Jury Service - Frequently Asked QuestionsIs jury service mandatory? The United States Constitution and the Washington State Constitution guarantee the right to trial by jury. Failure to attend as directed may subject you to penalties provided by law. All King County residents are obligated by state law to serve as a juror unless they: - Are not a United States citizen;
- Are under 18 years of age;
- Are unable to communicate in the English language; or
- Have been convicted of a felony and their civil rights have not been restored.
Can I be exempted from jury service? Only those requests viewed as undue hardships will be granted an exemption from reporting for jury selection. Undue hardship means more than inconvenience or difficulty serving. It means circumstances that make it truly unfair for you to serve, such that someone else should serve in your place.
Often an undue hardship can be alleviated by rescheduling. Your jury duty obligation can be postponed one time for up to one year from the date of the original summons. Call (206) 205-3838 (Seattle) or (206) 205-3838 (Kent) or email JuryDutySEA@kingcounty.gov or JuryDutyRJC@kingcounty.gov to postpone.
I have a planned vacation on the date I have been summonsed. Should I request an exemption? No. Your jury duty obligation can be postponed one time for up to one year from the date of the original summons. Call (206) 205-3838 (Seattle) or (206) 205-3838 (Kent) or email JuryDutySEA@kingcounty.gov or JuryDutyRJC@kingcounty.gov to postpone.
I am a full-time student. Are students exempt from jury service. No. Students should take advantage of the postponement option. Most students opt to serve during term breaks. This also applies to out-of-state students. Call (206) 205-3838 (Seattle) or (206) 205-3838 (Kent) or email JuryDutySEA@kingcounty.gov or JuryDutyRJC@kingcounty.gov to postpone.
I am self-employed. Are the self-employed exempt from jury duty? There are no occupational or professional exemptions from this obligation of citizenship, and the self-employed are not excluded.
I have a medical appointment on my jury duty date. What should I do? Please consider the postponement option. Call (206) 205-3838 (Seattle) or (206) 205-3838 (Kent) or email JuryDutySEA@kingcounty.gov or JuryDutyRJC@kingcounty.gov to postpone. If your physician feels that you are medically unfit for jury duty and will not recuperate in the coming year, please ask her/him to submit a letter to the address on your summons, noting your juror badge number. All requests for exemption due to medical, psychiatric, or sensory limitations need to be accompanied with a letter from a physician supporting exemption.
I am unemployed and receiving unemployment benefits. Will serving on jury duty affect my benefits? The compensation you receive for reporting as a prospective juror or serving on a jury must be reported and deducted from your unemployment benefits. For more information, visit the Washington State Employment Security Department webpage or read their Unemployment Claims Kit to learn more about what can be deducted from your benefits.
How long is my jury duty assignment? Jury duty with King County Superior Court lasts a minimum of two days. If by the end of the second day you have not been selected to a trial or a jury panel, you will be excused. Most who serve are not selected to trials. The average time our citizens spend as jurors is about 2.25 days. The average length of a trial in King County Superior Court is roughly 1.5 weeks.
How many times can I postpone my service? You can postpone to virtually any week within 12 months of your original summons. You should reschedule no later than the date of your current summons. Jury summonses are sent via bulk mail several weeks in advance; please DO NOT request a new date earlier than 8 weeks beyond your current date. If you request a date that conflicts with the court calendar or is otherwise unavailable, you will be scheduled for the next available pool date. Please contact Jury Service immediately if you are unavailable on the date indicated.
Is there an age limit? All jurors need to be at least 18 years of age. No citizen over 18 is excluded from consideration due to age. If your physician feels you are physically unable to perform the duties of a juror or are unable to travel to the courthouse, please ask her/him to submit a letter to the court supporting an exemption.
I know that I will not be selected to be on a jury because of what I do for a living. Why not excuse me now and save time? Superior Court tries civil and criminal cases, both of which require juries. The random selection process prevents you from knowing in advance what trial or even what type of trial you will be selected for. When you get to a courtroom, the judge may excuse you from a specific case. Jury Service staff cannot excuse you as a potential juror because of what you do for a living, your family makeup, or events in your past.
Does my employer have to pay me while I serve? State law does not currently require employers to continue paying the salary of employees while they are serving as jurors. However, many employers, including state and local government agencies, have a policy which compensates employees for at least part, if not all, the time spent for jury service. All employers must provide a leave of absence, pursuant to RCW 2.36.165 -- Leave of absence from employment to be provided -- Denial of promotional opportunities prohibited — Penalty -- Civil action. This statute includes the following provisions: (1) An employer shall provide an employee with a sufficient leave of absence from employment to serve as a juror when that employee is summoned pursuant to chapter 2.36 RCW. (2) An employer shall not deprive an employee of employment or threaten, coerce, or harass an employee, or deny an employee promotional opportunities because the employee receives a summons, responds to the summons, serves as a juror, or attends court for prospective jury service. (3) An employer who intentionally violates subsection (1) or (2) of this section shall be guilty of a misdemeanor. (4) If an employer commits an act in violation of subsection (2) of this section the employee may bring a civil action for damages as a result of the violation and for an order requiring the reinstatement of the employee. If the employee prevails, the employee shall be allowed a reasonable attorney's fee as determined by the court. (5) For purposes of this section employer means any person, association, partnership, or private or public corporation who employs or exercises control over wages, hours, or working conditions of one or more employees.
What do I do in the event of inclement weather? If the weather conditions are bad and the court determines that it will not require jurors to appear for court services, we will post this information on our website, or you can call (206) 296-9100, which is the court's primary information line.
Can I volunteer for jury duty? Current law makes no provision for volunteer jurors. The court relies on a process that assures a random selection from the entire county. This means that some will be called often and some citizens will never be summonsed. If you have served in the past year (12 months) King County Superior Court is happy to excuse you from your current summons. If your service was with Superior Court, just contact us and request exemption. If you served with a different jurisdiction, please ask that court for a letter confirming your service and send that to us along with the lower portion of your summons, and we will process the exemption. Thank you for serving…wherever you served!
Will I be compensated for jury duty? Yes. Jurors currently earn $10.00 per day of service. Those who drive to the courthouse may claim a mileage allowance. Mileage is currently calculated round-trip from the center of your zip code to the court building. The current rate is 55 cents per mile. Bus tickets will be provided for those traveling on either Metro or Sound Transit. Checks are sent out every two weeks, so your check may not reflect your entire compensation. Please wait at least two weeks after your last day of service for your final check.
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