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Chapter 19: the juror selection program - source lists, random selection, excuses and the master jury list (Rule 19.02); the juror processing program (Rule 19.03); special venire (Rule 19.04); discharge from service for 12 months (Rule 19.05); criminal and civil grand jury selection (Rule 19.07); jury fees and expenses (Rule 19.08); jury instructions (CACI and CALCRIM) (Rule 19.09); and confidential juror information (Rule 19.10).
California > Second Appellate District > Ventura County > Superior Court of California, County of Ventura
CHAPTER 19: JURY SERVICES RULE 19.00 PURPOSE The purpose of this rule is to supplement the applicable California statutes and State Court Rules regarding jurors and jury service. (Revised effective July 2, 2022) RULE 19.01 JURY COMMISSIONER (Deleted effective July 1, 2022) RULE 19.02 JUROR SELECTION PROGRAM A. SOURCE LISTS. The most current Ventura County voter registration list and the Franchise Tax Board filer list, combined with the Department of Motor Vehicles list of licensed drivers and identification card holders who are 18 years of age and older, shall constitute the source from which prospective jurors will be selected. B. RANDOM SELECTION OF PROSPECTIVE JURORS. The name of each prospective trial juror shall be taken by random selection from the merged source lists. The program for random selection shall be designed and maintained by the vendor, Jury Systems, Inc., with approval of the Jury Commissioner (Code of Civ. Proc. §195(a)), to ensure the random selection of a fair cross section of the persons residing in Ventura County. C. EXCUSE FROM JURY SERVICE. The Jury Commissioner shall determine the statutory qualifications of each prospective trial juror. The Jury Commissioner shall exclude from the certified jury lists any person found not statutorily competent to serve and shall excuse from jury service such prospective trial juror who qualifies for excuse under §§204(b) and 218 of the Code of Civil Procedure, provisions of the Standards of Judicial Administration, California Rules of Court, and of these rules. The Jury Commissioner may, upon request, defer the service of a prospective juror for good cause, or may excuse a prospective juror from service altogether, for any of the following reasons: The prospective juror qualifies for excuse from service on the basis of one of the categories set forth in Code of Civil Procedure §§203 and 204, and rule 2.1008 of the California Rules of Court. 1. Other circumstances constituting undue hardship within the meaning of the statutes, Standards of Judicial Administration, or rules of this court apply to the prospective trial juror, as determined by the Jury Commissioner and/or Presiding Judge of the court. D. PROCEDURE FOR EXCUSE FROM JURY SERVICE. A request for excuse from jury service shall be addressed to and determined by the Jury Commissioner. All requests for excuse must be in writing put to §218 of the California Code of Civil Procedure. The Jury Commissioner will grant or deny written requests for excuse pursuant to the Jury Excuse and Deferral Policy established by the Jury Reform Committee of the Superior Court of California, County of Ventura. The Jury Commissioner may refer any request to the Presiding Judge or designated representative for determination. In the event the Jury Commissioner should deny a request for excuse the prospective trial juror may request and shall be entitled to review and reconsideration by the Presiding Judge or designated representative. The disposition of the request and the reasons therefor shall be noted upon appropriate records maintained by the Jury Commissioner. E. ANNUAL TRIAL JURY LIST/OR MASTER JURY LIST. The Jury Commissioner shall prepare a new master jury list at least once during any consecutive twelve (12) months. The number of names to be placed on such master jury list shall be determined by the Jury Commissioner. F. SUPPLEMENTAL LISTS. Should the judges of the court require supplemental lists of prospective trial jurors who have been qualified as provided by law and by these rules, such lists shall be prepared and submitted to the judges of the court in the same manner as provided in this Rule 19.02. (Revised effective January 1, 2023) RULE 19.03 JUROR PROCESSING PROGRAM A. The following program is adopted by the court for the maintenance of panels of qualified prospective