A juror response form, formally called a Juror Qualification Questionnaire, is the screening document a court mails to randomly selected residents to decide whether they’re legally eligible for jury duty. If one showed up in your mailbox, fill it out truthfully, sign it, and return it by the deadline printed on the form — usually within ten days of receipt.1United States District Court Northern District of Alabama. Juror Qualification Questionnaire Receiving one does not mean you’ve been picked for a jury. It means the court needs to find out whether you qualify.
Who Needs to Qualify
Federal law sets the baseline, and most state courts use similar criteria. To be qualified for jury service, you must be a U.S. citizen, at least 18 years old, a resident of the judicial district for at least one year, able to read, write, speak, and understand English well enough to follow court proceedings, and free of any pending charge or unreversed conviction for a crime punishable by more than one year in prison (unless your civil rights have been restored). A physical or mental condition that would prevent effective service also disqualifies you.2Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 28 US Code 1865 – Qualifications for Jury Service The questionnaire asks about each of these points, and your answers are what the clerk uses to sort you into qualified, disqualified, or excused.
Filling Out the Form
The questionnaire itself is short, but accuracy matters because you sign it under penalty of perjury. Work through it in order.
Personal Information
The top of the form asks for your full legal name, current home address, date of birth, and contact information (phone and sometimes email). The court uses these to verify your identity against its source records and to reach you with scheduling updates. If you’ve moved since the form was mailed, write in your new address and note the change clearly.
Qualification Questions
A series of yes-or-no questions walks through the eligibility criteria: citizenship, age, residency, English proficiency, and criminal history. Answer every question. Leaving a field blank doesn’t protect you; it just delays processing and may trigger a follow-up letter or an order to appear before the clerk in person.3Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 28 USC 1864 – Drawing of Names From the Master Jury Wheel; Completion of Juror Qualification Form Federal forms also ask you to identify your race, which is used solely to let courts monitor the selection process for discrimination.
Signature
Sign and date the form. Your signature certifies under penalty of perjury that every answer is truthful. Deliberately lying on a qualification questionnaire — whether to dodge service or to get picked for a jury — can bring a fine of up to $1,000, up to three days in jail, community service, or any combination of those penalties.3Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 28 USC 1864 – Drawing of Names From the Master Jury Wheel; Completion of Juror Qualification Form A knowingly false statement to a federal court can also be prosecuted separately under the general false-statements statute, which carries up to five years of imprisonment.4Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 18 US Code 1001 – Statements or Entries Generally
Asking to Be Excused, Deferred, or Exempted
The form includes a section where you can request an excuse, a deferral, or claim an exemption.
Three groups are automatically exempt from federal jury service: active-duty members of the armed forces or National Guard, full-time professional firefighters and police officers, and public officers actively engaged in government duties.5United States Courts. Juror Qualifications, