Jury Service
San Bernardino County jury service is administered through the Superior Court of California, County of San Bernardino. This page explains how to respond to a jury summons, check whether you must report, complete the juror questionnaire, request a postponement or excusal, prepare for the courthouse, obtain proof of attendance, request disability accommodations, and handle problems such as a missed appearance. It also covers juror compensation, service length, courthouse rules, common eligibility issues, and steps that can help prevent delays or mistakes.
Jury Service and Your Summons
A jury summons means the Superior Court has selected you as a prospective juror. Selection does not necessarily mean you will serve on a trial. You may be instructed to complete a questionnaire, monitor your reporting status, appear at a courthouse, participate in jury selection, or continue serving if you are selected for a trial.
The court's main Jury Information page is the central source for San Bernardino County jurors. It provides information about preparing for service, responding to a summons, courthouse expectations, accommodations, failures to appear, and related jury procedures.
Keep your jury postcard summons available while dealing with the court. The summons contains information needed for jury-related transactions and identifies the court location associated with your service. You must also bring the jury postcard summons when you report in person.
Do not assume that receiving a summons automatically means you should appear at the courthouse at the beginning of the scheduled day. San Bernardino County uses a reporting-status system, so prospective jurors should follow the reporting instructions and verify their status at the appropriate time.
Juror Portal Services
The court's Juror Portal handles several common jury-service tasks online. Jurors can use the portal to complete the juror questionnaire, request a permitted postponement, check juror status, sign up for electronic notifications, and obtain an online work-verification form.
Online Juror Questionnaire
When completing the online questionnaire, fill out the entire form and verify that your name and address are correct. The court specifically states that the questionnaire links do not work with Internet Explorer or Safari. Microsoft Edge, Chrome, or Firefox should be used instead.
If you cannot submit the questionnaire online, the court provides a printable paper questionnaire. A juror may also contact Jury Administration and request that a paper copy be mailed.
Do not leave required sections incomplete. Missing information can create problems when the court reviews a request connected with your summons, particularly an excusal request for which the court requires specific supporting facts or documentation.
Electronic Service Updates
Jurors may provide a phone number or email address to receive updates about their reporting schedule. Notifications may be delivered by email, text message, or phone. Standard text messaging fees may apply. According to the court, contact information supplied for these updates will not be shared or forwarded to anyone.
Electronic notifications are useful, but they do not replace the requirement to follow your summons and verify your reporting status. A juror who has not been excused remains responsible for complying with the court's instructions.
Reporting Status Before Court
After 5:00 p.m. on the day before your scheduled appearance date, check whether you are required to report. You can check your juror status online through the Juror Portal or use the court's recorded telephone system. The recorded message provides reporting or call-in instructions.
If you cannot check your status online or by telephone and you have not been excused, the court directs you to appear at the court location shown on your summons. Do not treat an unanswered phone call as an excusal or assume that your service has been canceled.
The location printed on your summons matters because the Superior Court operates multiple facilities throughout San Bernardino County. General courthouse information is available through the court's court locations directory. Follow the location on your own summons rather than choosing another courthouse based on convenience.
Postponing Jury Service
The court recognizes that a summons can arrive for a date that conflicts with work, school, medical appointments, travel, or other temporary obligations. A postponement, also called a deferral, may be appropriate when the hardship is temporary rather than a reason that prevents service entirely.
San Bernardino County permits jury service to be postponed one time for a maximum of 90 days from the original summons date. Examples identified by the court include a medical appointment, being a full-time student, or having a planned vacation.
A postponement can be requested through the Juror Questionnaire Portal or through the automated telephone system. Your Juror ID number, located on the jury summons, is required. The court's deferral and excusal information explains the distinction between postponing service and requesting to be excused.
A postponement should not be confused with an excusal. Deferral moves jury service to a later date. An excusal asks the court to release the prospective juror from service based on an applicable hardship or disqualification.
Requests to Be Excused
A request to be excused must be submitted in writing to the Jury Administration Office before the prospective juror's service date. The request must state the facts creating the hardship and explain why postponing jury service to another date would not resolve the problem.
The court may deny a request automatically if required information is missing. For that reason, the type of hardship matters because different circumstances require different details or supporting documents.
Medical Hardship
A medical hardship request requires a written statement from a doctor or completion of the court's medical excusal form by the doctor. A general statement that jury service would be inconvenient is not the documentation described by the court for this type of request.
Citizenship and Language
A person requesting an excusal because they are not a United States citizen must provide the name of the country of citizenship and complete the appropriate confidential juror affidavit.
A prospective juror who believes they do not have sufficient knowledge of English may also request an excusal through the confidential juror affidavit. The court requires years of citizenship to be included for this request. The court also explains that perfect English is not required for jury service. If a person cannot understand English, they should follow the instructions on the summons or contact Jury Administration. A friend or family member who speaks English may call for assistance, although the prospective juror may still be required to appear in person to request disqualification.
County Residency and Age
A person who is no longer a resident of San Bernardino County must provide a corrected name and address along with the current county of residence. A person under age 18 must provide a birthdate. These circumstances can be addressed through the juror questionnaire process described by the court.
