Jury Duty San Jose [portable] [VERIFIED ⇒]

Good luck, San Jose. Don't forget to have your employer sign that proof of service slip. Have you served at the San Jose courthouse recently? Drop a comment below about your experience—or your favorite lunch spot near the courthouse!

The waiting game. They will call names in groups (Group 1, Group 2, etc.) to go upstairs to actual courtrooms. If your name isn't called, you read your book.

The San Jose courthouse is modern, clean, and the staff (the bailiffs and clerks) are surprisingly friendly for people who deal with grumpy jurors all day. The worst part is the boredom. The best part is the people watching—you will see the full cross-section of San Jose, from CEOs in Patagonia vests to artists covered in paint. jury duty san jose

Before you start brainstorming excuses, take a deep breath. I just finished my service at the San Jose courthouse, and while it wasn’t a vacation, it also wasn’t the dystopian nightmare I feared. Here is your honest survival guide for navigating jury duty in the heart of Silicon Valley. San Jose has multiple courthouses, but for general jury duty, you are almost certainly heading to the Downtown Superior Court at 191 North First Street .

If you were sent to a courtroom, you go through Voir Dire (lawyers asking you questions). This takes 3-4 hours. If you weren't called, you might be dismissed for the day. Good luck, San Jose

You get at least 1.5 hours. Do not eat in the courthouse cafeteria. It is sad, overpriced, and smells like microwaved fish. Walk two blocks to San Pedro Square Market . Get a slice at Slice of Homage or tacos at Puesto . You deserve it.

Check in at the window. Take a seat in the giant blue chairs. Watch the cheesy orientation video from 1999 that explains what a "voir dire" is. Drop a comment below about your experience—or your

Bring your own water bottle. The fountains are weirdly warm.