Jury Duty

Eligibility

Residents of Gloucester County may be called to serve as a juror in criminal and civil cases. If you are selected to serve, you will be required to be available during a two-month term. Once a year, individuals are chosen from Department of Motor Vehicle (DMV) records and Voter Registration to be prospective jurors for the following year. Those individuals are sent questionnaires to complete and return to the Circuit Court Clerk's Office.The questionnaires are then reviewed by Jury Commissioners to determine who is eligible to serve. 

Handbook for Virginia Grand Jurors

This list of eligible individuals makes up the master jury list. You may receive a Notice anytime during the calendar year if you are selected as a prospective juror to serve in this court for a term of two months. This notice does not mean your service is required. You will receive a written Jury Summons for a specific date or dates for which you are to appear. Please follow the instructions in the Jury Summons carefully. You are to call the Jury Hotline at 804-693-0076 after 5 p.m. the evening prior to the date for which your service is required.

Ineligibility

Once you have i.e., reported to serve or actually serve on a panel for which you receive compensation during your two-month service, you are ineligible under state law to serve again for a period of three years unless all the persons whose names are in the jury box have been drawn to serve; however, such persons shall be permitted to serve on any special jury ordered pursuant to Virginia Code Section 8.01-362 and on any grand jury. This applies only to state circuit courts.

Jury Duty Process

Jurors are requested to report to the Office of the Circuit Court on the date and time indicated on the summons. On site parking is available. The appropriate dress for court is business casual. No cell phones, pagers or electronic devices are allowed in court. During the course of a trial, recesses are taken at periodic intervals. 

If you become ill or some emergency arises while court is in session, please make one of the bailiffs aware of your needs. Luncheon recesses seldom last more than one hour.

Compensation

Jurors will be compensated for their service at the rate of $30 per day. Compensation will be forwarded at the expiration of the court term to which you were summoned. You must provide the clerk of court with a correct mailing address. Also, the county’s central account department requires your social security number to issue payment.

Attendance

In addition to the legal duty to serve, it is the civic and patriotic duty of citizens to assist in the disposal of the work loan of the court to resolve the issues in civil cases and criminal cases. It is rare that any person is excused from service for the entire term; however, the court endeavors to accommodate jurors to the extent possible by making certain adjustments based on extreme hardship, disabling mental or physical impairment (written explanation from physician is required), or certain engagements scheduled prior to your selection as a juror (i.e., doctor’s appointment, vacation periods or out-of-town business meetings for which monies have been deposited). Written verification along with a Juror Request (PDF) must be submitted to the clerk of this court and must show that the arrangements were made prior to your receiving this notice. Failure to report when so notified may be construed as contempt of court and will be dealt with accordingly.

Questions

Any questions concerning jury duty should be directed to Michele Beck, Deputy Clerk at 804-693-2502.