Such commissioners shall be immediately notified of their appointment by the clerk, and before entering upon the discharge of their duties shall take and subscribe an oath or affirmation before the clerk of such court in the following form: "I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will honestly, without favor or prejudice, perform the duties of jury commissioner during the year; that in selecting persons to be drawn as jurors, I will not select any person I believe to be disqualified or exempt from serving as a juror; that I will select none whom I have been requested to select; and that in all my selections I will endeavor to promote only the impartial administration of justice."
§ 8.01-344.Notification of jury commissioners; their oath.
Chapter 11. Juries · Article 3. Selection of Jurors · Last amended 1977 · Last verified July 16, 2026
In one sentenceRequires the clerk to notify newly appointed jury commissioners at once and requires each commissioner, before starting the job, to swear a statutory oath promising honest, unbiased selection that avoids disqualified, exempt, or specially requested persons, all in service of impartial justice.
Full Text of § 8.01-344
Plain-English Summary
Getting appointed as a jury commissioner comes with a promise, not just a title. As soon as the clerk notifies someone of their appointment, that person has to take an oath before starting the job, and the statute spells out the exact words.
The oath commits the commissioner to honesty and freedom from favor or prejudice, and — pointedly — to never select anyone believed to be disqualified or exempt, and never to select anyone who asked to be selected. That last promise mirrors the ban on soliciting jury placement found in § 8.01-339, giving the anti-manipulation rule a matching commitment on the commissioner’s side of the process.
The oath closes with a broader pledge: to make every selection in service of impartial justice alone, rather than any personal or political interest.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who administers the jury commissioner’s oath in Virginia?
The clerk of the court before which the commissioner will serve.
What does the oath forbid a jury commissioner from doing?
Selecting anyone the commissioner believes is disqualified or exempt from serving as a juror, and selecting anyone the commissioner has been requested to select.
When must a jury commissioner take this oath?
Before entering upon the discharge of the commissioner’s duties.
Does the statute give the exact wording of the oath?
Yes. The section quotes the required oath or affirmation verbatim.
Why does the oath include a promise not to select requested persons?
It reinforces the ban on soliciting jury placement set out in § 8.01-339, keeping selection free of favoritism.
Amendment History
Code 1950, § 8-208.9; 1973, c. 439; 1977, c. 617.
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
Also known as: virginia jury commissioner oathjury commissioner oath text virginia