Operating StatusJurors
JUROR ALERTS
There’s been an increase in jury duty scams in the D.C. metro area. Scammers are contacting victims by phone or email, falsely claiming they owe fines for missed jury duty and using intimidation tactics. D.C. Superior Court will never ask you for financial information over the phone or email. Report suspicious calls or emails to your local police immediately. If you have questions about your summons or other jury-related communications, please call 202-879-4604 or email JurorHelp [at] dcsc.gov.
Please make JurorHelp [at] dcsc.gov (JurorHelp[at]dcsc[dot]gov) and GrandJurorHelp [at] dcsc.gov (GrandJurorHelp[at]dcsc[dot]gov) contacts, add them to your safe senders list, or check your spam folder to receive timely jury notifications from us.
Jury service is a fundamental pillar of the justice system. More than 400 residents in the District are called to serve as jurors each week, thus ensuring that justice is carried out. These pages provide helpful information on what to expect during jury service. To get started, see Receiving a Summons below.
Complete Form and Report
Jurors are selected from lists of registered District of Columbia voters, persons who have obtained driver's licenses or identification cards from the DC Department of Motor Vehicles, records provided by the DC Department of Tax and Revenue, and public assistance rolls. The law requires that residents complete and return juror qualification forms within 5 days of receiving it.
Please complete and return the juror qualification immediately even if planning to request a change in the date of service, known as a deferral. The form can be completed online (See the links to Deferrals and to Completing the Juror Qualification Form), returned in the postage-paid summons packet, or faxed to (202) 879-0012.
Unless the Court notifies otherwise or service deferral is granted, residents are required to report for jury service on the date and time indicated on the summons.
The Superior Court has implemented a call-in petit jury system. While calls for jury service will still be One Trial or One Day, prospective jurors will need to telephone in advance to see if they are required to report.
(Grand jurors will not need to call in, but should report as scheduled.)
Jurors are encouraged to take care of personal and medical needs during jury service--whether it's one day or for an extended period of time. If necessary, please see personal physician or health care provider to address medical concerns prior to arrival in the courthouse.
The following is a checklist of items that jurors should have in their possession (if needed) when reporting for jury service:
- Prescription medication (Rx)
- Over the Counter medication such as aspirin or other painkiller, allergy relief medication and cough drops
- Eyeglasses and/or contact lens solution
- Bottled water
- Light snacks
- Hand sanitizer/wipes
- Reading material
Under our Constitution, everyone deserves a fair trial. It is the DC Superior Court's goal in every jury trial to find jurors who will decide the case before them fairly, without prejudice or bias. This video discusses what implicit or unconscious bias is, and why we should all keep biases out of the courtroom.
This video is shown to jurors before a trial begins. It may not be rebroadcast or otherwise used without the Superior Court's written consent. If you have questions or want to request permission to use the video, please contact EOCommunications [at] dccsystem.gov.
