve San Diego County and its surrounding areas:

Pines Salomon Injury Lawyers – San Diego Office
4660 La Jolla Village Dr. San Diego, CA 92122
(858) 551-2090