Requirements
Application
Selection

Legal Requirements
(for responses from affected agencies)

Information for Grand Jurors

1. A U.S. citizen.
2. Over 18 years of age.
3. A county resident for at least one year.
4. Of sound judgment with no felony convictions.
5. Possess sufficient knowledge of English.

Persons selected for the Grand Jury must make a commitment for a full year, and be prepared to serve at least 20 hours a week. 

Santa Barbara county residents are urged to apply for service on the Santa Barbara County Grand Jury. 

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Obtain an Application:

1. Click here to download the application form (Microsoft Word or PDF) to your computer, or
2. Call (805) 568-3130, or
3. Write to:

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Selection Procedure:

Each spring the Superior Court solicits applications for volunteers to serve on the Grand Jury. A Superior Court committee interviews applicants to discuss their interests, qualifications and the duties they will be expected to undertake.

After applications are screened, prospective jurors attend a group interview.  People are selected from each supervisorial district for additional screening.  One month prior to the July 1st commencement of the grand jury's term of service, the screening process reduces the panel to thirty.

The law provides that the presiding judge may hold over as many as ten members from the previous grand jury to be included in the total of nineteen jurors. Alternates may be selected to replace any juror unable to complete a full term.

The final nineteen are chosen by drawing on July 1st of each year and serve a one year term (July 1 through June 30). Two of the jurors are normally held over from the prior year's jury. The new Grand Jury is then sworn and instructed. Those names not drawn will remain as Grand Jury alternates to fill any vacancies that occur. The grand jury serves during the fiscal year of this county.

Persons selected for grand jury service must make a commitment to serve a minimum of three days per week for the term of service . It is not uncommon for grand jury members to serve four and sometimes five days of any given week.

Grand jurors are remunerated by per diem based on actual number of days required in service.  They are also reimbursed for personal vehicle usage at the prevailing rate per mile.

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