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Jury Exemptions

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Jury Exemptions

How to request an exemption?

Please review the exemptions below and if you need to be excused from jury duty, you must request it in writing within five (5) business days of receipt of your summons.

Correspondence may be by email to the Clerk, Gerald R. Goad, or by mail.  Your request will be reviewed by the Judge and you will be notified of the decision.  If you have any questions, please contact the Carroll County Circuit Court Clerk's Office.

Who is exempt from jury service. § 8.01-341

The following shall be exempt from serving on juries in civil and criminal cases:

  • The President and Vice President of the United States
  • The Governor, Lieutenant Governor and Attorney General of the Commonwealth
  • The members of both houses of Congress
  • The members of the General Assembly while in session or during a period when the member would be entitled to a legislative continuance as a matter of right under § 30-5
  • Licensed practicing attorneys
  • The judge of any court, members of the State Corporation Commission, members of the Virginia Workers' Compensation Commission and magistrates
  • Sheriffs, deputy sheriffs, state police and police in counties, cities and towns
  • The superintendent of the penitentiary and his assistants and the persons composing the guard
  • Superintendents and jail officers as defined in § 53.1-1 of regional jails.

Note: Exemption does not apply to a federal law enforcement officer; TSA employee; government attorney who is not licensed; anyone who is retired from a listed occupation; or a relative of one of the listed occupations.

Exemptions from jury service upon request. § 8.01-341.1

Any of the following persons may serve on juries in civil and criminal cases but shall be exempt from jury service upon his request:

  • A mariner actually employed in maritime service.
  • A person who has legal custody of and is necessarily and personally responsible for a child or children 16 years of age or younger requiring continuous care by him during normal court hours, or any mother who is breast-feeding a child.
  • A person who is necessarily and personally responsible for a person having a physical or mental impairment requiring continuous care by him during normal court hours.
  • Any person over 70 years of age.
  • Any person whose spouse is summoned to serve on the same jury panel.
  • Any person who is the only person performing services for a business, commercial or agricultural enterprise and whose services are so essential to the operations of the business, commercial or agricultural enterprise that such enterprise must close or cease to function if such person is required to perform jury duty.
  • Any person who is the only person performing services for a political subdivision as a firefighter, as defined in § 65.2-102, and whose services are so essential to the operations of the political subdivision that such political subdivision will suffer an undue hardship in carrying out such services if such person is required to perform jury duty.
  • Any person employed by the Office of the Clerk of the House of Delegates, the Office of the Clerk of the Senate, the Division of Legislative Services, and the Division of Legislative Automated Systems, however, this exemption shall apply only to jury service starting (i) during the period beginning 60 days prior to the day any regular session commences and ending 30 days after the day of adjournment of such session and (ii) during the period beginning seven days prior to the day any reconvened or special session commences and ending seven days after the day of adjournment of such session.
  • Any general registrar, member of a local electoral board, or person appointed or employed by either the general registrar or the local electoral board, except officers of election appointed pursuant to Article 5 (§ 24.2-115 et seq.) of Chapter 1 of Title 24.2; however, this exemption shall apply only to jury service starting (i) during the period beginning 90 days prior to any election and continuing through election day, (ii) during the period to ascertain the results of the election and continuing for 10 days after the local electoral board certifies the results of the election under § 24.2-671 or the State Board of Elections certifies the results of the election under § 24.2-679, or (iii) during the period of an election recount or contested election pursuant to Chapter 8 (§ 24.2-800 et seq.) of Title 24.2. Any officer of election shall be exempt from jury service only on election day and during the periods set forth in clauses (ii) and (iii).
  • Any member of the armed services of the United States or the diplomatic service of the United States appointed under the Foreign Service Act (22 U.S.C. § 3901 et seq.) who will be serving outside of the United States at the time of such jury

Deferral or limitation of jury service for particular occupational inconvenience. § 8.01-341.2

The court on its own motion may exempt any person from jury service for a particular term of court or limit that person's service to particular dates of that term if serving on a jury during that term or certain dates of that term of court would cause such person a particular occupational inconvenience. Any such person who is selected for jury service and who is exempted under the provisions of this section shall not be discharged from his obligation to serve on a jury but such obligation shall only be deferred until the term of court next after such particular occupational inconvenience shall end.

Other Situations

Long-term medical issues

A letter mailed or faxed from the physician with the relevant facts of why juror should be excused is required.