Jury Duty Question

[Anonymous]

I have Fairfax County jury duty on Monday. Can I bring my laptop for while I’m waiting? It’s not an ideal time but I’ve deferred too many times and need to just get it over with.

[Anonymous]

I have jury duty coming up in May. I don't know the answer to your question for sure, but I think it is no. The jury duty FAQs say this:

While efforts are made to reduce delay and avoid waiting time, you may have to wait a while at the courthouse before you find out whether you have been chosen to actually sit on a jury. You should bring a book or other quiet activity; solve a crossword puzzle; write a letter; sketch a picture; or get to know your fellow Jurors.

Note how they say nothing about wi-fi...and suggest "write a letter" instead of "catch up on emails."

[Anonymous]

Yes, you can. At least you could when I went last year. I was there until about 3:30 and I was never selected so I was glad I’d brought my laptop!

[Anonymous]

I was on a jury in 2019 for five days. I took my laptop every day to the jury room and worked in between breaks and sessions. Obviously left it in the jury room along with all of our other possessions during trial.

[Anonymous]

I thought you're not even allowed to bring a phone. There should be a FAQ.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I thought you're not even allowed to bring a phone. There should be a FAQ.

A long time ago when I served, that was the case. I’m pretty sure they’ve since changed the rules and you now can bring one.

Federal Grand Jury, on the other hand, still forbids it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I thought you're not even allowed to bring a phone. There should be a FAQ.

Usually you can’t have any electronic device on in the actual courtroom, like during voir dire. But in the waiting rooms you can have a phone, laptop, Kindle, etc.