About 35,000 Arlington and Falls Church residents will find a postcard in their mailbox this month asking whether they can serve on a jury next year.
The Arlington Circuit Court is beginning its annual juror qualification process in early September, mailing questionnaires to residents drawn at random from voter registration rolls, according to a county press release. Jury commissioners appointed by the court will review the responses this fall to determine who is eligible to serve in 2027.
The process covers both Arlington and the City of Falls Church, though not residents with a Falls Church address whose homes sit in Fairfax County, according to the county’s jury duty page.
Not everyone gets a postcard, and anyone who doesn’t receive one has nothing to do. Those who do are asked to respond within 10 days, using the Candidate/Juror ID number printed on the card to fill out the form at the court’s juror website.
A cell phone works for that, as do the free public computers at Arlington Public Library branches and the computer stations at the courthouse at 1425 N. Courthouse Road. Residents without computer access can call 703-228-3123 to have a paper copy mailed to them, though the court says it prefers online submissions.
Anyone bringing a device to the courthouse will have an easier time of it than in past years. Cellphones and laptops are now allowed inside, after a longstanding ban was lifted July 1.
Residents who have moved out of Arlington, Falls Church or Virginia entirely still need to complete the form and update their address in order to be disqualified. Answers that require proof of hardship — a doctor’s note, travel documents, military orders — can be documented by email to [email protected] after the questionnaire is submitted.
The questionnaire is not a summons, and the clerk’s office asks people not to call trying to get out of jury duty. Excuses are considered only if a summons arrives next year. Ignoring the questionnaire or filling it out incompletely can result in being summoned to court to complete it in person.
From the press release:
Quick facts about jury service
The average length of a trial may be 1 to 3 days but can last longer.
Jurors must be available between 8:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. during their period of service (subject to change by the Court).
Jurors receive $50 each day they report for reimbursement of expenses.
Do not fall victim to Jury Scams. The Jury Coordinator will not call citizens to request money for failure to follow related Court instructions.
Jury duty scams have circulated in Arlington before, typically as calls from someone claiming to be a law enforcement officer who says a fine must be paid to avoid arrest over a missed jury date.
Photo via Tingey Injury Law Firm/Unsplash
