Jury System

Each year Colorado is required to create a new jury list. A list of names is created including voter records, drivers’ licenses, non-driver ids, and state income tax records. In order to be compliant with United States Postal Service standards, each summons is run through a process to check for the most recent address available and that address is placed on the summons. Summonses are processed and mailed by a vendor, not local jury commissioners.
 

Each year, the Judicial Branch receives lists of names including registered voter records, drivers’ licenses, non-driver ids, and state income tax records.
 

Since the summons process is random, there is no easy explanation to this question. Each name goes into the system with a different random number attached to it each year. In some counties with small populations, almost every qualified citizen will be called for jury service each year due to the number of jury trials requested.
 

You have the right to one postponement. You can request a postponement by completing the postponement section of your paper summons and emailing or mailing it to the jury commissioner, by completing the postponement request online through your county's homepage  (click on Jury using the tabs above to find your county's homepage), or by contacting your jury commissioner.
 

Jurors who are temporarily out of the county or state:  If the juror will be out of the county on their appearance date but will be returning within the next 6 months, they should be postponed to a time when they are back in the county.  Retired persons who live in the county more than 50% of the time, but still maintain a permanent address in another county or state may apply for a postponement to a later date when they will be in state.
 

If you require an ADA accommodation, please submit an ADA Request at least 5 days prior to the date of your jury service. An ADA request must include a specific reasonable accommodation that may assist you to serve as a juror. If there are no reasonable accommodations that will assist you to serve as a juror, please complete either a Postponement or Disqualification form depending on which will best serve your situation. Visit the ADA Accommodation program for additional information on the Americans with Disabilities Act and ADA coordinators. 

By Colorado Revised Statues, Title 13, Article 71 Colorado Uniform Jury Selection and Service Act, §13-71-105(3), you are eligible to be a trial juror if you have been convicted of a felony.  But, you are not eligible to be a grand juror. A felony conviction may be a factor the parties consider in determining whether to keep a person on the jury during the selection process at the court.
 

Thank you for your military service. Military members are not exempt from jury duty in Colorado. If you are living in the county where you are summonsed at least 50% of the time, you must report for jury service. You may request a one-time postponement of up to 6 months if you are not available on the date you are initially summonsed.
 

Students are not automatically excused from jury duty.

If the juror is a student within the State of Colorado, they have the option of postponing to a date they can attend in their home county within 6 months of their reporting date OR they can choose to be transferred to the county in which they attend school to complete their service.

If the juror is an out of state student, but still holds a driver’s license or is registered to vote in the State of Colorado, then they are still required to serve. Out of state students may be granted a postponement of up to 12 months from their reporting date to a time when they are home for a break or holiday. Please see Jury Postponement For Out-of-state Students | Colorado General Assembly for more information.

You can be temporarily excused from jury service if you are breastfeeding a child.  You must provide a medical statement.  The excuse is usually for one year with the option to re-apply for another year if you are still breastfeeding your child.  The statement can be from a medical professional, examples include a doctor, lactation professional, nurse, physician’s assistant and/or other medical professional.  The medical statement must be on official letterhead.  The medical statement needs to list your appearance date and your juror number. 

The Juror Service Certificate, found on the Judicial website, identifies the number of days an employee appeared for jury duty. Requests may take several days depending on the location of your jury service. Please contact your local Jury Commissioner if you are having difficulty accessing the online certificate after the allotted time frame.

Your employer has a duty under state law to pay regular wages up to $50 per day if you are regularly employed per §13-71-126, C.R.S.  Employers may pay more than $50 by mutual agreement. If you are self-employed you may ask the court for up to $50 per day for the first three days or juror service (§13-71-127, C.R.S.). Unemployed persons may apply for reimbursement of certain expenses during the first three days. After the third day, all jurors receive $50 per day from the state. There are provisions for special hardships and certain expenses.  Please discuss these with the jury commissioner.
 

State law protects a juror’s regular job. An employer cannot fire you or withhold your benefits as a result of your jury duty.  An employer also cannot harass, threaten or coerce you or make demands of an employed juror that will substantially interfere with the effective performance of juror service (§13-71-134, C.R.S.).
 

Your employer has a duty under state law (§13-71-126, C.R.S.) to pay regular wages up to $50 per day if you are regularly employed. Employers may pay more than $50 by mutual agreement. If you are a part-time or temporary worker and have worked for the same employer for three months or more, then you are a regular employee.
 

