The Arlington Circuit Court, which includes the City of Falls Church, began its annual juror qualification process in early September, mailing questionnaires to approximately 35,000 randomly selected residents of Arlington County and Falls Church City.
The questionnaires are used to qualify residents for jury duty in 2027, covering Jan. 1 through Dec. 31, 2027. In accordance with state law, questionnaires are distributed annually to a random selection of residents, with recipients selected from voter registration rolls provided by the State Board of Elections. Jury Commissioners appointed by the Court review the questionnaires in the fall to determine eligibility for service according to criteria established by the General Assembly.
Not everyone will receive a questionnaire. Those who do are asked to read the instructions on the postcard and use the Candidate/Juror ID number printed on it to complete and submit the form online at the secure Juror Website. The Court strongly encourages online submission to save time and resources, and the form can also be completed by cell phone. Residents without a computer can call 703-228-3123 to request a paper copy, providing their Candidate/Juror ID number without leading zeros, first and last name, and zip code.
Questionnaires must be completed and returned within 10 days of receipt. Some questions require documents as proof of hardship, such as doctor's notes, travel documents or military orders, which can be emailed to cctjury@arlingtonva.us or faxed to 703-228-7079 after the questionnaire is submitted. All information is kept confidential and destroyed after use.
The questionnaire is not a summons to appear, and the Court asks recipients not to call the Clerk's Office asking to be excused. Excuses will be considered only if a summons arrives in the mail next year. Failure to respond or providing incomplete information may result in being summoned to Court to complete the form in person.
Jurors must be available between 8:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. during their period of service, subject to change by the Court, and receive $50 for each day they report as reimbursement for expenses. The average trial may last one to three days but can run longer. The Court also warns residents not to fall victim to jury scams, noting the Jury Coordinator will not call citizens to request money for failure to follow related Court instructions.