trial jurors from which jurors shall be drawn as necessary for the conduct of jury trials in all departments of the court, which program shall be known as the "juror processing program." B. DRAWING NAMES: SUMMONS. The Jury Commissioner will generate a random draw of names from the Master Jury List established in Jury Systems, Inc., software. Once drawn, the names will be transmitted electronically to the contracted print vendor to print and mail summons for a sufficient number of prospective trial jurors as determined to be required to provide adequate jury services to the courts for a particular time period. Each person will be summoned by first class mail to attend the court for service as a member of a trial jury panel, or alternatively to remain on telephone standby for the appearance week. Once a juror has been selected to serve on a trial, discharge will be made by order of the court. Jury service is one jury trial or one day of service. C. TRIAL JURY ASSIGNMENTS. Upon each appearance of a juror in either the jury assembly room or a department of the court, a record of attendance will be maintained by the Jury Commissioner or Judicial Assistant in attendance. Confirmation of appearance forms for prospective jurors attending as members of the trial jury panel will be prepared and distributed by the Jury Commissioner. Courtroom staff or Jury Services staff will sign the forms daily confirming appearance for each trial juror in attendance. D. ASSIGNMENT AND SELECTION PROCEDURE DURING TRIAL. Following assignment of prospective jurors to a department of the court for impanelment and service in a particular trial, the Jury Commissioner or assigned deputy shall maintain communication with the judicial officer or judicial assistant and shall provide supplemental jurors as may be required by the court during the impanelment procedure. Prior to and immediately upon impanelment of the trial jury, the judicial assistant shall contact the Jury Commissioner or assigned deputy with judicial instructions regarding reassignment of unselected jurors before such jurors are excused from further service for the day. The Jury Commissioner may reassign any non-selected or otherwise unassigned trial juror to any other department of the court’s trial calendar for the remainder of that day. (Revised effective January 1, 2023) RULE 19.04 SPECIAL VENIRE Nothing contained in the foregoing rules shall preclude the Jury Commissioner, upon order of the court, from summoning to the court pursuant to law, a special venire for jury service in a particular case. (Effective January 1, 1997) RULE 19.05 DISCHARGE OF JUROR FROM SERVICE Prospective jurors may be excused from further jury service for a period of 12 months following discharge. Jurors shall be considered as discharged within the meaning of said section, when any one of the following has occurred: A. Served on one trial until discharged. B. Been assigned on one day to one or more trial departments for jury selection and served through the completion of jury selection or until excused by the Jury Commissioner. C. Attended jury service but was not assigned to a trial department for selection of a jury before the end of that day. D. Served one day on call. E. Served no more than five (5) court days on telephone standby. (Revised effective July 1, 2022) RULE 19.06 RESERVED FOR COURT USE RULE 19.07 SELECTION OF GRAND JURORS Grand jurors shall be selected in accordance with the provisions of applicable statutory authority including Penal Code §§903.1, 903.2, 903.3, and 903.4, and the following rules: A. CRIMINAL GRAND JURY SELECTION PROCESS Upon request of the Presiding Judge, a Criminal Grand Jury is formed from the list of jurors selected at random by way of Local Rule 19.02. 1. Upon the direction of the judge and courtroom staff, a panel(s) of jurors will be sent to the courtroom for the selection process. 2. The judge will conduct voir dire of the jurors until the number of qualified jurors is 30 or more. 3. The Jury Commissioner will draw the names of 19 jurors and 11 alternates from the qualified pool who will be sworn as the Criminal Grand jury. 4. The Criminal Grand Jurors will serve for a term of 90 days to one year. B. CIVIL GRAND JURY SELECTION PROCESS 1. The application period shall open on January 1 and close on or before the 4th Friday of April. Any citizen of Ventura County may apply for the Civil Grand Jury. 2. The seated Civil Grand Jury will conduct interviews of the applicants and make recommendations concerning the applicants to the Grand Jury Judicial Committee. To form the Civil Grand Jury panel, the Grand Jury Judicial Committee shall select up to 30 qualified applicants (including selected holdovers from the prior year) representing a cross-section of the community. 