§ 237.Names of qualified jurors made available to public; Petition for access to records; Notice; Hearing; Violations
Title 3. Persons Specially Invested With Powers of a Judicial Nature · Chapter 1. Trial Jury Selection and Management Act · Last amended 1996 · Last verified July 28, 2026
In one sentenceSection 237 lets anyone petition the court, after a criminal jury verdict, for access to sealed personal juror identifying information on a showing of good cause, requires notice to affected former jurors, and lets the court weigh a compelling interest against disclosure, such as protection from threats or harm.
(1)The names of qualified jurors drawn from the qualified juror list for the superior court shall be made available to the public upon request unless the court determines that a compelling interest, as defined in subdivision (b), requires that this information should be kept confidential or its use limited in whole or in part.
(2)Upon the recording of a jury’s verdict in a criminal jury proceeding, the court’s record of personal juror identifying information of trial jurors, as defined in Section 194, consisting of names, addresses, and telephone numbers, shall be sealed until further order of the court as provided by this section.
(3)For purposes of this section, “sealed” or “sealing” means extracting or otherwise removing the personal juror identifying information from the court record.
(4)This subdivision applies only to cases in which a jury verdict was returned on or after January 1, 1996.
(b)Any person may petition the court for access to these records. The petition shall be supported by a declaration that includes facts sufficient to establish good cause for the release of the juror’s personal identifying information. The court shall set the matter for hearing if the petition and supporting declaration establish a prima facie showing of good cause for the release of the personal juror identifying information, but shall not set the matter for hearing if there is a showing on the record of facts that establish a compelling interest against disclosure. A compelling interest includes, but is not limited to, protecting jurors from threats or danger of physical harm. If the court does not set the matter for hearing, the court shall by minute order set forth the reasons and make express findings either of a lack of a prima facie showing of good cause or the presence of a compelling interest against disclosure.
(c)If a hearing is set pursuant to subdivision (b), the petitioner shall provide notice of the petition and the time and place of the hearing at least 20 days prior to the date of the hearing to the parties in the criminal action. The court shall provide notice to each affected former juror by personal service or by first-class mail, addressed to the last known address of the former juror as shown in the records of the court. In a capital case, the petitioner shall also serve notice on the Attorney General. Any affected former juror may appear in person, in writing, by telephone, or by counsel to protest the granting of the petition. A former juror who wishes to appear at the hearing to oppose the unsealing of the personal juror identifying information may request the court to close the hearing in order to protect the former juror’s anonymity.
(d)After the hearing, the records shall be made available as requested in the petition, unless a former juror’s protest to the granting of the petition is sustained. The court shall sustain the protest of the former juror if, in the discretion of the court, the petitioner fails to show good cause, the record establishes the presence of a compelling interest against disclosure as defined in subdivision (b), or the juror is unwilling to be contacted by the petitioner. The court shall set forth reasons and make express findings to support the granting or denying of the petition to disclose. The court may require the person to whom disclosure is made, or his or her agent or employee, to agree not to divulge jurors’ identities or identifying information to others; the court may otherwise limit disclosure in any manner it deems appropriate.
(e)Any court employee who has legal access to personal juror identifying information sealed under subdivision (a), who discloses the information, knowing it to be a violation of this section or a court order issued under this section, is guilty of a misdemeanor.
(f)Any person who intentionally solicits another to unlawfully access or disclose personal juror identifying information contained in records sealed under subdivision (a), knowing that the records have been sealed, or who, knowing that the information was unlawfully secured, intentionally discloses it to another person is guilty of a misdemeanor.
Plain-English Summary
Section 237 governs access to jurors’ personal identifying information, names, addresses, and telephone numbers, after a criminal jury returns a verdict. That information is sealed until further order of the court, and this section applies to verdicts returned on or after January 1, 1996.
Anyone may petition for access, supported by a declaration establishing good cause for release. The court sets the matter for hearing if the petition makes a prima facie showing of good cause, unless the record already shows a compelling interest against disclosure, such as protecting jurors from threats or danger of physical harm; if the court declines to set a hearing, it must state its reasons and make express findings. Where a hearing is set, the petitioner must give at least 20 days’ notice to the parties in the criminal case and, in a capital case, to the Attorney General, and the court must notify each affected former juror, who may appear, in person, in writing, by phone, or through counsel, to protest, including a request to close the hearing to protect the former juror’s anonymity.
After the hearing, the court releases the requested records unless a former juror’s protest is sustained for lack of good cause, a compelling interest against disclosure, or the juror’s unwillingness to be contacted, and the court must state its reasons either way. Disclosure can come with conditions, such as an agreement not to divulge a juror’s identity further, and improperly disclosing or soliciting access to sealed juror information is a misdemeanor.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a criminal defendant get a juror’s address after trial?
Only through the § 237 petition process, on a showing of good cause, and only where a compelling interest against disclosure, such as protecting the juror from harm, does not outweigh it.
Does a juror get notice before their information is released?
Yes. The court must notify each affected former juror, who may appear and protest the release, including asking the court to close the hearing to preserve anonymity.
Is it a crime to improperly access or disclose sealed juror information?
Yes. Section 237(e) and (f) make unauthorized disclosure, and intentionally soliciting unlawful access to sealed juror information, a misdemeanor.
Does Section 237 apply to civil jury verdicts?
Section 237’s sealing and petition procedure is framed around a criminal jury proceeding and applies to verdicts returned on or after January 1, 1996.
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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