Spokane Division

Welcome to Jury Service for the Spokane Division!

You have been randomly selected as a prospective juror for the United States District Court, Eastern District of Washington for a two-week on-call term of service. Your term of jury service begins on the date shown on your Summons.

You will need your nine-digit participant number to access your reporting instructions. This number appears on the left side of the front page of your Summons, below your two-week on-call term.

You are only required to travel to the courthouse when specifically instructed to do so via the reporting instructions. If you call and are not needed to report during the first week of your term, please keep in mind you may be required to report during the time remaining in your term, so continue to call in as instructed during your entire term.

Follow the Step-by-Step instructions below to complete your jury service obligation:

Step 1 - Complete the Juror Questionnaire

Federal law requires you to complete a Juror Qualification Questionnaire within 10 days of receiving a summons. A completed questionnaire is required. You will be provided an opportunity within the questionnaire to request to be excused, if you believe that to be necessary.

The personal information you provide on your juror questionnaire and during the jury selection process will be used during the jury selection process only. The information will not become public record.

Click below to complete the juror questionnaire:

Notice to Juror: We have been informed of delays in the receipt of jury summons and are actively monitoring the situation. If you have received your summons 10 days after the initial summons date, you will not be penalized. In an effort to assist, the Court will be issuing a follow up notice with a paper questionnaire. Please respond to the summons online or wait for the paper questionnaire to arrive. If you wait for the paper questionnaire to arrive, the Court asks you to respond immediately upon receipt, so we may determine your eligibility to serve and process any excuse requests.

Step 2 - Check Reporting Instructions / Juror Status

To check your reporting instructions or excuse status, click below to access the online system. You will need your 9-digit participant number, located on the front of your summons. Once logged in, select “Current Status” to view your status, reporting date, time, and courthouse location.

Or, you may call the Jury Information Line at 1 (866) 249-5932 (toll free) after 3:00 p.m. on the Friday before your Monday two-week on-call period. Select option #1 and enter your 9-digit participant number when prompted. Follow the instructions provided online or through the automated phone system. You will be advised when to report and if you need to check again for updates.

Step 3 - Report for Jury Service

Do Not Report to a courthouse location without first checking your reporting instructions.

Reporting Location & Parking

Reporting Location: Thomas S. Foley U.S. Courthouse, 920 West Riverside Avenue, Spokane, WA

Parking Options:
- Public parking garages and lots are available nearby. Jurors will be reimbursed a flat fee of $9.25 for paid parking in a lot or garage.
- Important: Do not park at two hour meters. Jury selection may last several hours and you may not be able to leave the courthouse to replenish the meter. Parking citations are not reimbursable.

Recommended Parking:

River Park Square Garage:

Entrances: Lincoln St (Lincoln & Main) and Spokane Falls Blvd.
Vehicle Clearance: 6'6"

Diamond Parking Lots:

919 W 1st Street
121 S Monroe Street

Accessible Parking:

Vehicles with a valid disabled placard or license plate may park free (up to 4 hours) at designated accessible meters or any standard meter.

Juror Reimbursement

If you are instructed to report for jury service, you are entitled to a $50.00 attendance fee and mileage reimbursement at the rate of $0.725 cents per mile, round trip.

If you live over 60 miles (one-way) from the reporting location, you are entitled to an overnight per diem to cover the cost of lodging, taxes charged, and meals and incidentals.

Jurors in Travel Status and staying in a hotel, please note the following:

Government rate rooms are subject to availability. Make your own reservation and ask for the government rate. If lodging is in excess of the per diem, the juror is responsible for the overage.
When making hotel reservations do NOT book non-refundable room packages as the duration of service may change. Please reserve your room with a hotel offering the government rate with a standard cancellation clause.
Do not make a reservation unless you have confirmed your report date. Come packed/prepared to stay at least one week if planning to stay at a hotel. If not selected as a juror, you will be excused from jury service, unless otherwise instructed.
Check out of your room on the morning you report for jury service. Advise the hotel desk that you are on Federal Jury Service and do not know if you will be selected to hear a case, then make arrangements to ensure that the room will be available if your stay is prolonged.
Be prepared to pay the hotel bill. You will receive a check approximately three weeks after your appearance. Hotel receipts are required for reimbursement.

