The Arlington County Courthouse and Detention Center facilities are pictured in 2019 (staff photo by Jay Westcott)
Residents should be on the lookout for a postcard from the Arlington County Circuit Court about jury duty.
This month, the court will be mailing questionnaires to about 35,000 residents randomly selected from registered voter rolls as part of its annual jury selection process. The questionnaires will be used to determine who is eligible for jury duty next year.
The average length of a trial is 1-2 days, but trials may last longer, per a press release.
If an individual does not receive a questionnaire, “there is nothing further to do,” it says.
Residents are instructed to submit a form online — or call 703‑228‑3123 to receive a mailed paper copy if they do not have computer access — within 10 days of receiving the postcard.
The county asks individuals who no longer live in Arlington, but receive the postcard, to complete the form so they can be disqualified.
People who qualify for jury duty will receive a summons to appear in the mail next year.
Jurors must be available between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. during their period of service.
According to the release, jurors are set to receive “$50 each day they report for reimbursement of expenses” — which looks to be up $20 from last year.
The exterior of the Arlington County Justice Center, where county courts are located (via Google Maps)
It’s once again the time of year when Arlington’s circuit court starts to select its jury pool for the next year.
Juror questionnaires are being sent soon to tens of thousands of Arlington and Falls Church residents, for jury duty in 2023. Would-be jurors are randomly selected from the voter rolls and will receive questionnaires in the mail.
Most jury trials in the circuit court last 1-2 days, an Arlington County press release says.
The full press release is below.
The Arlington Circuit Court, which includes the City of Falls Church, will soon begin its annual juror qualification process. Juror questionnaires will be mailed in August to approximately 35,000 randomly selected residents of Arlington County and Falls Church City. These Questionnaires are used to qualify residents for jury duty which begins January 1, 2023 and ends December 31, 2023.
In accordance with State law, questionnaires are distributed annually to a random selection of residents of Arlington County and the City of Falls Church.
Recipients are selected from registered voter rolls provided by the State Board of Elections.
If you do not receive a form in the US Mail, there is nothing you need to do.
Jury Commissioners appointed by the Court review the questionnaires to determine eligibility for service according to criteria established by the General Assembly.
For more information about jury duty, including a list of individuals who are exempt from serving, please visit the Jury Duty page on the County website.
Not everyone will receive a Juror Questionnaire via Postcard in the US Mail. If youDO receive the form, please follow the steps below:
Read and carefully follow the instructions on the postcard.
Using your Candidate/Juror ID# printed on the postcard, visit the secure Juror Website at https://ejuror.arlingtonva.us/ to complete and submit the form online.
If you cannot logon to the Website, please try again later or try another browser.
If you do not have a computer, to have a paper copy of the form mailed to you, call 703-228-3123 and provide: 1) Candidate/Juror ID#, Pool #, and Group #; 2) first and last name; 3) street address with zip code; and 4) contact phone# or email for follow-up if needed. The Court prefers online submission to save time and resources.
Some questions on the form require submission of documents as proof of hardship (i.e., doctor’s notes, travel documents, military orders) and/or detailed explanations in the Remarks section. All information is kept confidential and destroyed after use.
If you no longer live in Virginia or have moved out of Arlington County or the City of Falls Church, there are questions on the form that will disqualify you.
You are required tocomplete and return the questionnaire within 10 days of receipt. Completing the form online saves resources.
Once submitted, your completed questionnaire will be processed by the Court. There will be nothing further you need to do. If you are qualified by the court to serve, you could receive a summons in the mail next year with detailed reporting instructions.
The questionnaire is not a summons to appear so please do not call the Clerk’s Office asking to be excused from jury duty. Excuses will be considered if you receive a summons in the mail.
Failure to respond to the questionnaire or providing incomplete information may result in your being summoned to Court to complete the form in person.
Quick Facts About Jury Service
Normal term of service is one day or one trial.
The average length of a trial is 1 or 2 days, but trials can last longer.
Jurors must be available between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. during their period of service (subject to change by the Court).
Jurors receive $30 each day they report for reimbursement of expenses.
