If you’ve received a Dallas County jury summons, respond through the online questionnaire using the juror number and date of birth printed on the notice, and do it before your reporting date. Ignoring the summons can cost you up to $1,000, even if you turn out to be ineligible or entitled to an exemption. The questionnaire is where you confirm eligibility, claim an exemption, or ask to defer.
How to Respond
Your summons arrives by first-class mail and includes your juror number and reporting date.1Dallas County. Dallas County Juror Handbook Log into the Dallas County Jury Services online portal with that number and your date of birth and complete the mandatory questionnaire. The questionnaire is where you provide your eligibility information, claim any exemption, and request a postponement if you need one.
Dallas County will let you defer to a later date if the assigned date creates a genuine hardship. You pick the new date through the portal. A deferral is a reschedule, not a release. The new date is just as mandatory as the first.
Who Cannot Serve
Texas law sets the qualifications: at least 18 years old, a U.S. citizen, a resident of Texas and of Dallas County, of sound mind, able to read and write, and qualified to vote in Dallas County. A felony conviction or a misdemeanor theft conviction disqualifies you, and so does being under indictment for either.2State of Texas. Texas Code Government Code 62.102 – General Qualifications for Jury Service
One disqualification catches people off guard: if you’ve already served as a juror within the preceding three months in county court or six months in district court, you cannot be called again yet.2State of Texas. Texas Code Government Code 62.102 – General Qualifications for Jury Service Note it on the questionnaire and you’ll be excused.
Who Can Opt Out
Even if you qualify, Texas law lets certain people decline. An exemption is a right to say no; a disqualification is a bar on serving. Either way, you must still respond to the summons and claim the exemption on the online questionnaire.
- Age 70 or older.
- Currently enrolled in and attending high school, college, or university.
- Legal custodian of a child under 12 whose service would leave the child without adequate supervision.
- Primary caretaker of a person unable to care for themselves due to a mental or physical condition.
- Officer or employee of the Texas Senate or House of Representatives.
Select the applicable exemption in the portal and you’ll receive confirmation of your status.
Reporting to the Courthouse
If the online system tells you to report, your summons will send you to the Central Jury Room at either the George Allen, Sr. Courts Building or the Frank Crowley Courts Building. Check your reporting status on the Dallas County Jury Services website, by email, or by text one to two days before your date. Some summonses list you as “Standby,” which means you may not need to come in at all depending on the day’s caseload.
Plan to arrive about 45 minutes early. You must be in the Central Jury Room by 8:00 a.m., and security screening takes time.3Dallas County. Courthouse Procedures Weapons, explosives, and recording devices are prohibited. Dress as you would for a job interview. No shorts, no tank tops, nothing with offensive graphics.
How Long You’ll Serve and What You’ll Be Paid
Dallas County uses a One Day/One Trial system. If you report and aren’t selected for a trial panel, you’re done. If you haven’t received a court assignment by 4:30 p.m. on your reporting day, you’ll be dismissed and won’t need to return.4Dallas County. Jury System
If you’re seated on a trial, you serve until it ends. Most county-level cases finish in a few days; complex cases run longer. Dallas County pays $6 for the first day and $40 for each additional day, mailed after your service ends.
What Your Employer Can and Cannot Do
Texas law prohibits your employer from firing you, threatening to fire you, or retaliating against you because you served on a jury or attended court in connection with jury service. If you are fired, you have the right to return to the same position you held before the summons, provided you notify your employer of your intent to return as soon as practical after your service ends.5State of Texas. Texas Code Civil Practice and Remedies Code 122.001 – Protection of Jurors Employment
Neither Texas nor federal law requires a private employer to pay your regular wages during jury service. Many larger employers do so voluntarily. If yours pays your salary and asks you to hand over the county’s jury check in return, that arrangement is common and legal.
If You Are Not a U.S. Citizen
Non-citizens, including green card holders, cannot serve. You still have to respond to the summons; ignoring it can trigger fines regardless of citizenship status. Answer “No” to the citizenship question on the questionnaire. If the form asks for an alien registration number and you don’t have one, write “not applicable.” The Dallas County Jury Commissioner’s Office assembles juries of eligible citizens and does not report anyone to immigration authorities.
Watch Out for Jury Duty Scams
Scammers pose as court officials and call, email, or text people claiming they missed jury duty and now face arrest unless they pay a “fine” by gift card, wire transfer, or cryptocurrency. Real courts do not call demanding payment, and they do not ask for Social Security numbers by phone or email.6United States Courts. Juror Scams Legitimate summonses come by U.S. mail. If someone contacts you claiming to be from the Dallas County courts and pressures you for money or personal data, hang up and verify your status directly through the Dallas County Jury Services website or by calling the Jury Services office.