D.C. Superior Court Jurors' Office
Hours of Operation
Mondays-Fridays: 8:30a.m.-5:00p.m.
Location
Moultrie Courthouse
500 Indiana Avenue, N.W., Room 3130
Washington, D.C. 20001
Main Contact
S. Bailey-Jones, Juror Officer
Phone: (202) 879-4604
Fax: (202) 879-0012
T. Sandvik, Assistant Juror Officer
Phone: (202) 879-1517
Grand Jury Information
Grand Jury Specialist: Antoinette Sweeney
Phone: (202) 616-1519
Director of the Special Operations Division: Roy S. Wynn,
Jr.
The Jurors' Office is responsible for the management of juror services for the Superior Court, including qualifying and processing over 300 persons daily for both petit and grand juries, responding to judges' requests for jury panels and escorting jurors to courtrooms. In addition, the Jurors' Office updates records, disburses juror fees, provides an orientation for new jurors, responds to telephone inquiries, defers jurors, excuses disqualified jurors, and oversees the general comfort of jurors.
Tips on Planning
Your Jury Service
Jurors' Frequently
Asked Questions
Grand Juror Frequently
Asked Questions
New! Complete your juror qualification form or request a deferral of your jury service online. (Be sure to complete the juror qualification form before deferring your service).
A note to the citizens of the District of Columbia: Jury staff of the D.C. Superior Court do not telephone past or prospective jurors for personal information such as Social Security numbers, credit card numbers or bank account information. Please do not provide this information to anyone who might telephone you and claim to be associated with the Superior Court. If you have ANY questions or concerns about a call supposedly from this Court's jury office, we strongly suggest that you hang up and call the jury office directly at 202/879-4604 to check on your jury service status, or go on-line at www.dccourts.gov/jurorservices. Please see this FBI link regarding identity thieves who pose as court employees.
One Trial or One Day
The Superior Court operates under a "one trial or one day"
petit jury system. If a juror is selected to sit on a trial
on his or her first day of service, the juror serves until the
trial is completed. After the trial, the juror's service is
over until summoned again, typically in about two years. If
a juror is not selected for a panel or in the middle of voir
dire by the end of the first day of service, the juror's service
is also over until summoned again. Tips
on Planning Your Jury Service
Grand Jury Service
Superior Court grand jurors serve for a 25-day term of service.
The function of the grand jury is to investigate charges of
crimes committed against the laws of the United States and/or
of the District of Columbia. If the result of the investigation
so warrants, the grand jury returns an indictment against
the accused. There are a total of five Superior Court grand
juries, each consisting of 23 persons. Three of the grand
juries serve five days a week, Monday through Friday, for
25 workdays. The other two grand juries serve three days a
week for 25 workdays. After the term of service is completed,
grand jurors are summoned for two mandatory recall days to
dispose of any unfinished business.
For your Convenience
The Jurors' Office, in conjunction with the Court's Child
Care Center and Office
of Court Interpreting Services, provides child care services for jurors while they are serving jury duty and sign language interpreting services and other accommodations for deaf and hearing impaired jurors. Petit jurors wait to be sent to courtrooms for the trial selection process in a large lounge. The Jurors' Business Center, equipped with WiFi & modem access, a copier, and a facsimile machine, is also available to jurors during their service.
Upon Receiving Your Summons
Jurors are selected from lists of registered District of Columbia voters, persons who have obtained driver's licenses or identification cards from the Department of Motor Vehicles, records provided by the D.C. Department of Tax and Revenue, and public assistance rolls. The law requires that you complete and return your juror qualification form within 5 days of its receipt. You should complete and return the juror qualification immediately even if you plan to request a change in the date of service, known as a deferral. Complete the form online (See Deferrals, Completing the Juror Qualification Form), return it in the postage-paid summons packet or fax the form to 202-879-0012. Unless the Court notifies you otherwise or you have obtained an excuse from or deferral of your service, you are required to report for service on the date and time indicated on your summons.
Grand Jury Service
Grand jurors serve for 25 workdays plus 2 recall days. There
is no "call in" system for grand jurors to see if
you are needed to report; your attendance is required each day
for 27 days. A normal service day begins at 9:00 a.m. and ends
at 5:00 p.m., with a one-hour lunch break.
Most grand jury summons are issued at least 30-45 days in advance
of your service. It is your responsibility to notify your employer
of the terms of your grand jury service as soon as you receive
your summons. This enables you and your employer to plan for
your extended absence.
You may obtain a deferral of
your grand jury service to a later time or request an excuse
for reasons of medical infirmity or hardship by mail to: Superior Court
Jurors' Office; Room 3130; 500 Indiana Avenue, N.W.; Washington,
D.C. 20001; Attention: Grand Jury Specialist. You may reach
us by telephone at 202-616-1519 (Grand Jury Specialist), or
202-879-4604. The Court expects any requests for grand jury
deferrals or excuses to be submitted well in advance of your
service. On the day of your grand jury enrollment, you should
be fully prepared to serve as a grand juror for the next 27
days. Barring an emergency, there should be no impediments
to your being able to serve on your reporting date.
