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Jury Service

The right to a trial by jury is a privilege that applies to both criminal and civil cases and is recognized as the foundation of the American court system, guaranteed by both U.S. and California Constitutions. Jury trials cannot be held unless people like you are willing to perform their civic duty.

The Office of the Jury Commissioner is responsible for securing jurors for Criminal, Civil, and Probate trials, held by the Butte County Superior Court. Jurors are selected and summoned in accordance with California Code of Civil Procedure.

Public Notice - Jury Duty Scam Alert

Past or prospective jurors are NEVER contacted by phone regarding failure to serve jury duty. All communication regarding failure to serve jury duty is officially facilitated through the U.S. mail. No court jury staff or Butte County Sheriff's staff ask past or prospective jurors to pay a fine or provide financial details including, credit card numbers, bank accounts, social security numbers, or any other personal information via phone. If you receive a telephone call from someone identifying as a court employee or an employee of the Butte County Sheriff's Department regarding a failure to appear for jury service, THIS IS A SCAM. Do not provide any personal information or pay them any money. If you are contacted, please call the Jury Commissioner's office at (530) 532-7001.

Received a jury summons?

Starting July 1, 2025, Butte County Superior Court will begin issuing jury summonses in postcard format instead of the traditional trifold notice. The News Release can be found here .

First, determine if you need to report for jury duty. You can check your appearance status after 5:00 PM the day before your scheduled appearance:

  • Online
  • By phone: A recorded message will confirm, modify, or cancel your appearance based on your Group Number, indicated on the front of your summons. Make sure to call the courthouse that you have been summoned to. To confirm which courthouse you have been summoned to, look at the location in the shaded box on the front of your summons.

As trials are often resolved in advance, this process allows the court to provide last-minute information to jurors and only require attendance from jurors who are likely to be needed.

Then respond to your jury service by visiting the Jury Portal, linked below.

Jury Portal

You may also call or visit the Jury Office at the Chico or Oroville Courthouses during regular business hours. Directions to your respective courthouse, along with public parking maps, can be found online here.

Please bring your summons (jury postcard) with you when reporting for jury service.

Juror Qualifications

You do not need any special skills or legal knowledge to be a juror. California law says you are qualified to be a juror if you:

  • Are a U.S. citizen
  • Are at least 18 years old
  • Can understand English enough to understand and discuss the case
  • Are a resident of the county that sent you the jury summons
  • Have not served on a jury in the last 12 months
  • Are not currently on a grand jury or on another trial jury
  • Are not under a conservatorship
  • Are not incarcerated in any prison or jail
  • Are not on parole, post release community supervision, felony probation, or mandated supervision for the conviction of a felony
  • Are not required to register as a sex offender
  • Were convicted of malfeasance while holding public office and have not had your civil rights restored

If you have been summoned for jury service and are not qualified to serve, follow the instructions on the postcard to request an excuse or disqualification. Be sure to provide supporting information, if applicable. You may also respond via the Jury Portal.

Postponement or Hardship Requests

Even if you qualify for jury service you may not be available on the date you have been summoned or you might have what is called an "undue hardship." An undue hardship is a difficult situation that prevents you from being able to serve. If this is the case, you may be eligible for a postponement or, in some circumstances, an excuse from service. Requests for postponement or to be excused can be made online via the jury portal or by phone.

Online requests must be made more than seven days prior to the date you were summonsed to appear. If your request is being made less than seven days before the date you were summonsed to appear, please contact the court by phone.

Juror Selection Process

Potential juror names are randomly selected from a combined list of:

  • Registered voters
  • Franchise Tax Board records
  • Individuals with valid California driver’s licenses or identification cards issued by the Department of Motor Vehicles.

These records are combined to create a Master Jury List. Prospective jurors are randomly selected from this list and sent a summons to appear for service approximately three weeks before the scheduled service date.

Juror Orientation Videos

IMPORTANT LINKS