Court sealU.S. District CourtEastern District of Virginia

Jury FAQs

Information for prospective jurors summoned to serve in the Eastern District of Virginia.

⚠️ Important Scam Warning

The EDVA Clerk's Office notes that scammers frequently impersonate court officials by phone threatening arrest or demanding immediate payment for "missed jury duty". A court official will never ask for gift cards, wire transfers, or credit card information over the phone.

If you missed a date, you should contact the jury administration department directly to clear up your reporting status. You can verify your status or contact a clerk by calling the EDVA automated system at (866) 704-0098 Ext. 800.

How was I selected for jury duty?

Jurors in the Eastern District of Virginia are selected at random from lists of registered voters supplied by the Commonwealth of Virginia. Questionnaires are mailed to each randomly selected person. Jurors must be:

  • United States citizens.
  • Eighteen years old or older.
  • Residents of the Eastern District of Virginia for at least one year at the time they are summoned.
  • Able to read, write and speak the English language with sufficient mastery.
  • Physically and mentally capable of serving.

Citizens who have been convicted of a crime that carries a punishment of more than a year in prison and whose civil rights have not been restored are ineligible to serve on a federal jury. Citizens who have a charge pending against them for the commission of a crime are also ineligible to serve on a federal jury.

Based on the answers to the questionnaires the Court mails, a pool of qualified jurors is created. Individuals are then selected at random from this pool to receive a summons to appear at the courthouse when a grand jury is about to be impaneled or a trial is about to begin.