Raindrops and leaves in Rosslyn (Staff photo by Jay Westcott)
Biden Visits Arlington for Vets Day — “President Joe Biden saluted the nation’s military veterans as ‘the spine of America’ on Thursday as he marked his first Veterans Day as president in a wreath-laying ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery.” [WTOP]
Wet Roads Leading to Crashes — From the Washington Weather Geeks: “Please be careful out there this morning! Multiple crashes have been reported in and around the region. Wet [leaves] on the roads will help cause more hazards this morning. Slow down!” [Twitter]
Jury Duty Reminder — “Juror questionnaires were mailed in the form of a postcard with a website link in early August to 35,000 randomly selected residents of Arlington County and Falls Church City. Not everyone was chosen to receive the questionnaire. If you did not receive a postcard, there is nothing you need to do. These Questionnaires are used to qualify residents for jury duty which begins January 1, 2022, and ends December 31, 2022.” [Arlington County]
‘Missing Middle’ Study Update — “The most recent update revealed community support for the housing affordability, diversity, and supply that missing middle housing would bring. Competing concerns from homeowners have arisen regarding flooding, tree loss, and strain on infrastructure; though ultimately, existing patterns of development mean these issues already exist under the status quo.” [GGWash]
‘Spirit of Community’ Honorees — “As Arlington Community Foundation marks three decades of service this fall, this year’s Spirit of Community will honor three extraordinary people who embody Arlington’s Spirit of Community, Advocacy, and Volunteerism. In addition to recognizing these three extraordinary individuals, the program will feature Arlington youth and business leaders who have stepped up to meet the historic challenges of the last two years in inspiring and innovative ways.” [Arlington Community Foundation]
Lots of Ladybugs Around Area — “Multicolored Asian lady beetles are swarming in large numbers across the Mid-Atlantic because of late fall warmth. Also called ladybird beetles, this type of ladybug smells bad, can bite you and, if you squish it, produces a messy, yellow stain. This is another invasive insect that has found a home in our area.” [Capital Weather Gang]
WaPo’s Winter Forecast — “Overall, temperatures should work out close to average. Snow lovers are unlikely to be pleased as we’re projecting below-average amounts for the fifth time in the past six winters. We do, however, think we’ll top last winter’s snow totals… Alexandria, Arlington and Prince George’s counties and the District: 8 to 14 inches.” [Capital Weather Gang]
It’s Friday — Today there will be rain and storms until about 10 a.m., then gradually clearing through this evening. Sunrise at 6:48 a.m. and sunset at 4:56 p.m. Tomorrow there will be a chance of showers between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., otherwise it will be mostly sunny and breezy, with gusts up to 23 mph. Sunday will be mostly sunny, with a high near 51.
The Arlington Circuit Court will soon send out its annual juror questionnaires, which determine who will get jury duty next year.
In early August, the court will be sending postcards to a random group of residents of Arlington County and Falls Church. These postcards instruct residents how to fill out their juror questionnaires online.
Recipients will be chosen from voter rolls provided by the State Board of Elections, according to a county press release. Court-appointed jury commissioners will review the completed questionnaires to decide who is eligible for service, using standards set by the Virginia General Assembly.
“The questionnaire is not a summons to appear so please do not call the Clerk’s Office asking to be excused from jury duty,” the press release said. “Excuses will be considered at the time you are actually summoned to serve as a juror.”
Residents have ten days to complete the questionnaire.
“Failure to respond to the questionnaire or providing incomplete information may result in your being summoned to Court to complete the form in person,” the press release said.
If selected, jurors will typically serve one to two days or one trial for a time period between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. Jurors selected may be summoned any time between Jan. 1, 2022 and Dec. 31, 2022. Each juror will receive $30 each day they report for reimbursement of expenses.
After a months-long hiatus due to the pandemic, Arlington County is preparing to resume jury trials.
“The Arlington Circuit Court is planning to resume jury trials in September 2020,” the court says on its website. “If you received a juror summons for a reporting date after September 1, 2020, please carefully read the front and back of the summons and follow all instructions. Visit the Juror Website or call the Juror Hotline 703-228-0533 to confirm receipt of the summons and to make requests to be deferred or excused.”
The court website says a number of safety measures will be in place, including mandatory mask-wearing for everyone in the courthouse, temperature checks, staggered juror arrival times, social distancing, and readily-available hand sanitizer and wipes.
“Every person who has a case in the Circuit Court is afforded the opportunity of a jury trial pursuant to our Constitution,” the court in a FAQ document. “In resuming jury trials which were delayed due to COVID-19, the Arlington Circuit Court fully understands the need to protect the health and safety of jurors, trial participants, county employees, and the public.”
Those with valid health concerns, COVID-19 risk factors, and known exposures to the virus can request to be excused from jury duty.
