(a) Notwithstanding any other law, when a party to the litigation has deposited jury fees with the judge or clerk and that party waives a jury or obtains a continuance of the trial, or the case is settled, none of the deposit shall be refunded if the court finds there has been insufficient time to notify the jurors that the trial would not proceed at the time set. If the jury fees so deposited are not refunded for any of these reasons, or if a refund of jury fees deposited with the judge or clerk has not been requested, in writing, by the depositing party within 20 business days from the date on which the jury is waived or the action is settled, dismissed, or a continuance thereof granted, the fees shall be transmitted to the Controller for deposit into the Trial Court Trust Fund.
§ 631.3.Deposited Fees Not Refunded; Deposit of Fees In Trial Court Trust Fund
Title 8. Of the Trial and Judgment In Civil Actions · Chapter 5. Trial by the Court · Last amended 2012 · Last verified July 28, 2026
In one sentenceSection 631.3 keeps deposited jury fees unrefunded when there wasn't enough time to notify jurors that trial wouldn't proceed, requires a written refund request within 20 business days of a waiver, settlement, or continuance, and sends unclaimed or otherwise nonrefundable fees to the Trial Court Trust Fund.
Full Text of § 631.3
(b) All jury fees and mileage fees that may accrue by reason of a juror serving on more than one case in the same day shall be transmitted to the Controller for deposit into the Trial Court Trust Fund. All jury fees that were deposited with the court in advance of trial pursuant to Section 631 prior to January 1, 1999, and that remain on deposit in cases that were settled, dismissed, or otherwise disposed of, and three years have passed since the date the case was settled, dismissed, or otherwise disposed of, shall be transmitted to the Controller for deposit into the Trial Court Trust Fund.
Plain-English Summary
A party who deposits jury fees and then waives the jury, settles, or gets a continuance doesn't automatically get that money back. If the court finds there wasn't enough time to notify the jurors that trial wouldn't go forward as scheduled, none of the deposit is refunded. Even when a refund would otherwise be available, the depositing party has to ask for it in writing within 20 business days of the waiver, settlement, dismissal, or continuance — miss that window, and the fees go to the Controller for deposit into the Trial Court Trust Fund.
Subdivision (b) sweeps in fees that accrue because a juror served on more than one case the same day, and also closes out old deposits: fees deposited before January 1, 1999 that remain on hold in a case settled, dismissed, or otherwise disposed of for three years get transmitted to the Trust Fund as well. Subdivision (c) makes clear the separate $150 fee described in § 631(b) is nonrefundable and isn't governed by any of this section's refund procedures.
Frequently Asked Questions
When does a party lose the right to a refund of deposited jury fees?
When the court finds there wasn't enough time to notify jurors that trial wouldn't proceed as scheduled, or when the depositing party doesn't request a refund in writing within 20 business days of the jury waiver, settlement, dismissal, or continuance.
What happens to jury fees that aren't refunded?
They're transmitted to the Controller for deposit into the Trial Court Trust Fund.
Does this section cover the nonrefundable $150 fee under § 631(b)?
No. Subdivision (c) excludes that fee from this section's refund procedures because it's already nonrefundable by its own terms.
Amendment History
Amended by Stats 2012 ch 342 (AB 1481),s 2, eff. 9/17/2012. Amended by Stats 2012 ch 41 (SB 1021),s 4, eff. 6/27/2012. Amended by Stats 2000 ch 447 (SB 1533), s 2, eff. 1/1/2001. Amended by Stats 2001 ch 824 (AB 1700), s 9, eff. 1/1/2002.
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
Also known as: jury fee refund californiatrial court trust fund jury fees