WARNING! Jury Scam
Jury scams target the City of Chehalis community.
Individuals are calling and writing people and saying they missed jury duty. They are not court staff or from the sheriff’s office. Court staff will never ask potential jurors for money, issues arrest warrants or ask for confidential information like social security numbers, birth dates, or bank account information over the phone, email, or mail. If you receive a phone call hang up and put away your wallet. Anyone who responded to these scams should report the incident to the police.
Juror eligibility
The Chehalis Municipal Court obtains a random selection of potential jurors from the State of Washington each year. Jury lists are compiled from registered voters and licensed drivers within Washington State. This list includes the names of residents from the population within the area served by the Chehalis Municipal Court, categorized by zip codes.
As a juror, you might reside in a nearby city; however, if your zip code is also associated with the City of Chehalis, you qualify to serve as a juror for the Chehalis Municipal Court.
Eligibility requirements
- Must be 18 years or older
- Must be a citizen of the United States
- Must be a resident of Lewis County
- Must be able to communicate in the English Language
When you receive a summons
- Read the Jury Summons fully. The summons provides information on how to complete the online juror questionnaire.
- Bring summons with you on your first day of Jury Service as the summons is also your parking pass.
Term of service
Your on-call period is for the month listed on your summons. Chehalis Municipal Court conducts jury trials on the 1st, 3rd and 5th Monday of the month (excluding holidays). Jury trials generally do not last more than one day.
Checking juror status
Call the juror line at 360-345-1025 or check the Chehalis Municipal Court website the Thursday before the start of your jury term for reporting instructions. The juror line and website will be updated on a bi-weekly basis as the status of jury trials changes.
Do not report for jury duty unless you are directed to do so.
You can contact court staff during business hours at 364-345-1025 or via email at municourt [at] ci.chehalis.wa.us (municourt[at]ci[dot]chehalis[dot]wa[dot]us) to check your juror status.
Excusal or postponement of service
Except for a person who is not qualified for jury service under RCW 2.36.070, no person may be excused from jury service by the court except upon a showing of undue hardship, extreme inconvenience, public necessity, or any reason deemed sufficient by the court for a period of time the court deems necessary. (RCW 2.36.100)
A person summoned for jury service who intentionally fails to appear as directed shall be guilty of a misdemeanor.
Getting excused, or requesting a postponement
If you need to be excused for undue hardship or need a postponement, this must be done in writing. This can be mailed to the Court at 350 N Market Blvd, Rm 105, Chehalis, WA 98532 or by completing the online juror questionnaire.
Employer responsibilities
An employer shall provide an employee with a sufficient leave of absence from employment to serve as a juror when that employee is summoned pursuant to RCW 2.36.165. An employer shall not deprive an employee of employment or threat, coerce, or harass an employee, or deny an employee promotional opportunities because the employee receives a summons, responds to a summons, serves as a juror, or attends court for prospective jury service.
An employer who intentionally violates subsection (1) or (2) of this section shall be guilty of a misdemeanor.