Hotel-to-Apartment Project on Hold — “A proposal to convert the Arlington Courts Suites extended-stay hotel in the Courthouse area to apartments is on hold, at least for now. The project had been slated for County Board consideration on July 18, but has been deferred until at least October at the request of the applicant, citing ‘economic concerns about the project due to the COVID-19 emergency.'” [InsideNova]
Controversy Sparks Idea for Fundraiser — A local man has raised more than $140,000 “after starting a GoFundMe page to buy Goya Foods products and donate them to local food pantries after critics called for a boycott over pro-Trump comments from Goya’s CEO. ‘People are seeing in the news a double standard for one political view,’ 27-year-old Casey Harper of Arlington, Va., told FOX Business.” [Fox Business, GoFundMe]
Jury Questionnaire Going Out Soon — “The Arlington Circuit Court, which includes the City of Falls Church, will soon begin its annual juror qualification process. Juror questionnaires will be mailed in early August to randomly selected residents of Arlington County and Falls Church City. These questionnaires are used to qualify residents for jury duty which begins Jan. 1, 2021, and ends Dec. 31, 2021.” [Arlington County]
Job Losses Possible at DCA — Among the 36,000 United Airlines workers who may be furloughed starting in October, according to WARN Act notices, are 116 employees at Reagan National Airport. [Virginia Employment Commission]
Swearing In for New County Board Member — “Takis P. Karantonis, elected to the Arlington County Board in a special election on July 7, 2020, will be sworn in at 4 p.m. on Tuesday, July 14 in a virtual ceremony. Clerk of the Circuit Court of Arlington Paul Ferguson will officiate.” [Arlington County]
Red Hook Lobster Pound Shuts Down — Long-time local food truck operator and concessionaire Red Hook Lobster Pound is selling its trucks and assets as the pandemic forces it out of business. This presumably means that there will be no Red Hook lobster restaurant near Clarendon, either. [Washingtonian]
ACPD Investigating Airbag Theft Along Lee Highway — “At approximately 7:30 a.m. on July 12, police were dispatched to the report of a larceny. Upon arrival, it was determined that between 7:00 p.m. on July 11 and 7:30 a.m. on July 12, an unknown suspect(s) smashed the windows of approximately three vehicles and stole the airbags. There are no suspect(s) descriptions. The investigation is ongoing.” [Arlington County]
Family Sues Metro for Va. Square Death — “A family has filed a $25 million lawsuit against the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA), claiming negligence in the death of a man who lay down on the tracks at the Virginia Square rail station in July 2017.” [NBC Washington]
Jury Duty Process Starting Soon — “The Arlington Circuit Court… will soon begin its annual juror qualification process. Juror questionnaires will be mailed in early August to randomly selected residents of Arlington County and Falls Church City.” [Arlington County]
Tech Company Relocating to Arlington — “Still fresh off of raising millions in venture capital funding, Amify Inc. is leaving Alexandria for a larger space in Arlington just a few blocks from Amazon.com Inc.’s second headquarters. The company, which markets, sells and ships products for other companies on Amazon, has signed a three-year lease with JBG Smith Properties to take over the Crystal City space that was last rented by Trustify Inc., an embattled tech company that’s now in bankruptcy.” [Washington Business Journal]
Plaque Proposed for Wilson School — “Gone but not forgotten. That’s the hope of historic-preservation advocates when it comes to the Wilson School in Rosslyn… Plans for an historic marker noting the school’s provenance are wending their way through the county government’s approval process.” [InsideNova]
Arlington Exec Tapped as Accenture CEO — “Accenture Inc.’s board of directors has promoted Julie Sweet, a Greater Washington executive who now serves as the company’s North American CEO, to the top job of global chief executive effective Sept. 1. Her ascension makes Sweet, based in Arlington County, the 34th female CEO of a Fortune 500 company.” [Washington Business Journal]
Nearby: Update on Flooded Commuter Routes — “After time-consuming repairs, the District Department of Transportation reopened Canal Road between Reservoir and Foxhall roads late Monday morning…. In McLean, a rain-swollen [Pimmit] Run undermined a large section of Kirby Road. VDOT said the work to repair the road and embankment will take weeks.” [WTOP]
Family of Detained Arlington Man Seeks Answers — “Secretary of State Mike Pompeo met privately with the families of Americans detained abroad Tuesday and urged them not to abandon hope. The State Department declined to share the names of those present but they included… the daughter of Majd Kamalmaz, a 61-year-old psychotherapist from Arlington, Virginia, who has been missing in Syria since 2017.” [NBC News]
