Term Of Service
The Courts' days of operations (excluding Federal Holidays) are Mondays through Fridays. Term of jury service is 2 weeks. If seated/empaneled on a trial, jurors serve until the end of that trial which may exceed the standard 2 week term.
Group Number
Each prospective juror is randomly assigned a "group number" for the 2 week term of jury service. Jurors must call the assigned phone number after 5 p.m. the night before their assigned term begins, and continue to do so, each night, Sunday through Thursday for the remainder of their term. Prospective Jurors will listen to a recorded message for his or her group number.
The recorded message will indicate the time(s) and location(s) to report the following morning. Please listen to the entire message as there may be multiple reporting times and groups. Group numbers not stated on the recording do not need to report the day specified, but do need to call in again after 5 p.m. to see if they may be required the following business day. Not all group numbers are called or required every day. Only report on the day(s) your group number is directed to do so.
On occasion, the message may instruct jurors to call back the following morning after a specified time, to see if the court is going to need them to report later in the afternoon. This is done to prevent unnecessary interruptions to prospective jurors' livelihoods when a case may get continued or resolved in the morning court session.
Special Circumstances
Also on occasion, jurors may hear the names of individuals listed to report. These are for individuals who have special circumstances which warrant their specific attendance from the Court. Such may be for a failure to appear or a ‘make-up day' of jury service due to events beyond their initial control (on a day when they were required to report in and did not).
It is the policy of this state that all persons selected for jury service be selected at random from a fair cross section of the population of the area served by the court, and that all qualified citizens have the opportunity in accordance with chapter 135, Laws of 1979 ex. sess. to be considered for jury service in this state and have an obligation to serve as jurors when summoned for that purpose.
Juror Qualifications
To qualify for jury duty, you must:
Group Number
Each prospective juror is randomly assigned a "group number" for the 2 week term of jury service. Jurors must call the assigned phone number after 5 p.m. the night before their assigned term begins, and continue to do so, each night, Sunday through Thursday for the remainder of their term. Prospective Jurors will listen to a recorded message for his or her group number.
The recorded message will indicate the time(s) and location(s) to report the following morning. Please listen to the entire message as there may be multiple reporting times and groups. Group numbers not stated on the recording do not need to report the day specified, but do need to call in again after 5 p.m. to see if they may be required the following business day. Not all group numbers are called or required every day. Only report on the day(s) your group number is directed to do so.
On occasion, the message may instruct jurors to call back the following morning after a specified time, to see if the court is going to need them to report later in the afternoon. This is done to prevent unnecessary interruptions to prospective jurors' livelihoods when a case may get continued or resolved in the morning court session.
Special Circumstances
Also on occasion, jurors may hear the names of individuals listed to report. These are for individuals who have special circumstances which warrant their specific attendance from the Court. Such may be for a failure to appear or a ‘make-up day' of jury service due to events beyond their initial control (on a day when they were required to report in and did not).
- The jury call-in line is: 509-574-1450 - after 5 p.m. the day before your jury term begins and every day thereafter for the entire length of your term (except Fridays and Saturdays). The message plays all evening, so you may wish to call at night to avoid high call volumes.
- Jurors not yet seated on a case who encounter emergencies which prevent their attendance on a day they are required to report in should phone the Clerk's Office and leave:
- Your name
- Contact phone number
- The reason you were not able to report in as required (such as a death in the family, or medical emergency etc.)
- The Main Clerk's Office phone number is: 509-574-1430
- You will be contacted to reschedule your jury duty.
- Jurors who are seated/empaneled on a case are directed to the phone number and instructions listed on the back of your juror badge given to you by the Bailiff.
It is the policy of this state that all persons selected for jury service be selected at random from a fair cross section of the population of the area served by the court, and that all qualified citizens have the opportunity in accordance with chapter 135, Laws of 1979 ex. sess. to be considered for jury service in this state and have an obligation to serve as jurors when summoned for that purpose.
Juror Qualifications
To qualify for jury duty, you must:
- Be a U.S. citizen
- Be 18 years of age or older
- Be a resident of Yakima County
- Be able to communicate in the English language
- Not been convicted of a felony or if convicted, have your voting rights restored and be able to submit proof