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1. What should I wear to court?

Dress comfortably for court. Jeans are permitted; however, maintaining the dignity of the court is suggested and appreciated. Shorts, tank tops, hats (except for religious purposes), and extremes of dress are not permitted; casual attire is permitted. Due to allergies, please refrain from wearing any strongly scented perfume or cologne.

2. Must employers pay their employees while they serve on jury duty?

No. The law requires your employer to give you time off for jury duty, but does not require the employer to pay you while you serve on jury duty. Check with your employer to see what the pay policy is while you serve. If your employer does not pay for time off and that creates a financial hardship, you need to obtain a letter from your employer stating the pay policy and submit that along with your signed questionnaire requesting to be excused.

3. Do I have to show up for jury duty?

Yes.

4. Where do I park?

Superior Court and Everett Division: Parking is available free of charge at the Snohomish County Parking Garage located at 3000 Rockefeller Avenue. Place the juror parking permit face up on the vehicle dashboard and enter the garage at Pacific Avenue or Oakes Avenue (see map on your summons). Upon entry into the garage, take a parking ticket from the ticket dispenser and park on levels C, D, E, F, or G. Take the elevator to the plaza level and follow the signs to the courthouse; elevators are located on the south side of the garage. Bring your parking ticket with you to the courthouse for validation in the jury assembly room.
 
Disabled parking is available on every level next to the elevators on the South side of the garage. A disabled parking permit issued by the State of Washington must visibly be displayed in the vehicle.
 
Oversized vehicle parking 6 foot 10 inches or higher is limited. Please notify the parking garage at (425) 388-3348 no later then 6 AM prior to reporting for jury duty service to indicate your parking needs. Arrive at the Oakes Avenue entrance and follow directions from the parking attendant. Remove the Juror Badge from your juror summons to bring with you, but leave the juror parking permit face up on the vehicle dashboard. This will let the parking attendant know you are a juror who does not need to pay for parking.
 
Please do not park on the streets surrounding the courthouse. The city tickets for overtime parking without exception. The court will not assume financial responsibility for parking tickets issued to jurors.

Cascade Division (Arlington): Free parking is available in the parking lots at the courthouse or along Burke Avenue.

Evergreen Division (Monroe): Free parking is available in the parking lots at the courthouse.

South Division (Lynnwood): Free parking is available on the north side of the courthouse.

5. Can I serve on jury duty if I am a convicted felon?

Per RCW 29A.08.520, for a felony conviction in a Washington state court, the right to vote (and serve on a jury) is automatically restored as long as the person is not serving a sentence of total confinement under the jurisdiction of the department of corrections. For a felony conviction in a federal court or any state court other than a Washington state court, the right to vote (and serve on a jury) is automatically restored as long as the person is no longer incarcerated. A person who has been convicted of a felony and is either sentenced to a term of total confinement under the jurisdiction of the department of corrections or otherwise incarcerated as provided for in this subsection must reregister to vote prior to voting.

6. What will happen if I fail to appear for jury duty?

Pursuant to RCW 2.36.170, a person summoned for jury service who intentionally fails to appear as directed shall be guilty of a misdemeanor. It is in the individual court's discretion as to whether or not to pursue a juror not showing up for jury duty.

7. Are Jurors compensated?

Compensation for Service

Juror compensation is determined by state statute. You will be paid $10 for each day you serve as a juror, either on a case, or if you are waiting at the courthouse to be assigned to a case. Jurors are additionally reimbursed for round trip mileage from their home to the court to which you have been summoned.

Checks for jury service are computed approximately four weeks after completion of service and are mailed to your home address. Checks should be received within six weeks after you complete service.

Questions regarding your jury check can be directed to jury management at 425-388-3386.

Law Regarding Juror Employment Relations

An employer shall provide an employee with a sufficient leave of absence from employment to serve as a juror. An employer shall not deprive an employee of employment, or threaten, coerce, or harass an employee or deny an employee promotional opportunities because the employee serves as a juror (Revised Code of Washington {RCW} 2.36.165).

If you need jury service verification for your employer, please contact the jury management (425-388-3386) at the conclusion of your jury term and a work certificate will be provided.

The law requires your employer to give you time off for jury duty, but does not require the employer to pay you while you serve. Check with your employer to see what the pay policy is while you serve. If your employer does not pay for time off and that creates a financial hardship, you need to obtain a letter from your employer stating the pay policy and submit that along with your signed questionnaire requesting to be excused.

8. What do I bring when I report for jury duty?

Please remember to bring your juror badge and the jury summons. You may also bring items such as books and magazines, as there may be some waiting periods. Due to the level of security at the courthouse, all persons entering the courthouse will go through a metal detector. Please do not bring items with any length of blade to court when you serve on jury duty including scissors, nail clippers, pocket knives, etc.

9. Can I bring my laptop, cell phone, and/or pager?

Yes; however, you will not be permitted to utilize these items in court or during deliberations. The Jury Assembly Room has Wi-Fi access; however, there are limited outlets and table space at this time. The jury coordinator will not be responsible for any items not allowed in the courtroom.

10. How late is court in session?

Normal court hours are Monday - Friday from 9 or 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. A mid-morning break will be taken around 10:30 a.m. and lunch will be from 12 p.m. - 1 or 1:30 p.m. A mid-afternoon break will be taken around 3 p.m.

