California uses a one-day-or-one-trial system: your service usually ends after one day at court or one trial1. Jurors are paid $15 a day from the second day, plus mileage23. No one is exempt because of their job; you can be excused only for undue hardship4.
Your path through California jury service
- SummonsNames come from voter, DMV and state tax-filer lists7.
- RespondAnswer the questionnaire or register as your court directs. If you don't, you may be summoned to answer it or treated as qualified8.
- Defer if neededCourts should grant a one-time deferral on request9.
- ServeOne day, one trial, or up to five court days on standby1.
- Get paid$15 a day and 34 cents a mile, from the second day3.
Who runs jury service in California
Jury service is governed by the Trial Jury Selection and Management Act in the Code of Civil Procedure10 and by the California Rules of Court11. Each county's superior court has a jury commissioner who manages the system12.
Common beliefs, checked
Common belief
You get paid for your first day.
What the rule says
No daily fee or mileage is paid for the first day3.
Common belief
Doctors, lawyers and other busy professionals are exempt.
What the rule says
No one is exempt because of their occupation or economic status4.
Common belief
Your employer can fire you for serving.
What the rule says
State law forbids it; since January 1, 2025 the rule is in Government Code § 12945.813.
California rules at a glance
| Topic | The rule | More |
|---|---|---|
| Pay | $15 a day plus 34 cents a mile, from day two25 | Pay |
| Your job | Employers may not fire or punish you for serving; give reasonable advance notice when you can1314 | Employer rules |
| Who can serve | Citizens 18 or older living in the county, with exceptions such as some felony cases15 | Eligibility |
| Excuses | Only for undue hardship16 | Exemptions and excuses |
| Postponing | A one-time deferral should be granted on request9 | Postponement |
| Missing it | Sanctions up to $250, $750, then $1,50017 | Missed jury duty |
State or federal summons?
Federal courts summon jurors separately. Los Angeles residents go to the Central District of California18; San Diego residents to the Southern District19. Federal rules are different: see federal jury duty.
County jury offices
Other counties: use the contact details on your summons or your superior court's website.
What to do next
- Check the court name on your summons. A United States District Court is federal; a Superior Court is California's.
- Respond or register the way your summons says.
- Need a later date? Ask for your one-time deferral9.
- Read more from the Judicial Council: California courts jury service
Related
California jury duty payFees, mileage and transit.Los Angeles County jury dutyRegistering and the LA portal.Federal jury dutyIf a U.S. District Court summoned you.
Sources
20 official sources, with the exact sentence each rule comes from
- Cal. Rules of Court, rule 2.1002. Cal. Rules of Court, rule 2.1002(c); Gov. Code § 68550."Each trial court system must implement a juror management program under which a person’s jury service obligation is fulfilled when the person has: (1) Served on one trial until discharged; (2) 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; (3) Attended court but was not assigned to a trial department for selection of a jury before the end of that day; (4) Served one day on call; or (5) Served on standby for no more than five court days."
- Cal. Code Civ. Proc. § 215. Cal. Code Civ. Proc. § 215(a)."Except as provided in subdivision (b), on and after July 1, 2000, the fee for jurors in the superior court, in civil and criminal cases, is fifteen dollars ($15) a day for each day’s attendance as a juror after the first day."
- Judicial Branch of California - Jury Service (Juror Compensation). Cal. Code Civ. Proc. § 215(a), (c), (d)."The mileage payment starts on the second day. The public transit reimbursement starts on the first day."
- Cal. Code Civ. Proc. § 204. Cal. Code Civ. Proc. § 204(a)."No eligible person shall be exempt from service as a trial juror by reason of occupation, economic status, or any characteristic listed or defined in Section 11135 of the Government Code, or for any other reason."
- Cal. Code Civ. Proc. § 215. Cal. Code Civ. Proc. § 215(c)."All jurors in the superior court, in civil and criminal cases, shall be reimbursed for mileage at the rate of thirty-four cents ($0.34) per mile for each mile actually traveled in attending and returning from court as a juror after the first day."
- Cal. Rules of Court, rule 2.1008. Cal. Rules of Court, rule 2.1008(e)."A prospective juror who has served on a grand or trial jury or was summoned and appeared for jury service in any state or federal court during the previous 12 months must be excused from service on request. The jury commissioner has discretion to establish a longer period of repose."
