Please Be Aware Jury staff of the superior courts do not ask past or prospective jurors for financial information such as credit card, and bank account information or personal information like Social Security Numbers. Please do not provide this type of information to anyone claiming to be associated with the courts.

Jury Information

The right of a trial by jury is the privilege of every person in the United States. This right is guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution and the California Constitution, which provides "the right of trial by jury shall be secured to all, and remain inviolate." http://www.courtinfo.ca.gov/jury/

Jury trials cannot be held unless people like you are willing to perform their civic duty. Jurors are essential to the administration of justice.

Jurors' names are selected at random from lists provided from the Department of Motor Vehicles and the Registrar of Voters.

Locations

Hours of Operation

Office Hours:

8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Monday through Friday, excluding Court holidays.

Phone Hours:

8:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
1:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Monday through Friday, excluding Court holidays

Fairfield:  (707) 207-7350
Vallejo:    (707) 561-7850
Fax:        (707) 421-6422

Toll free number:  (800) 621-1797
(Available to residents of Rio Vista, Dixon and Winters, only).

Length of Service

You should plan to be available for an all day service. Court hours are 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Your services are completed once you have been selected to hear a case or released after completion of jury selection. Your term of service is One Day or One Trial. Jurors report in person one day, and may be selected to serve on a case of any length. If not selected for a case on that day, services are completed for one year. 

Notice to Employer- Right to Time Off

Section 230(a) of the LABOR CODE states: "No employer shall discharge or in any manner discriminate against an employee for taking time off to serve as required by law on an inquest or trial jury, if such employee, prior to asking such time off, gives reasonable notice to the employer of the requirement to serve."

Compensation

You will be compensated fifteen dollars ($15.00) a day and thirty-four cents ($0.34) per mile (one-way) beginning on the second day of your service, and each subsequent days of service thereafter. No juror will be paid compensation for their first day of service, including sworn jurors who sit on a one-day trial.

Verification of Service

A Jury Verification form will be provided at the end of your service stating all the days you were in attendance. 

Eligibility

Under California law, NO eligible person shall be exempt from jury services as a trial juror by reason of occupation, race, color, religion, sex, national origin, or economic status. All persons are eligible and qualified to be prospective trial jurors, except the following:

• If you are not a citizen of the United States.

• If you are not 18 years of age or older.

• If you are not a resident of Solano County.

• If you do not possess sufficient knowledge of the English language.

• If you have been convicted of a felony and your civil rights have not been restored.

• If you are currently serving as a Grand Juror.

• If you are a peace officer as defined Penal Code sections 830.1,  830.2(a-c) and 830.33(a).

Excuse

If you are under the age of 70 and have a physical or mental disability that would prevent you from serving, you must provide a doctor's note verifying the disability. The medical note must indicate the permanent nature of your disability or the specific time period for which your medical excuse is valid.

If you are over the age of 70 years of age and medical issues prevent you from serving, you are not required to provide a doctor’s note.  Complete the section titled “Request To Be Excused” and state your date of birth and your request for excuse.  Return the completed summons to the Jury Office within 10 days of receipt of your summons.

Individuals who provide care to an elderly or infirm relative must provide a written statement from the relative’s doctor

Medical notes should be attached to your completed summons and returned to the Jury Office within 10 days of receipt of your summons.  If you require additional time to obtain a medical note, you may postpone your summons date.  Refer to the section titled “Request for Postponement”.

Postponement of Jury Service

If you are not available on the date summoned to attend, you may for any reason, request a one-time postponement. Provide a new date within the next six (6) months (any Monday - Friday, except holidays).

Breast-feeding mothers may postpone their jury service for up to one year.

Students may request a one-time postponement of their service to the next school break.  Complete the section titled “Request for Postponement” and return to the Jury Office within 10 days of receipt of your summons.

For online postponement request click here   Postponement

Penalty

Pursuant to the California Code of Civil Procedures section 209, the court may find the prospective juror who fails to respond to a jury summons in contempt of court, punishable by fine, incarceration, or both.

Dress Code

Proper attire is required in the courtrooms. No hats, shorts, tank tops, tube tops or bare feet are permitted.

Hearing Difficulties

Hearing equipment is available for the hearing impaired. Notify the jury staff upon your arrival. Arrangements for a sign language interpreter will be made available, upon advance notice. Notify the jury staff at least two weeks prior to your jury summons date.

Parking

Hall of Justice - Fairfield: Parking is located in the parking lot on the corner of Texas and Washington Street (adjacent to Armijo High School) Place parking voucher on your car dashboard. This voucher permits all day parking in 2-hour and permit spaces located only in this lot.

The parking voucher does not permit any parking in the Government Center parking garage or limited timed zones on the city streets of Fairfield.  The Court will not be responsible for tickets exceeding parking limits or permit only spaces.

Justice Building - Vallejo: Parking is available behind the Solano County Justice Building. Parking voucher is not required. 

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Is jury service mandatory?
   
   Yes. It is a right of citizenship and required by law.
    

2. How did we get your name?
   
   We obtain names from the Department of Motor Vehicles and the Registrar of Voters. If the information you provide to these two sources is not identical you may receive two summonses. If the information at the Department of Motor Vehicles or the Registrar of Voters is not up to date you may receive additional summons.
    

3. I received a jury summons for someone who is deceased or no longer lives at this address, what should I do with the summons?
   
   If you are acquainted with the individual and familiar with their circumstance, you may complete and return the summons on their behalf.  Sign the summons indicating your relationship to the summoned juror.  If you are not acquainted with the person, state on the front of the unopened summons “this person is no longer at this address” and place the summons back in the mail.  The Department of Motor Vehicles and the Registrar of Voters is our source of information.  You should notify these two sources to avoid receiving any further jury summonses at your address.
    

4. Can I be excused for medical, mental, or physical disability reasons?
   
   Yes. A juror must provide a physician's verification note on a prescription pad or letterhead signed by a doctor. The note must state that the juror cannot serve on jury duty for medical reasons and should indicate the length or duration of the illness or problem. If the condition is permanent or long term, the physician must also include that information in his/her statement. Obtaining a copy of your doctor's letter for your personal file is advised.
    

5. Are Correctional Officer's exempt from jury service?
   
   No.  Only peace officer’s whose positions are defined under Penal Code sections 830.1, 830.2(a-c) and 830.33(a) are exempt from jury service.
    

6. Are stay at home parents excused from jury service?
   
   No. Neither stay at home parents nor childcare providers are exempt or excused from jury service.  Children are not allowed in the courtrooms.  Alternative arrangements will need to be made.  If additional time is needed to arrange for childcare complete and return the section titled “Request for Postponement”.
    

7. Are individuals over 70 years of age exempt from jury service?
   
   No. However, Solano County Superior Court requires individuals over the age of 70 who prefer not to attend jury service, complete the section titled “Request To Be Excused” stating their date of birth and a written statement of their request for excuse. 
    

8. How often can I be summoned?
   
   Effective January 3, 2000, prospective jurors may be summoned once a year. Your term of service is One Day or One Trial. Jurors report in person one day, and may be selected to serve on a case of any length. If not selected for a case on that day, services are completed for one year. If you receive more than one summons during the year, you may be in our database more than once. This often occurs if information received from the Department of Motor Vehicles and the Registrar of Voters are not the same. Hyphenated names, maiden and married names, and names containing a space can cause duplication within the database. If you receive a summons earlier than expected, notify the jury office in writing so we may correct the error and update our database.

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