In criminal cases only, while the jury is kept together, either during the progress of the trial or after their retirement for deliberation, the court may direct the sheriff or marshal to provide the jury with suitable and sufficient food and lodging, or other reasonable necessities. The expenses incurred under this section shall be charged against the Trial Court Operations Fund of the county in which the court is held. All those expenses shall be paid on the order of the court.
§ 217.Criminal cases; Provision of food and lodging
Title 3. Persons Specially Invested With Powers of a Judicial Nature · Chapter 1. Trial Jury Selection and Management Act · Last amended 2002 · Last verified July 28, 2026
In one sentenceSection 217 addresses the provision of food and lodging for a jury in a criminal case, with expenses paid on the court’s order.
Full Text of § 217
Plain-English Summary
Section 217 covers what happens when a criminal jury needs to be kept together, whether during deliberations or otherwise, and food or lodging becomes necessary. The section provides for that arrangement, with the resulting expenses paid on the order of the court.
This is a criminal-case provision within the Trial Jury Selection and Management Act; the chapter’s civil-jury sections do not carry an equivalent food-and-lodging rule.
Official Comment
The following official comments are published by the California Law Revision Commission (and, for a few older sections, its predecessor Code Commissioners) alongside the statute itself — not commentary from this site.
1998 Law Revision Commission Comment. Section 217 is amended to reflect the elimination of the justice court. Cal. Const. art. VI, §§ 1, 5(b).
2002 Law Revision Commission Comment. Section 217 is amended to reflect unification of the municipal and superior courts pursuant to Article VI, Section 5(e), of the California Constitution. The section is also amended to reflect enactment of the Trial Court Funding Act. See Gov’t Code §§ 77003 (“court operations” defined), 77009 (Trial Court Operations Fund), 77200 (state funding of trial court operations).
Frequently Asked Questions
Does California law provide for feeding or housing a jury during deliberations?
Section 217 addresses food and lodging for a jury in a criminal case, with expenses paid on the court’s order.
Does Section 217 apply to civil juries?
Section 217 is written for criminal cases; it is not a civil-jury food-and-lodging provision.
Who pays for a jury’s food and lodging under Section 217?
The expenses are paid on the order of the court.
Amendment History
Added Stats 1988 ch 1245 § 2. Amended Stats 1996 ch 872 § 9 (AB 3472); Stats 1998 ch 931 § 55 (SB 2139), effective September 28, 1998; Stats 2002 ch 784 § 49 (SB 1316).
Source & verification. Section text is reproduced verbatim from
the Deering's California Codes Annotated / vLex. Enacted by the California Legislature.
Last verified July 28, 2026.
· Official source
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