3. In June, the panel must be approved by a majority of the judicial officers. 4. On the first court day in July, the Presiding Judge or Assistant Presiding Judge holds a selection hearing. The Jury Commissioner draws 19 names to be seated as the Ventura County Civil Grand Jury for the fiscal year. 5. The remaining jurors are designated as alternates. 6. At the end of its term, the Civil Grand Jury provides the Presiding Judge with a copy of its annual investigative report. (Revised effective January 1, 2023) RULE 19.08 JURY FEES AND EXPENSES A. IN GENERAL. At no time shall the members of the jury be informed as to which party is paying fees, mileage or other costs. B. FEE AND MILEAGE OBLIGATION. Obligation for payment of jury fees and mileage at the rate provided by law for the jurors selected and sworn to try a civil case shall be paid by the party demanding the jury commencing with the day on which the jury selection begins, and until the jury is discharged. C. PAYMENT OF FOOD AND LODGING EXPENSES. In unusual circumstances a party who demands a jury trial in a civil action shall, upon request of the clerk or bailiff, advance the amount determined by the trial judge to be reasonably necessary to pay the cost of food, lodging, and other necessities of the jurors while they are kept together during the trial and until they are discharged by the court. The monies shall be paid to the bailiff in charge of the jury and any amount remaining after payment of such expenses shall be returned with appropriate receipts to the party. Failure to advance such costs upon request of the court shall be deemed a waiver of trial by jury and the court may in its discretion proceed to judgment without a jury or, upon such D. terms as may be just, with a jury. (Revised effective January 1, 1999) RULE 19.09 JURY INSTRUCTIONS A. PROPOSED PATTERN JURY INSTRUCTIONS. In jury trials the instruction forms contained in the most recent editions of "Judicial Council of California Jury Instructions" (CACI) and "Judicial Council of California Criminal Jury Instructions" (CALCRIM) should be used when applicable, unless the judge finds that a different instruction would more accurately state the law and be understood by jurors, as provided in California Rules of Court, rule 2.1050. All instructions should be accurate, brief, understandable, impartial, and free from argument. A proposed pattern jury instruction that has been modified by a party shall specify in parentheses or other appropriate manner the respect in which the instruction has been modified. It shall be the duty and responsibility of counsel proposing a pattern instruction to complete all blanks contained in it necessary for the purpose of the instruction. Failure to do so shall be deemed by the court as sufficient cause to refuse the proposed instruction. B. ADDITIONAL INSTRUCTIONS DRAFTED BY COUNSEL. Counsel may draft and submit additional proposed instructions. Each shall be numbered in consecutive order and indicate the party upon whose behalf it is requested. Failure to cite on any such instruction the authorities relied upon to support giving it shall be deemed by the court as sufficient cause to refuse the proposed instruction. C. METHOD OF FILING PROPOSED INSTRUCTIONS WITH TRIAL JUDGE. In all jury trials counsel shall present to the courtroom judicial assistant a document setting forth in the usual manner the title of the court, title and number of the action, and title of the document, namely, "Instructions requested by ." A copy of the document shall be served upon each of the other counsel in the case. The document shall list by number the CACI and/or CALCRIM instructions requested by counsel and counsel shall attach to the original list, all instructions requested. D. TIME FOR DELIVERY OF PROPOSED INSTRUCTIONS TO COURT. The court shall require counsel to comply strictly with the provisions of §607a of the Code of Civil Procedure and §1093.5 of the Penal Code. (Revised effective January 1, 2007) RULE 19.10 RELEASE OF CONFIDENTIAL JUROR INFORMATION Information contained on each juror information card (address, telephone numbers, occupation and place of employment) will be considered confidential information and will not be released to other than authorized court personnel. Any person, other than those authorized, requesting such confidential information must make application to the court, stating the reasons why such information should be made available. The Jury Commissioner will make the information available only upon order or other direction of the judge hearing the case or the Presiding Judge. (Effective January 1, 1997)