Where to Report for Service
The Superior Court Jurors' Office is located at the H. Carl Moultrie Courthouse; 500 Indiana Avenue, N.W.; Room 3130. Petit jurors report to Room 3130 for enrollment; check-in times are 8:00 a.m. or 10:30 a.m., as indicated on your summons or deferral notice. Grand jurors report to Courtroom 315 at 8:30 a.m. Please bring your summons as well as a valid photo I.D. on the reporting date.
The Courthouse is less than a block away from the Judiciary Square (Red line) and the Navy Memorial (Yellow line) Metro stops. Parking in the area surrounding the Courthouse is limited and expensive; it is recommended that you use Metro. See maps for more information.
Juror Fees
Superior Court petit jurors are paid a daily travel subsidy of $4; if selected for trial, they receive an additional juror service fee of $30 for each day of the trial, if they are not paid by their employer while serving. Petit juror payments, as well as proof of attendance, are mailed at the end of each week. Superior Court grand jury fees (plus proof of attendance) are also mailed weekly. Jurors may also obtain proof of service at www.dccourts.gov/jurorservices. (Log in and then click 'Attendance Letter’).
Waiting in the Lounge
Please be prepared to spend time waiting in the Jurors' Lounge prior to serving as a juror. The Court apologizes for this inconvenience, but please know the Jurors' Office staff is aware of your concerns. Many administrative processes have been implemented to minimize your waiting time and ensure you are given the opportunity to serve as a juror. The waiting is caused by the fact that trials are scheduled to begin at different times throughout the day and parties may settle the case at any time prior to commencing the trial. Therefore, predicting when, or if, you will actually serve is very difficult.
Please be patient. The fact that available jurors are present in the courthouse and are ready to serve on a trial and render a verdict may encourage parties to resolve a dispute. Therefore, your mere presence in the courthouse actually serves the ends of justice.
Bring things to do while you are waiting. Books, magazines, newspapers, laptops, cards, and other quiet activities are permitted. The Jurors' Lounge has televisions, vending machines, WiFi access, and public telephones. As a courtesy, the Jurors' Business Center is equipped with carrels, WiFi & modem access, a facsimile, and a copier. WiFi access is also available in the surrounding area.
During the day, if the Jurors' Office determines that you will not be needed because scheduled cases are resolved, staff will excuse you as early as possible. The Court's goal is to inconvenience you as little as possible. However, it is possible that after waiting all day you could be called to serve on a trial panel even after 4 p.m., and the panel could be held over until the next day if jury selection is not completed by the end of the day.
Related Information:
 About Your Jury Duty - a letter to those summoned for jury duty from Duane Delaney, Clerk of the Court
Jury Legislation
If you are interested in obtaining additional information
regarding legislation that offers protection to jurors while
serving, please note the information below.
Jury Fee Act of 1994: Section 15-718 of the D.C.
Code (Amendment)
C. For jury service of 5 days or less, petit or grand
jurors employed full-time in the District of Columbia shall
be entitled to their usual compensation less the fee received
for jury service. A person shall not be considered a full-time
employee juror on any day of jury service in which that person:
1. Would not have accrued regular wages to be paid by the
employer if the employee were not serving as a juror on
that day; or
2. Would not have worked more than ½ of a shift
extending into another day if the employee were not serving
as a juror on that day. Employers with 10 or less employees
shall not be required to pay a juror employee his or her
usual compensation.
D. If an employer fails to pay an employee in violation of
subsection (C) of this section, the employee may bring a civil
action for recovery of wages or salary lost as a result of
the violation. If an employee prevails in an action under
this subsection, that employee shall be entitled to reasonable
attorney fees fixed by the court.
Protection of Employment of Jurors: Subsection 11-1913
of the D.C. Code
a. An employer shall not deprive an employee of employment,
threaten, or otherwise coerce an employee with respect to
employment because the employee receives a summons, respond
to a summons, serves as a juror, or attends Court for prospective
jury service.
b. An employer who violates subsection (a) is guilty of criminal
contempt. Upon a finding of criminal contempt an employer
may be fined not more than $300, imprisoned for not more than
30 days, or both, for the first offense, and may be fined
not more than $5,000, imprisoned for not more than 180 days,
or both, for any subsequent offense.
c. If an employer discharges an employee in violation of
subsection (a), the employee within 9 months of such discharge
may bring a civil action for recovery of wages lost as a result
of the violation, for an order of reinstatement of employment,
and for damages. If an employee prevails in an action under
this subsection, that employee shall be entitled to reasonable
attorney fees fixed by the court.
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