What other laws & restrictions apply to all people on state parole?
Additional laws and restrictions that apply to you and all people on state parole are:
- YOU CANNOT VOTE WHILE ON STATE PAROLE — In California, people who are on state parole (or currently incarcerated in state or federal prison) cannot vote in any elections.[436] Outside of California, people with felony convictions may vote in some elections but not others. Voting laws vary by state, so if you ever move to a new state, you should look into that state’s voting requirements. (To learn more about voting rights, see PG. 68 in the ID & VOTING CHAPTER.)
IMPORTANT VOTING RIGHTS UPDATE!
While you still cannot vote in state prison or on state parole, a new law allows many more people to vote in California with criminal records—learn more on PG. 68 of the ID & VOTING CHAPTER.
- YOU CANNOT SERVE ON A JURY WHILE ON STATE PAROLE — In California, people with felony convictions cannot serve on juries, even after they have been discharged from parole.[437] This means you may not be able to serve on a jury for the rest of your life (unless the law changes).
Is there any way to get back my right to serve on a jury?
Possibly. Depending on your situation, you might be able to:
- Have your felony reduced to a misdemeanor (misdemeanors don’t prevent you from serving on a jury in California); or
- Apply for a Certificate of Rehabilitation (COR), which automatically includes an application for a Governor’s Pardon. A COR won’t restore your right to serve on a jury, but a Pardon will.
- Apply directly for a Governor’s Pardon, which will restore your right to serve on a jury.[438]
- (For more information on all three of these possible remedies, see the UNDERSTANDING & CLEANING UP YOUR CRIMINAL RECORD CHAPTER, beginning on PG. 931.)
- YOU CANNOT BE ON PRISON GROUNDS WITHOUT APPROVAL WHILE ON STATE PAROLE — In California, it is a crime for a former prisoner to be on prison grounds for any reason without the warden’s prior approval.[439] To obtain permission to visit, you must get written approval from your parole agent and send it to the warden, along with a letter requesting the warden’s permission and a completed visiting questionnaire (CDCR Form 106, see Appendix O, PG. 287).[440]
Helpful Hint: GENERAL VS. SPECIAL CONDITIONSWhat conditions beyond “general conditions” could be imposed on me?
There are both discretionary special conditions that your parole agent can impose on you as long as these conditions meet certain legal standards (see PG. 257), and also mandatory special conditions that are imposed on certain categories of individuals, as required by state law. Keep reading to learn about special conditions.
- 436
Cal. Const. art. II, § 4; Cal. Elec. Code § 2150. ↑
- 437
Cal. Code Civ. Proc. § 203(a)(5). The California Supreme Court has upheld this restriction. See Rubio v. Superior Court, 24 Cal. 3d 93 (1979) (holding that there is no fundamental right to serve on a jury and that excluding ex-felons from juries does not violate the Equal Protection Clause because the prohibition is rationally related to the state goal of assuring impartial verdicts). ↑
- 438
See Cal. Penal Code § 4853; Cal. Code Civ. Proc. § 203(a)(5). ↑
- 439
Cal. Penal Code § 4571. ↑
- 440
15 Cal. Code Regs. §§ 3172(d), 3172.1(b)(4)-(5). ↑