Criminal History Restrictions
A past felony conviction by itself does not necessarily prevent a person from serving on a California trial jury. The court identifies specific circumstances that still disqualify prospective jurors, including currently being incarcerated in a prison or jail or being on felony probation, parole, postrelease community supervision, or mandated supervision for a felony conviction. A person currently required to register as a sex offender under Penal Code Section 290 based on a felony conviction is also disqualified.
A person convicted of malfeasance in office may not serve if civil rights have not been restored. The court directs jurors in applicable criminal-history situations to complete the appropriate juror affidavit or questionnaire required for their circumstances.
Caregiver Hardship
The court recognizes a potential hardship for a non-professional full-time caregiver who provides care for another person between 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. The requested information includes the number and ages of the people receiving care, the reason care is required, and, if the prospective juror is employed, the hours they work.
Financial and Transportation Hardship
A prospective juror requesting excusal because of extreme financial hardship must provide a letter from an employer confirming that jury service would result in the loss of wages, salary, or commission. A self-employed person may reschedule service to another day but must appear before the judge to be excused on the basis of financial hardship.
Transportation hardship may apply when there is no reasonably available public or private transportation. The court also identifies excessive travel distance as a potential hardship when the one-way commute from home to the courthouse exceeds one and one-half hours, or 90 minutes.
Previous Jury Service
San Bernardino County states that a person who has served as a juror is exempt from further jury service for 12 months. A prospective juror raising previous service as a reason for excusal should provide the dates of service within the previous 12 months if they were selected for a jury.
Breastfeeding and Jury Service
A mother who is breastfeeding may request that jury service be deferred for up to one year. The request may be renewed while she continues breastfeeding. The court states that the request must be made in writing under penalty of perjury.
This is different from the normal one-time postponement of up to 90 days, so a breastfeeding juror should follow the court's specific procedure rather than assuming the standard deferral limit applies to the request.
Disability Accommodations
Jurors who need accommodations such as hearing amplification or special seating can request assistance from the court. The Superior Court's Americans with Disabilities Act information explains court accommodations and accessibility services.
The court provides reasonable accommodations for qualified people with disabilities participating in court activities, programs, and services. Available services described by the court include assistive listening systems, sign-language interpreter assistance, and Communication Access Realtime Translation for people who are deaf or hard of hearing.
Service animals are permitted in court facilities when they meet the ADA definition and requirements described by the court. Jurors seeking disability-related assistance should contact the jury office regarding their jury service rather than assuming an accommodation request cancels the summons.
Preparing for the Courthouse
If your reporting status requires you to appear, bring the jury postcard summons with you. Prospective jurors should also be prepared to remain for the entire court day. The court's normal operating hours are 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., and jurors are advised to make arrangements accordingly.
Parking and Arrival
Parking is limited at many court locations. Review the information for the courthouse identified on your summons before traveling there. Allowing for parking, security screening, and locating the appropriate jury area can reduce the risk of arriving late.
Courthouse Dress Code
The court permits business or business-casual clothing, including jeans. Shorts, tank tops, crop tops, and going barefoot are not permitted. A person wearing inappropriate clothing may be sent home to change or instructed to return on another day.
Security Screening
Visitors must pass through airport-style security screening. Bags, briefcases, and other belongings may be x-rayed. The court specifically identifies items such as scissors, nail clippers, and knitting needles as prohibited. Confiscated items will not be returned, so review what you are carrying before entering the courthouse.
Phones and Internet Access
Cell phones with cameras are allowed, but jurors and other visitors may not photograph, record, or broadcast without prior court approval. Violating the court's rules can result in confiscation, a contempt citation, or monetary penalties under California Rules of Court, Rule 1.150.
Free Wi-Fi is available for jurors at court locations. Access to a phone or wireless internet does not change the restrictions that apply when a juror is involved in a case.
One Day or One Trial
San Bernardino County follows the California “One Day/One Trial” system. Under this approach, jury service generally lasts one day unless the prospective juror is assigned to a courtroom for jury selection or is selected to serve on a trial.
If you are assigned to a courtroom for jury selection or become a trial juror, your service continues until the trial-related obligation is completed. The court states that most trials last approximately three to seven days, although some take longer. When a group is called for jury selection, the judge can usually provide an estimate of how long the trial is expected to last.
If serving on a lengthy trial would create a serious hardship, the court advises the prospective juror to tell the judge. The judge handles concerns connected with the expected length of a particular trial.
Juror Pay and Mileage
Jurors begin receiving jury-service pay on the second day of service. San Bernardino County states that the court pays $15 per day and $0.34 per mile roundtrip.
Some government employees do not receive jury fees. The court states that employees of federal, state, or local government agencies, including schools, must waive jury fees under the applicable provisions cited by the court.
Do not assume that jury-service pay replaces your regular wages. Employers are not generally required to compensate employees for time spent on jury service. Employer policies vary, so employees should review their own workplace jury-duty policy.
Employment and Attendance Records
California law prohibits an employer from discharging or discriminating against an employee for taking time off to serve as a juror when the employee gives reasonable notice of the requirement to serve. A person who receives a summons should therefore notify the employer as appropriate rather than waiting until the reporting date.
