WILLITS, 4/15/21 — The Mendocino County Civil Grand Jury is now accepting applications to serve. Unlike in some other states, or at the federal level, the Civil Grand Jury is not tasked with indicting people of crimes, rather it acts as an indepedent citizen-watchdog body, providing oversight to the local government and highlighting problems.
You can obtain an application at the Ukiah courthouse, 100 North State Street, Rm. 303, or call Grand
Jury at (707) 463-4320.
Here is the notice from the Grand Jury:
All qualified citizens interested in serving on the 2021/2022 Mendocino County Civil Grand Jury are invited to
submit their applications to the Superior Court for consideration,” announced the Honorable Jeanine B. Nadel,
Presiding Judge of the Civil Grand Jury. The deadline for application submission is Friday, May 28, 2021. The
2021/2022 Grand Jury will be sworn in at the end of June, 2021.
Service on the Civil Grand Jury is an excellent opportunity to learn about the inner workings of government while
providing a valuable service to the community. The 19 members of the Civil Grand Jury serve for one year and
are empowered to investigate the operations of county, city and district governments; provide civil oversight of
local government departments and agencies; and respond to citizen complaints. The Civil Grand Jury sets its own
agenda and meeting schedule. Much of the work is performed in small committees allowing for considerable
flexibility in the work schedule and meeting locations.
To attract more residents from the geographically distant regions of Mendocino County, the Civil Grand Jury is
making it possible for interested members of the public to participate in a safe environment. The Civil Grand
Jury will implement remote meeting protocols to maximize participation while reducing the demand for travel.
Grand Jurors are compensated $25 per full panel meeting, $10 per committee meeting and committee attendance
at public meetings. Mileage is reimbursed at the current County of Mendocino rate. There is free onsite parking.
Prior to being nominated, each qualifying applicant is interviewed by a Superior Court judge. Training for Grand
Jurors will be provided in early July 2021 either remotely or in the County offices.
To serve as a Civil Grand Juror, the following requirements must be met:
- At least 18 years of age
- United States citizen
- Resident of Mendocino County for at least one year
- Sufficiently fluent in written and spoken English
- Not currently serving on any other governmental board or commission during the term
- Not presently holding a public office
- Not personally active in any campaign of a candidate for elective office
- Computer skills highly desirable
Applications and related information are available on the Internet at: Grand Jury (ca.gov). The application may
also be obtained in person at the Superior Court, 100 North State Street, Rm. 303, Ukiah or by calling the Grand
Jury at (707) 463-4320.
For more information contact:
Kim Weston, Administrative Assistant
Superior Court of California, County of Mendocino
100 N. State Street, Room 303
Ukiah, CA 954825
(707) 467-6437