CHAPTER 19: JURY SERVICES RULE 19.00 PURPOSE The purpose of this rule is to supplement the applicable California statutes and State Court Rules regarding jurors and jury service. (Revised effective July 2, 2022) RULE 19.01 JURY COMMISSIONER (Deleted effective July 1, 2022) RULE 19.02 JUROR SELECTION PROGRAM A. SOURCE LISTS. The most current Ventura County voter registration list and the Franchise
Reviewer note: Composed 2026-10-07 (California T4 Ventura build 2026-10-07) from BenchPath custody ca/t4/ca-ventura/docs/general/ventura_county_rules_of_court.pdf (9476523 bytes, sha256 1d89183a36d880b3483586b9c4f3c9554799c2a7bb7bc9907c2200c2b01483c7; 116 pages; this card is from the rule body, pages 10 to 77, composed once and cut at the chapter headings) with the shared verbatim composer (v2 reflow). The running header (“Ventura County Superior Court Rules”, “July 1, 2026”) and the page numbers removed as chrome; the cover, the judges and officers page, the table of contents, Appendix II (the fee schedule), Appendix III (the local forms lists) and the index belong to no card; Chapters 16, 23, 24 and 27 print only deleted rules (no card); the strike report found no struck text; lines reflowed into the court's paragraphs, each rule heading on its own line; proof 1 (whitespace-only) and proof 2 (same character multiset as the text layer minus chrome) pass. Documented layout fixes (whitespace only or the same characters reordered, read on the page; the proofs hold): a citation and a cross-reference split at line ends joined (“Code of Civil Procedure §§203 and 204”, “Local Rule 19.02.”); Rule 19.07 B's item number “1.”, printed beside the item's first line, set before the item (a same-characters reorder). Review note: Rule 19.07 B's first item is printed with its number “1.” beside its first line; the card sets the number before the item (the same characters, reordered). Published as printed: Rule 19.00's history “(Revised effective July 2, 2022)”; Rule 19.02 D “in writing put to §218”; Rule 19.08 prints its last sentence under a subdivision label “D.” at the top of a page (“D. terms as may be just, with a jury.”).
Division XI: information forms for data processing (Rule 11.2); required action - action taken on all calendared cases and a future date always set (Rule 11.19); and pro tem judges - an attorney named as a plaintiff in a civil or small claims case may not sit as a judge pro-tem during the case or within six months following its resolution, nor one named as a defendant in two or more such cases (Rule 11.22). Rules 11.1, 11.3 to 11.5, 11.7 to 11.18, 11.20 and 11.21 are repealed, and Rule 11.6 (voluntary arbitration; see Local Rule 10.2) was repealed and renumbered.
Duval County's indigent-defense and magistration rules under the Texas Fair Defense Act (S.B. 7): who may be booked into the county jail and on what paper; arrest-case numbering; presentment to a magistrate within 48 hours (art. 15.16); the magistrate's warnings, counsel inquiry, interpreter duty, indigence determination and appointment of counsel within 24 hours of a request; the alternative appointment plan under art. 26.04(g)-(h) with annual applications, seven attorney categories (capital, first and second degree, third degree/state jail/misdemeanor, competency, appeals, post-conviction, extradition), CLE and experience standards, random rotation within each category, written acceptance within 48 hours, first contact by the end of the next working day, replacement and suspension of counsel, fee applications within five days of completing services and the compensation attachment ($500 pleas; $175/$150 hourly; $1,400 per jury-trial day; appellate caps); bail schedules by offense class with a personal bond office (fee $20 or 3%), pre-trial supervision and revocation hearings within two working days; arraignment settings and notice; repeal of conflicting rules.