All citizens over 18 years of age who have been residents of the Commonwealth one year, and of the county, city, or town in which they reside six months next preceding their being summoned to serve as such, and competent in other respects, except as hereinafter provided, shall be liable to serve as jurors. No person shall be deemed incompetent to serve on any jury because of a disability if such person would otherwise be competent to serve if provided reasonable accommodation. Military personnel of the United States Army, Air Force, Marine Corps, Coast Guard, Space Force, or Navy shall not be considered residents of this Commonwealth by reason of their being stationed herein.
§ 8.01-337.Who liable to serve as jurors.
Chapter 11. Juries · Article 2. Jurors · Last amended 2026 · Last verified July 16, 2026
In one sentenceSets the baseline eligibility for Virginia jury service: citizens at least 18 years old who have lived in the Commonwealth a year and their county, city, or town six months, competent apart from later disqualifications, with disability alone not a bar when reasonable accommodation would allow service, and stationed military not counted as residents.
Full Text of § 8.01-337
Plain-English Summary
Virginia sets the floor for jury eligibility in plain terms: a citizen must be at least 18, have lived in the Commonwealth for a year, and have lived in the county, city, or town where summoned for six months before being called. Beyond that, the person has to be competent in other respects — this section does not spell out every disqualifying condition, leaving that to the sections that follow.
The section also makes a point of inclusion: a disability alone does not make someone incompetent to serve if reasonable accommodation would let that person serve. And it clarifies a residency wrinkle for military families — soldiers, sailors, and other service members stationed in Virginia do not become Virginia residents for jury purposes just because they are stationed here.
Meeting these baseline requirements does not guarantee a summons. The jury commissioners still have to run names through the disqualification and exemption rules in the sections that follow before anyone lands on an actual jury list.
Frequently Asked Questions
How old must someone be to serve on a jury in Virginia?
At least 18 years of age.
How long must a person have lived in Virginia and their locality to be liable for jury service?
One year as a resident of the Commonwealth, and six months as a resident of the county, city, or town where they are summoned.
Can someone be excluded from jury service solely because of a disability?
No. No person is deemed incompetent to serve because of a disability if that person would otherwise be competent to serve if provided reasonable accommodation.
Does a service member stationed in Virginia count as a resident for jury duty?
No. Military personnel of the Army, Air Force, Marine Corps, Coast Guard, Space Force, or Navy are not considered residents of the Commonwealth merely because they are stationed here.
Does satisfying these requirements guarantee a person will be summoned for jury duty?
No. This section only sets the baseline liability to serve; other sections in the chapter list disqualifications and exemptions that still apply.
Amendment History
Code 1950, § 8-208.2; 1973, c. 439; 1977, c. 617; 1987, c. 189; 2014, c. 595; 2024, c. 817; 2026, c. 198.
Source & verification. Section text and amendment history are
reproduced verbatim from the Code of Virginia, published by the
Code of Virginia, Virginia Division of Legislative Automated Systems. Last verified July 16, 2026.
· Official source
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