- Cal. Code Civ. Proc. § 197. Cal. Code Civ. Proc. § 197(b)(2)."Beginning on January 1, 2022, the list of resident state tax filers, the list of registered voters, and the Department of Motor Vehicles’ list of licensed drivers and identification cardholders resident within the area served by the court, when substantially purged of duplicate names, shall be considered inclusive of a representative cross section of the population, within the meaning of subdivision (a)."
- Cal. Code Civ. Proc. § 196. Cal. Code Civ. Proc. § 196(c)."Any person who fails to respond to jury commissioner or court inquiry as instructed, may be summoned to appear before the jury commissioner or the court to answer the inquiry, or may be deemed to be qualified for jury service in the absence of a response to the inquiry."
- Cal. Rules of Court, rule 2.1004. Cal. Rules of Court, rule 2.1004(a)."The jury commissioner should accommodate a prospective juror's schedule by granting a prospective juror's request for a one-time deferral of jury service."
- Cal. Code Civ. Proc. § 190 (and § 192). Cal. Code Civ. Proc. §§ 190, 192."This chapter shall be known and may be cited as the Trial Jury Selection and Management Act. | This chapter applies to the selection of jurors, and the formation of trial juries, for both civil and criminal cases, in all trial courts of the state."
- Judicial Branch of California - Jury Service. Cal. Rules of Court, rules 2.1000-2.1010."California Rules of Court, Title 2, Division 8, Chapter 1, Jury Service"
- Cal. Code Civ. Proc. § 195. Cal. Code Civ. Proc. § 195(a), (c)."In each county, there shall be one jury commissioner who shall be appointed by, and serve at the pleasure of, a majority of the judges of the superior court. In any county where there is a superior court administrator or executive officer, that person shall serve as ex officio jury commissioner."
- Cal. Gov. Code § 12945.8. Cal. Gov. Code § 12945.8(a)(1)."An employer shall not do any of the following: (1) Discharge or in any manner discriminate against an employee for taking time off to serve as required by law on an inquest jury or trial jury."
- Cal. Gov. Code § 12945.8. Cal. Gov. Code § 12945.8(c)(1)."As a condition of taking time off for a purpose set forth in paragraph (1), (3), or (4) of subdivision (a), or subdivision (b), the employee shall give the employer reasonable advance notice of the employee’s intention to take time off, unless the advance notice is not feasible."
- Cal. Code Civ. Proc. § 203. Cal. Code Civ. Proc. § 203(a)."All persons are eligible and qualified to be prospective trial jurors, except the following:"
- Cal. Rules of Court, rule 2.1008. Cal. Code Civ. Proc. § 204(b); Cal. Rules of Court, rule 2.1008(b)(4)."Inconvenience to a prospective juror or an employer is not an adequate reason to be excused from jury duty, although it may be considered a ground for deferral."
- Cal. Code Civ. Proc. § 209. Cal. Code Civ. Proc. § 209(b), (c)(2)."The monetary sanctions imposed pursuant to subdivision (b) may not exceed two hundred fifty dollars ($250) for the first violation, seven hundred fifty dollars ($750) for the second violation, and one thousand five hundred dollars ($1,500) for the third and any subsequent violation."
- Jurisdiction | Central District of California | United States District Court. U.S. District Court, C.D. Cal., Jurors - Jurisdiction page."This federal court may summon citizens for jury service who live in Los Angeles, Ventura, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, Orange, Riverside and San Bernardino Counties. Your jury service cannot be transferred to a superior court."
- Jurisdiction | Southern District of California | United States District Court. U.S. District Court, S.D. Cal., Jurors - Jurisdiction page."The Federal Court may summon citizens for jury service who live in San Diego and Imperial County. Your jury service “cannot” be transferred to a local County Court - Superior Court of California."
- Judicial Branch of California - Jury Scam Alert. Judicial Council Jury Scam Alert."Court officials and law enforcement will also never ask you to purchase gift cards, cryptocurrency, payment apps on your smartphone, or wire transfers as part of your jury service."
Reviewed by Roger K. Neustadt, JD, attorney admitted in Georgia. Verified November 10, 2026.
Roger K. Neustadt is admitted in Georgia; pages about other states and federal courts are general information checked against official sources. How we check every rule: editorial policy. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.
This page explains the law in general terms and is not legal advice. Jury Duty Explained is not affiliated with any court. Your summons and your court's instructions control, so check them first.