11. How did I get selected for jury duty?

Your name has been randomly selected by computer to serve as a juror in Snohomish County. Potential jurors are selected randomly from the combined Voter Registration list and the Department of Licensing drivers' and identification card holders' list. The law requires a fair cross-section of each county's qualified residents.

12. Where do I eat lunch?

The jury assembly room is located on the second floor of the courthouse. If you need to buy lunch, please contact the Jury Coordinator for local restaurants in the area. Snack and drink machines are located in the Jury Assembly Room as well as on the first floor of the Mission Building.

13. How are Jurors chosen?

Your name has been randomly selected by computer to serve as a juror in Snohomish County. Potential jurors are selected randomly from a combined voter registration and Department of Licensing drivers’ and identification card holders’ list (the law requires a fair cross-section of each county’s qualified residents). All jurors who serve on jury duty must meet all eligibility requirements.

• You must be 18 years of age or older
• You must be a citizen of the United States
• You must be a resident of Snohomish County
• You must be able to communicate in the English language
• If you have been convicted of a felony, your civil rights must be restored

To determine if your civil rights have been restored, contact the Department of Corrections at 425-356-2800. (Revised Code of Washington 9.94A.637)

14. How long is a Jury term?

The term of jury service is different depending on which court location you have been summoned to appear. Always follow the instructions on your summons directing you to call the night or weekend before service to see if your group number needs to report to the court where you have been summoned to appear.

Superior Court

Superior Court’s jury term is one week or one trial. A typical jury trial will last two to three days; however, some trials may be longer. Once you are sent to a courtroom the judge will inform you of the number of days a trial is expected to last. Court will usually be in session from 9 a.m. to noon and 1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. A 15-minute break is taken each morning and afternoon.

District Court

Jury terms are three-day terms held on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday.

Not Selected For Trial

If you are not picked for a trial on the first day, you will be released from the courtroom and directed to report to the jury coordinator for further instructions.

15. What participants are in a trial?

• Judges preside over the trial, instruct the jury, make rulings on points of law, and have general charge over the proceedings of the trial and its participants.
• Parties in a civil trial are referred to as the plaintiff and defendant. In a criminal trial, parties are referred to as the State of Washington, represented by the deputy prosecuting attorney; and the defendant (the person charged with the crime).
• Attorneys participate in the trial as advocates for the parties in controversy by presenting their client’s case.
• Witnesses present testimony under oath concerning what they have seen or know about the facts of the case.
• Court reporters record verbatim everything that is said during the course of trial. The court reporter is responsible for preparing a typewritten transcript of the trial if requested by either party.
• Law clerks / bailiffs are assistants to the judge. They are responsible for opening court, assembling the necessary parties, and maintaining order in the courtroom. Additionally, the bailiff sees to the comfort of jurors and protects the jury from outside interference while they are serving on a specific trial.
• Court clerks are independent witnesses during proceedings who produce a general minute entry for filing in the court file, administer oaths, mark and maintain custody of exhibits, receive verdicts, and exercise other powers and duties conferred and imposed by statute.

16. What is the process of a Jury Trial?

Jury Selection

The trial court judge will request a panel of prospective jurors to begin the jury selection process. The judge and the trial attorneys will begin a process referred to as "voir dire." This questioning process is conducted to determine whether you have opinions or attitudes, which would bias you in favor or disfavor of either side. While some questions may be personal in nature, they are not intended to embarrass or make you feel uncomfortable. They are asked to determine if there is a reason you should not sit on the case. If you are uncomfortable answering the questions, tell the judge and the attorneys may ask the questions in private.

Once selected as a juror, you will need to listen to the judge, witnesses, and attorneys; consider the evidence presented; and make an intelligent and just decision based on the evidence presented to you following the instructions provided by the Court.

Opening Statements

The trial will begin with opening statements by the attorneys for both sides. The attorneys will explain their client’s position and what they expect to prove. These statements are not considered evidence, but are an introduction to what the attorneys intend to prove by presenting evidence in the case.

Plaintiff / State & Defendant’s Case

After opening statements the plaintiff / state will proceed to put on its evidence prior to the defendant putting on his/her case. Witnesses are examined, under oath, by the attorney who called them to testify, and then cross-examined by the other attorney. Exhibits may be presented and admitted as evidence in the form of a written document, objects such as a gun, a photograph, x-ray, or some other tangible thing.

Attorneys may make objections during the trial in an effort to limit the testimony being presented. Objections are a legal and proper part of the trial process. If the judge sustains the objections, the evidence or testimony is not proper. If the judge overrules the objections, the line of questioning may continue.

Jury Instructions

After all the evidence has been presented during the trial, the judge will instruct you on the law that applies to the case. As a juror you must consider all of the instructions and give them equal consideration regardless of the order in which they are given.

Closing Arguments

During closing argument, both attorneys will have an opportunity to summarize their positions and review the facts of the case. You should listen to these summations carefully and consider them thoughtfully, but they are not evidence and should not be considered as evidence.

Jury Deliberations

After closing arguments the bailiff will escort the jury to the jury room to begin deliberations. The jurors must select a presiding juror who will preside over the deliberations. You will discuss the evidence and attempt to arrive at a fair and impartial verdict based on the facts presented during the trial and the law as given by the judge’s instructions. When deliberations are complete, you will return to the courtroom to declare your verdict.