Jury Duty Changes — “The verdict is in, and at least from the standpoint of Arlington officials, a two-year-long revamp of how local jurors are selected appears to be a success. ‘We have received positive feedback,’ said Clerk of the Circuit Court Paul Ferguson.” [InsideNova]
Arlington is Near Top for Dog Owners — Arlington has ranked No. 14 among the most dog-friendly places in the U.S. in 2019, according to pet website Rover. The most popular breed in Arlington: mutts. [Zebra]
Va. to Implement Conversion Therapy Ban — Virginia’s Board of Psychology is a month away from potentially implementing a ban on conversion therapy on minors by licensed psychologists. “This has been a long, arduous process but make no mistake, Virginia is going to ban this ineffective, harmful practice on children,” Arlington’s Del. Patrick Hope (D) said via Twitter. “This is the first of many steps toward protecting Virginia’s children.” [Virginia Mercury, Twitter]
Nearby: Woman Runs All of Alexandria’s Streets — “For the last 19 weeks, Stephanie Lasure has been running every street in the City of Alexandria. She is weaving her way through every nook and cranny — down every block in Old Town, around every cul-de-sac in Seminary Hill and up every ascent in Rosemont.” [RunWashington]
NBC4: County Agency Failed to Report Alleged Sex Abuse — “The I-Team found [Arlington County Child Protective Services] failed to notify state officials to revoke the license of a former Arlington Public Schools teacher whom they investigated for sexually abusing a former third grade student. The teacher was able to work as an assistant principal in the Prince George’s County Public Schools district for years because of the error.” [NBC Washington]
Jury Duty Process Starting Soon — The Arlington Circuit Court is starting its annual juror qualification process with questionnaires set to be mailed to randomly selected Arlington and Falls Church residents in early September. “These questionnaires are used to qualify residents for jury duty which begins January 1, 2018 and ends December 31, 2018,” according to a press release. [Arlington County]
Heat and Storms in Today’s Forecast — Expect sweltering temperatures today, with a heat index around 100, followed by the threat of potentially strong storms tonight, according to the National Weather Service. [Twitter]
Another scammer who claims to be serving an arrest warrant for a supposed jury duty mix-up is targeting Arlington residents.
A reader said a man claiming to be a Sgt. Jimmy Jackson with the Arlington County Police Department called her saying there was a warrant out for her arrest due to the mix-up. Police reported a similar scam earlier this year.
Unlike previous scams, the reader said the caller did not ask for money right away, but instead stated that they had to schedule an in-person affidavit. He said the money paid for reserving a time block would be refunded at a future court appearance.
Although the scammer name drops Arlington General District Court clerk Steven Robert Spurr and Chief Judge William T. Newman from Arlington Circuit Court, police said the badge number he cites — No. 3319 — is fake. County courts also always send any information for jury duty by mail or email.
Department spokeswoman Ashley Savage said no badge number begins with the digits 33, and that police will never ask for money over the phone. Savage also encouraged any victims of fraud to report it at the county’s online reporting system.
Man Struck By Car on Columbia Pike — A man suffered critical injuries after being struck by a car at the intersection of Columbia Pike and S. Four Mile Run Drive early Friday morning. Rainy weather may have been a factor in the crash, police said. [WJLA]
APS Stop Arm Camera Program Resumes — Updated at 11:15 a.m. — Arlington Public Schools has restarted its School Bus Stop Arm Camera Program as of today, a school spokesman has confirmed. The program uses cameras to fine motorists who drive by school buses while the stop sign is extended. The program began last year but was suspended due to legal issues, which have since been resolved. [Arlington Public Schools]
Juror Questionnaires Now Overdue — If you received a jury duty questionnaire from Arlington County and have not yet returned it, you could find yourself on the wrong side of the law. The questionnaires are now overdue; those who have still not sent them in can be summoned to court to complete the form in person. [Arlington County]
Local Church Hold ‘Blue Mass’ — The Catholic Diocese of Arlington and Bishop Paul Loverde held a “blue mass” Friday night to honor local police officers and to recognize fallen officers. A number of Arlington County Police officers were among those in attendance. [NBC Washington]
Domestic Violence Awareness Month — October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month in Arlington. The Arlington County Police Department has partnered with local nonprofit Doorways for Women and Families to place a purple ribbon on ACPD cruisers “in support of the efforts to reduce the incidence and severity of domestic violence in our community.” [Arlington County]
