Applicants Sought for Grand Jury

The search is on for the 30 residents of Ventura County who will become its next grand jury.

Court administrator Sheila Gonzalez says the courts are seeking nominations for the yearlong, $20-per-day, full-time job, which will begin July 1.

“We usually get a hundred or so applicants,” said program supervisor Barbara Perez. Superior Court judges then winnow the applications down to 19 jurors and 11 alternates.

To be considered for the panel,applicants must be U.S. citizens 18 years or older, must have lived in Ventura County for at least one year and must never have been convicted of a felony or malfeasance in office, Perez said.

Functions of the grand jury might include investigating aspects of county or city government, participating in fiscal or management audits and hearing indictment proceedings for the district attorney’s office. Perez said no prior expertise in these areas is necessary to apply.

For more information or to get an application, call Jury Services at 654-5025 during business hours or stop by the jury assembly room, Room 113 in the Hall of Justice at the Government Center, 800 S. Victoria Ave. in Ventura.