Civil Grand Jury Service in California

What It Is, How It Works, and Why You Should Consider Serving

In California, each county convenes a Civil Grand Jury annually. The term typically begins on July 1 and runs through June 30 of the following year.

On May 18, the Plumas Sun published a notice that Plumas County is seeking volunteers for the 2025–2026 Civil Grand Jury:
🔗 Plumas County Civil Grand Jury Seeks Volunteers

I hope this post shines a light on the Grand Jury process and encourages you to consider serving.

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What Is a Grand Jury vs. a Trial Jury?

There are several types of grand juries—civil, criminal, county, state, and federal. For this post, I’m focusing on the County Civil Grand Jury process in California.

A Civil or Criminal Grand Jury is different from a civil or criminal trial jury.

In California, criminal grand juries are rare. They are typically convened to consider whether to indict a person accused of a crime. Most criminal cases instead go through a preliminary hearing, where a judge determines if there is probable cause to proceed.

A prosecutor might opt for a criminal grand jury when:

• The case is highly sensitive or politically charged

• Witnesses are vulnerable or incarcerated

• The process needs to be faster or more private

• A public official is involved

Federal grand juries are more common. The jury usually serves for a year and review multiple cases.

In some other states, criminal grand juries are required by law, typically for felony cases. Indictments from these juries don’t have to be unanimous; a two-thirds or three-quarters vote is often sufficient.

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What Is a Civil Grand Jury?

A Civil Grand Jury in California acts as a local government watchdog. Jurors investigate and report on the operations of:

• County departments

• Special districts

• School districts

Their work can lead to official findings and recommendations, which public agencies are required to respond to in writing. However, there are no repercussions if the responding agencies do not respond or if they respond but do not make any recommended adjustments.

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Who Can Serve?

According to California Penal Code §893, you must:

• Be a U.S. citizen

• Be at least 18 years old

• Have lived in the county for at least one year

• Have ordinary intelligence, sound judgment, and good character

• Be proficient in English

You’re ineligible if:

• You’re currently serving as a trial juror

• You served on a grand jury within the last year (though in Plumas County, it’s not unusual to serve two consecutive terms with the judge’s approval)

• You’ve been convicted of a felony or malfeasance in office

• You hold elected office

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My Experience in Plumas County

When I was selected, I received a jury summons with a small stamp noting it was for Grand Jury service. I reported to the courthouse in Quincy with about 100 others. After filling out a brief survey and waiting (I was number 95—yes, I counted), I had a short interview with the presiding judge and the jury foreperson.

Since I had a strong interest in serving, I had reviewed past Grand Jury reports on the county’s website and discussed that with the judge. A week later, I received a letter confirming my selection and my swearing-in date.

We began in July with a three-day training from the California Grand Jurors’ Association. We started with 19 jurors. Over the course of the year, a few stepped down for personal reasons; we finished with 17. During my second year, we again began with 19 and ended with 14.

It’s true that most participants are older or retired, but we also had a couple of people in their 20s, which was refreshing. While it can be difficult for full-time workers to serve, I encourage you to consider whether accommodations might be possible with your employer. Your participation matters.

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How It Works

Once empaneled:

• We selected a Foreperson Pro-Tem and a Correspondence Secretary

• We brainstormed investigation topics - some based on public complaints

• We split into groups to research and conduct interviews

• We met twice a month in person, but most of the work (research, interviews, report writing) happened outside those meetings

Jurors can only investigate issues within the Grand Jury’s jurisdiction - that includes county departments, school districts, and special districts (like fire or water districts). State or federal agencies - such as the California Highway Patrol or the US Forest Service - are outside its scope.

Plumas County has only one incorporated city, Portola, and it does fall within the Grand Jury’s purview.

Some recent Plumas County Civil Grand Jury topics include:

• The elections process

• Child Protective Services

• Department head pay transparency

• Unfunded pension liabilities

(Note: No jury was empaneled in 2020–21 due to COVID. The 2021–22 jury did not submit a report.)

The presiding judge and District Attorney act as advisors and can help with legal issues or compelling witness testimony by subpoenas. In our case, we didn’t need subpoenas, but knowing those resources were available was helpful.

All interviews, complaints, and jury discussions are confidential. Once the final report is released at the end of the term, jurors may speak publicly about the findings—but not about internal deliberations.

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Why You Should Consider Serving

In the 2023–2024 report, A Call for Accountability – Putting the Public’s Interest First, the Jury observed:

“The Board of Supervisors and the Chief Administrative Officer have no authority over any elected official who is accountable only to the public. This places a greater obligation on the public to understand how the county’s financial system is continuing to decline and how citizens are impacted.”
(Emphasis mine)

This is a powerful reminder of how essential citizen oversight is.

Serving on the Civil Grand Jury offers a rare opportunity to:

• Learn how your local government functions

• Contribute meaningfully to transparency and accountability

• Use your unique skills - whether writing, interviewing, researching, or organizing

It’s not a paid job - you receive a small daily stipend and mileage - but the experience is deeply rewarding.

If you’re curious, responsible, and want to make a difference, please consider applying by contacting the Plumas Superior Court of California at the Quincy courthouse via email at pscgr@plumas.courts.ca.gov or phone 530-283-6016. You never know what skills or insights you might have that would benefit the Plumas County Grand Jury.

And if you’re not interested in serving, at least read the reports. If there is a 2024-2025 report, it should be out any day now. They’re a valuable public resource that may shine a light on issues needing attention.

If you have any questions, feel free to leave a comment or send me a message. I’ll answer what I can.

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