Requests for exclusion from jury service can now be made online

SAN DIEGO – San Diego County residents can now submit online requests for exclusion from jury service, Superior Court officials announced March 8.

The court's website, www.sdcourt.ca.gov, now provides a link where residents can explain to the court why they are either disqualified to serve on a jury or should be excused from jury service due to various reasons such as recently sitting on a jury, active military service or financial hardship. The online service went into effect March 6.

In the past, those summoned to jury service were required to write and submit their exclusion requests via regular mail. Now, the requests can be electronically delivered to the court.

"We are pleased to make communicating with our jury service office for those summoned as potential jurors much easier and faster,'' San Diego Superior Court Executive Officer Michael Roddy said. "We understand not everyone can take part in this important civic duty. We want to ensure that people have a convenient way to ask the court for an exclusion or deferral of service.''

Juror summons are blindly drawn, twice a year, from information obtained from the Department of Motor Vehicles and the San Diego County Registrar of Voters.

Potential jurors can be summoned for service once every 12 months. However, if they have served as a sworn juror on a trial they may request an excuse for up to 36 months.

People can continue to submit their exclusion requests via regular mail, if they so choose.