You’re shuffling through a stack of junk mail—mostly credit card offers and coupons for pizza you'll never order—when you see it. That official-looking windowed envelope from the Superior Court of California, County of Los Angeles. Your heart sinks. It’s a jury summons in Los Angeles, and suddenly your schedule for next week looks a lot more complicated.
Honestly, most people’s first instinct is to panic or find a way out. It’s basically a rite of passage for anyone living in the 88 cities that make up this massive county. But before you start dreaming up elaborate excuses about a long-lost cousin's wedding in Bora Bora, you should know that the system in LA has changed a lot lately. It’s not the bureaucratic nightmare it used to be back in the 90s.
L.A. County runs the largest trial court system in the entire world. Think about that for a second. With nearly 40 courthouses stretching from Lancaster down to Long Beach, the sheer scale of the operation is staggering. Because the volume is so high, the court has had to get efficient.
The Reality of One Day or One Trial
For decades, getting called for jury duty meant sitting in a plastic chair in a windowless room for a week. That sucked. Nowadays, Los Angeles operates on a "One Day or One Trial" system. It’s exactly what it sounds like.
If you show up and don't get assigned to a courtroom for voir dire (that's the fancy legal term for jury selection) by the end of your first day, you're done. You’ve fulfilled your service for the next 12 months. You go home, get your certificate of completion, and breathe a sigh of relief. If you do get sent to a courtroom, you stay until you're either excused by the judge or the trial ends.
Most trials are shorter than you'd think. While the news loves to cover the six-month celebrity spectacles at the Stanley Mosk Courthouse, the average "slip and fall" or fender bender trial is over in three to five days.
Registration and the Dreaded Call-In
Your summons will have a "Reporting Date." Don't just show up at 8:00 AM on that day unless the instructions tell you to.
You have to register online first using the L.A. Court Juror Portal. You’ll need your Juror ID and PIN from the paper summons. Once you’re in the system, you’re part of the "standby" pool.
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Starting the Friday before your service week, you have to check your status. You do this after 5:00 PM. You can call the automated line or check the website. It will tell you if you need to report on Monday. If it says "continue to check back," you're on standby. You repeat this every night. If Thursday night rolls around and they still haven't called you in, you're usually off the hook for the year. It’s sort of like a low-stakes lottery where winning means you get to stay at work.
What if you ignore it?
Don't. Just... don't.
I know, people tell you "they can't prove you got it in the mail." Technically, the court sends these via regular mail, not certified. But the L.A. Superior Court has started cracking down on "No-Shows." Under California Code of Civil Procedure Section 209, if you fail to respond, the court can fine you up to $1,500. They start by sending a "Failure to Appear" notice. If you ignore that, you might have to stand before a judge and explain yourself. That is way more stressful than sitting in a jury assembly room reading a paperback.
Postponements and Getting Excused
Life happens. Maybe you have a vacation booked or a big project at work. The L.A. Court is actually pretty chill about the first postponement. You can usually push your date back by up to 90 days through the online portal without even talking to a human.
Getting a permanent excuse is a different story.
You generally need to prove "undue hardship." This isn't just being busy. It means:
- Medical issues: You’ll need a note from a doctor.
- Financial hardship: Your employer doesn't pay for jury duty, and the loss of income would mean you can't pay rent. (Keep in mind, the court only pays $15 a day starting on the second day).
- Caregiving: You’re the sole provider for a child or an elderly relative and have no other options.
Breastfeeding mothers can also get a postponement for up to a year, which is a relatively recent and very necessary update to the rules.
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Where You’ll Actually Go
Los Angeles is huge. The court tries to send you to a courthouse within 20 miles of your home, but "as the crow flies" is a cruel joke in L.A. traffic. You might live in Silver Lake and get summoned to Van Nuys. Or live in Santa Monica and get sent to the Clara Shortridge Foltz Criminal Justice Center downtown.
Pro tip: Use public transit if you're headed downtown. The court provides a transit pass (Jury+ Go) in many cases. Parking in DTLA can cost $20-$30 a day, and while the court validates some parking, it’s often a hike from the garage to the building.
The Stanley Mosk Courthouse is the big one for civil cases. If you end up there, you're in the heart of the Civic Center. The architecture is cool, but the elevators are notoriously slow. Give yourself an extra 15 minutes just for the elevator ride.
Surviving the Waiting Room
The jury assembly room is a weird place. It’s a cross between a DMV and a very quiet airport lounge.
Bring a charger. Most L.A. courthouses have upgraded their Wi-Fi and added charging stations, but they fill up fast. Bring a book. A real one. Sometimes judges tell you to turn off all electronics during the selection process, and you’ll be glad you have something to read that doesn't require a battery.
Dress "business casual." You don't need a suit, but don't show up in flip-flops and a tank top. Judges take the "decorum" of the court seriously. If you look like you’re headed to the beach, they might send you home and tell you to come back another day, which effectively doubles your service time.
The Voir Dire Process: How They Pick You
If your number is called, you’ll be led into a courtroom with about 35-50 other people. This is where it gets interesting.
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The judge and the lawyers will ask questions. They aren't trying to grill you; they’re looking for bias. If it’s a medical malpractice case and your spouse is a surgeon, the plaintiff's lawyer might not want you on the jury. If it’s a DUI case and you’ve been hit by a drunk driver, the defense will probably let you go.
Be honest. If you have a strong opinion that would prevent you from being fair, say so. But don't try to "game" the system by acting like a fanatic. Lawyers have seen every trick in the book. They can tell when you're faking a bias just to get out of work.
The Pay (Or Lack Thereof)
Let’s be real: $15 a day is an insult. It doesn't even cover a decent lunch in Los Angeles. Plus, they don't pay you for the first day.
However, many California employers are required to give you time off for jury duty, though they aren't legally required to pay you. Check your company's HR policy. Many big companies in L.A. (like the studios or tech firms) provide up to 10 days of paid jury leave. If yours doesn't, that's where the financial hardship excuse comes into play.
Practical Steps to Take Right Now
If you have that summons sitting on your kitchen counter, here is your checklist:
- Register immediately: Go to the L.A. Juror Portal. It takes five minutes.
- Check your employer policy: Find out today if you get paid for service. If you don't, and you can't afford the time off, start gathering your pay stubs as evidence for a hardship claim.
- Plan your route: Look up the specific courthouse on your summons. Check the parking situation. Some courts, like the one in Torrance, have plenty of parking. Others, like the Spring Street courthouse, are a nightmare.
- Set an alarm for Friday night: If your service starts on a Monday, you must check your status the Friday evening before.
- Pack a "Jury Kit": A portable battery, a book, a light jacket (courtrooms are always freezing for some reason), and snacks.
Jury duty is a massive inconvenience. Nobody is arguing that. But it’s also the only time most of us actually see how the gears of the justice system turn. You might end up on a case that’s actually fascinating. Or, you might just spend a day reading a novel and then go home with a "thank you for your service" slip. Either way, now you know how to handle it like a pro.