The IRS considers juror attendance fees to be Other Income and must be reported. At the end of each year a 1099 MISC form will be mailed to all jurors who earn $2000 or more in attendance fees in the calendar year. This applies only to the "attendance fee" and not for reimbursement for travel expenses (mileage, tolls, etc.).

Spokane Travel Reimbursement

Hotel - $212.00 hotel per diem ($126.00 hotel subsistence + $86.00 meals and incidentals). Click here for a link to Spokane Hotels.
Family - $86.00 partial per diem for jurors who reside 60 miles or more one-way from the courthouse and stay with family or friends.

Attire & Security

Attire

While no formal dress code exists, jurors are requested to dress in a manner respectful to the litigants and the Court. Courtroom temperature may vary, so dressing in layers is recommended. You may wish to bring a sweater or light jacket.

Courthouse Security

All persons entering a federal courthouse must present a valid, government-issued photo ID (such as a driver’s license or state ID).

Upon entry, you will pass through a security screening station staffed by Court Security Officers (CSOs). This process includes:

X-ray screening of bags, briefcases, and other personal items
Walking through a metal detector

Individuals with pacemakers or cochlear implants may request alternative screening using a handheld wand.

Prohibited Items

Please be advised that should you be required to report to the courthouse for jury service, it is ILLEGAL to knowingly possess a firearm, other dangerous weapon, or a controlled substance such as narcotic drugs, hallucinogens,marijuana, barbiturates, or amphetamines in a Federal building. Packages, briefcases, and other containers in the possession of all persons on Federal property are subject to inspection.

Electronic Devices

Tablets and cellular phones may be utilized in the hallways, lobbies, and other areas of the courthouse. No device may be operated in camera, record, or video mode. Unless otherwise ordered by the presiding judge, jurors will not be allowed to use a laptop computer, smart phone, tablet or other electronic device within the courtroom.

Additional Information for Jurors:

Juror Orientation Video - Jury Service in the Eastern District of Washington

Eastern Washington - Juror Orientation Video

Called to Serve - An Introduction to Jury Service in the United States District Court

Called to Serve - jury orientation video

Excuse Requests

If you believe that jury service would cause you an undue hardship or extreme inconvenience, you may request an excuse as part of completing the online or paper questionnaire. This includes requests to be excused as a juror due to not being a US citizen, not speaking the English language, prior or pending felony charges, physical or mental disability, active military, prior federal jury service, upcoming vacation, appointments or other events that conflict with all or part of the dates of your scheduled jury term, please submit excuse requests upon receipt of summons on or with the completed qualification questionnaire.

All requests for excuse must be in writing; telephonic requests are not accepted/processed. The Court will not consider employer requests.

Please allow 10 days for the court to process your excuse request. To obtain the status of your excuse request, check your status online or call 1-866-249-5932 and select #1.

Excuse requests are reviewed by the Chief Judge. Should your request for excuse be denied, you will be provided the opportunity to speak with a judge if you are required to appear for jury selection.

Failure to Respond to Summons

If you do not fill out the questionnaire online (or request a paper questionnaire) within 10 days of receiving your summons, you may be ordered to appear and explain why you failed to fulfill your legal obligation, fined up to $1,000, imprisoned up to three days, ordered to perform community service, or any combination of those.

Attendance Obligation

Title 28, United States Code, Section 1866(g) provides, “Any person summoned for jury service who fails to appear as directed may be ordered by the district court to appear forthwith and show cause for failure to comply with the summons. Any person who fails to show good cause for noncompliance with a summons may be fined not more than $1,000, imprisoned not more than three days, ordered to perform community service, or any combination thereof.”

Juror Name Source Information

Every two years, prospective grand and petit juror names are randomly drawn from two sources:

1. general election voter registration lists, and
2. the records of holders of drivers’ licenses and identification cards.

Those lists are then combined to create the Jury Wheel. A random selection of names from our Jury Wheel are then drawn and mailed a summons and directed to qualify for consideration of federal jury service. Citizen residents within the Eastern District of Washington, who are deemed qualified to serve as jurors based upon their answers to the questionnaire, are to serve a two-week on-call jury term.

Our Court's Jury Plan establishes how we select grand and petit juries at random from a fair cross-section of the community in the district wherein the court convenes.

Jury Service Overview - A brief animated video produced by the United States Courts

Contact the Jury Department