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Jury
duty is an essential element of our judicial system in America.
Trial by jury is provided as a constitutional right.
Jury Duty is one of the privileges of citizenship in the United
States. Jurors are selected
at random from a Master List generated in Olympia, Washington according to
the state law.
Jury Service in Skamania County
- Selection
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- The
Master List is a combination of eligible Skamania County residents
ages 18 and over from the driver’s license list, voter registration
list, and State Identicard holder’s list.
The law affecting eligible jurors in Washington State was
changed in 1994 to include all three lists.
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- Summons
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- Summonses are sent to prospective jurors approximately five weeks
prior to the month of service. The
prospective juror is requested to complete the Juror Questionnaire and
return it in the envelope provided.
Answers to questions on the questionnaire assist in expediting
the voir dire portion of the selection process.
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- Length of Service
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- The
term of service is one month; however, most jurors will only serve two
to three days in that month.
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- Disqualification from Jury Duty
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- A juror is not qualified to serve if any of the following is true:
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* The individual is less than 18 years of age.
- * The individual is not a citizen of the United
States.
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* The individual is not a resident of Skamania
County.
- * The individual is not able to communicate in the
English Language.
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* The individual has been convicted of a felony and
has not had their civil rights
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restored.
- Your response on the questionnaire will notify the Clerk of your
ineligibility.
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- Requesting Excuse From or Reschedule of Jury Duty
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The Court realizes that occasionally jurors may
have scheduling conflicts in the month they have been selected for.
A
request to change month of service to another month within one
calendar year is automatically granted.
Please return your questionnaire indicating your request as
soon as possible so we may plan for upcoming trials.
To
receive a permanent medical excuse, please include a note from your
doctor indicating your inability to serve as a juror.
If you
have a temporary medical condition and are able to set your jury
service out to another month within one year – please indicate the
month you would be able to serve and return the questionnaire.
If
you need assistance with your questionnaire or have questions about
the form, please call the Clerk’s Office during our business hours
at (509) 427-3770.
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- Notice to Report for Jury Duty
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A letter will be sent to a prospective juror
approximately one week in advance of the trial they will be called
for. The letter will
state a date, time and length of trial.
Prospective jurors will be asked to call the
jury recording the evening before the trial (weekend before a Monday
trial) to check the status of the trial.
If the message states the trial is cancelled, the juror will
not need to report unless he receives another letter with a specific
date, time to report.
If the message states the trial is going as
scheduled, the juror should report as stated in the letter.
Jury
Recorder (509) 427-3778
Replacing Your Jury Questionnaire
If you have misplaced or require a new Juror Questionnaire, you can
contact the Clerk's Office at (509)427-3770, or download the form to print on
your home computer here.
Skamania County Juror Questionnaire
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