Jurors who report to the courthouse may request a verification slip for each day of service. The slip is stamped with the service date. Electronic verification forms are also available through the Juror Portal. Jurors are responsible for providing their proof of attendance to their employers.
Courtroom Conduct During Trial
Jurors selected for a trial must base their decisions only on information presented through the court proceedings. The court's courtroom guidance prohibits jurors from discussing the case with family, friends, or other people while the trial is pending. Jurors also should not discuss the case with one another until deliberations begin and the court authorizes those discussions.
Electronic communications about a pending case are also prohibited. Jurors should not text, email, blog, post on social media, or otherwise communicate information about the case. They must not conduct internet searches about parties, attorneys, witnesses, legal issues, locations, evidence, or any other aspect of the case.
News reports and other outside information concerning the case should also be avoided. These restrictions protect the requirement that jury decisions be based on evidence and instructions received in court rather than information gathered elsewhere.
Missed Jury Service
Ignoring a summons or failing to appear can have serious consequences. The court's failure-to-appear information states that a prospective juror who does not respond as directed and has not been excused may be found in contempt of court under California Code of Civil Procedure Section 209.
The possible consequences identified by the court include a fine of up to $1,500, incarceration for up to five days, or both. A person who has already missed a required appearance should contact Jury Administration so the matter can be addressed rather than ignoring later notices.
Jury Scam Warning
Jury-related scams often involve a caller or electronic message claiming that the recipient missed jury duty and must immediately provide money or financial information. Official court or law-enforcement personnel will not ask you to provide bank-account or credit-card information as part of jury service.
They also will not require payment through gift cards, cryptocurrency, smartphone payment applications, or wire transfers. The California Judicial Branch's jury scam warning explains these tactics in more detail.
Official court personnel may contact someone by telephone, so the existence of a phone call alone does not establish that it is fraudulent. The warning sign is a demand for prohibited financial information or payment methods. Do not provide the requested financial information to a caller claiming that immediate payment is required to resolve jury service.
Common Jury Service Mistakes
Several preventable mistakes can interfere with jury service or cause unnecessary courthouse trips. The court's procedures make the following points especially relevant:
Do not discard your jury postcard summons. It contains information needed for jury-service transactions and must be brought when reporting.
Do not report solely based on the original date without checking status after 5:00 p.m. the day before the appearance date.
Do not assume an unanswered phone call means you are excused. If you cannot obtain your status and have not been excused, report to the location on the summons.
Do not use Internet Explorer or Safari for the online juror questionnaire links identified by the court; use Edge, Chrome, or Firefox.
Do not confuse a postponement with an excusal. A postponement generally changes the date, while an excusal requires the court to approve a reason for not serving.
Do not submit an excusal request without the required facts or supporting documents. The court states that incomplete required information can result in automatic denial.
Do not bring prohibited items into the courthouse with the expectation that security will hold them for you.
Do not photograph, record, broadcast, research, or communicate about a trial in violation of court rules.
Do not provide bank information, credit-card information, gift cards, cryptocurrency, payment-app transfers, or wire transfers to someone claiming they are required for jury service.
Jury Service Offices
Jury Administration Office
909-884-1858
Jury Services Office
909-884-1858
Jury Service FAQs
How did San Bernardino County get my name for jury duty?
Prospective jurors are selected at random from government records rather than individually chosen by the court. California courts use sources including Department of Motor Vehicles records, voter registration records, and state tax-filer information. Receiving a summons does not mean that a particular court employee selected you. If identifying or address information used for jury selection is incorrect, updating the appropriate government record can help keep future jury records accurate. The court provides additional answers on its jury information FAQ page.
Why did I get another jury summons so soon?
Juror selection is random, so it is possible to receive another summons even after responding to one previously. If you believe you have already served within the applicable period, do not simply disregard the new summons. The California Judicial Branch advises jurors who are summoned twice within 12 months to resolve the issue with their local court. Follow the instructions on the new summons so the court can determine whether your prior service affects the current obligation.
What kinds of cases might a trial juror hear?
Trial juries are used in criminal and civil cases. Criminal cases generally involve allegations that a person committed a crime, while civil cases involve disputes between parties. Juvenile and family law trials do not use juries in the same way. Jurors do not choose which type of case they receive; courtroom assignment depends on the cases being handled when they are called for jury selection.
What happens if I have a serious emergency during a trial?
A significant emergency does not automatically mean a juror must remain through the trial regardless of circumstances. California's jury service guidance explains that a judge may excuse a juror when a genuine emergency occurs, including during deliberations. The judge determines whether the circumstances justify excusal, and an alternate juror may take the juror's place when appropriate.
Can people contact me after the trial ends?
After a verdict, attorneys, members of the media, or people connected with the case may sometimes attempt to contact former jurors. Jurors are not required to speak with them. If you do not want post-trial contact, you may tell the judge. During the trial, however, contact from someone connected with the case should be reported to the judge immediately because such communication may be inappropriate and could affect the proceedings.