Jurors are randomly selected and summonsed from driver license records, the Department of Revenue, and voter registration lists by means of a computerized method. To ensure your name and address are correct on your juror summons, you will need to update your personal information with all of these agencies.

1. Colorado Department of Revenue-Division of Motor Vehicles
2. Department of Revenue
3. Colorado Secretary of State-Voter Registration

Qualifying situations to update your information:

If you have moved out of state and have registered to vote with your current state you will need to withdrawal from the Colorado Secretary of State-Voter Registration to avoid further jury summonses in the state of Colorado. Registering to vote and voting in the new state will not withdrawal you from Colorado Voter Registration.

If you have married and/or changed your legal name you will need to update your name with these agencies to avoid duplicate summonses with different names (i.e., Mary Joe Smith to Mary Joe Smith-Lang). Variation of names with these agencies can cause you to receive more than one summons a year because the system does not recognize it is the same person.

No, children are not allowed to attend jury service. Many jury trials include exhibits or testimony not appropriate for children.

You will never be asked for your social security number by email or over the phone. You will never be required to wire money or gift cards to avoid immediate arrest. If you have received a call requesting anything you feel may be a scam, please contact your local law enforcement agency.

The legal qualifications for jury service are:

• You are a citizen of the United States.
• You are 18 years of age or older.
• You can read, speak, and understand the English language.
• You reside in the State of Colorado for at least 6 months of the year.
• You have not served on a jury in any court within the past 12 months.
• You are not a primary caregiver responsible for the daily care of a permanently disabled person living in the same household and do not work outside of the home. This does not include working and residing in a home where you are an employee of an outside agency. A current statement from a medical professional, mental health professional, or Christian Science practitioner is required.
• You do not have a physical or mental disability that would prevent you from serving as a juror. A current statement from a medical professional, mental health professional, or Christian Science practitioner is required.
• There are no economic, age-related, or occupational exclusions from jury service.

There are 3 ways to find the Jury Schedule

1. On the Jury page, enter your county courthouse in the to be taken directly to the Jury Information for that courthouse.
2. Go to your county courthouse web page.
   • Under the section menu dropdown in the banner, select "Jury Information".
3. Go to your county courthouse web page.
   • Jury Information may also be found on the county courthouse main page listed under "Quick Links".

Each county establishes their own regulations about food and beverages in their courthouse. Please visit the Trials by County page to locate your county's web page.

Once on the county web page, select the Section Menu from the banner. 

• Select "Jury Information" from the dropdown

For a lost jury summons, you will need to contact the Jury Commissioner within your county courthouse. Please find the directory of Jury Commissioners by County here.

The Jury Commissioner in the court location can provide the juror with details about their reporting date, juror number, etc.

Beware of jury duty phone scams! The community is urged to be vigilant regarding an active telephone impersonation scam. These scams typically occur in the form of a phone call, where an individual impersonates someone from the local sheriff’s office or court and requests money due to a missed jury summons.

Note that law enforcement or courts will never reach out by phone to demand money for a missed jury summons, and these should be ignored. Correspondence from court jury offices regarding a missed summons will arrive in the form of an official legal document in the mail, titled “Failure to Appear Notice”.

If you receive a suspicious call from someone alleging to be a police officer, please report the information to your local sheriff’s department and notify the Colorado State Attorney General’s Office of the activity by visiting their Stop Fraud Colorado website. Reports of fraud or scams may also be reported to the Federal Trade Commission.

To check whether you received a jury summons, please contact your county jury commissioner https://www.coloradojudicial.gov/jury/jury-commissioners-county 

Jury Schedules are posted on the county courthouse pages. There are 2 ways to locate Jury Schedules for Jurors: 

1. Visit our Jury Page

• Locate the yellow band on the page.

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• Select your County from the dropdown menu. Click "Search".
• You will be immediately directed to the Jury page for your county courthouse.

• The Jury Schedule is listed on the Jury Information page.

   

2. Jury Information within your County Courthouse web page

Each county courthouse manages their potential jurors. Please visit your county courthouse web page.

Once on the county web page, click the "Section Menu" in the banner and select "Jury Information".

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The Jury Schedule is listed on the Jury Information page.

Other helpful links:

• Postponement Request
• Disqualification Request
• Jury FAQs
• Jury Commissioner by County Directory