The Orange County Superior Court is accepting applications for the next county grand jury, a one-year term that begins in July 2012.
The 19-member grand jury acts as watchdog over county government, schools and special districts. Grand jurors serve full time for one year.
“Past Grand Jury investigations have focused on timely issues such as compensation paid by Orange County cities, the condition and management of Orange County jails, and emergency preparedness of public schools,” according to the court announcement.
Deadline for applications is Jan. 13, 2012.
Applicants must be at least 18 years old, a U.S. citizen, an Orange County resident for at least one year and, according to the announcement, “sufficiently fluent in written and spoken English, and possessed of ordinary intelligence, sound judgment, and fair character.”
Jurors are paid $50 a day.
Qualified applicants will be interviewed by a panel of Superior Court judges and must undergo an Orange County Sheriff’s Department background check. Final selections will be made by random drawing from people nominated by the judges.
To download an application, view past reports or get more information, visit the grand jury website. Applications are also available at the jury commissioner’s office, Central Justice Center, 700 Civic Center Drive West in Santa Ana or by calling the grand jury hotline at 714-834-6747.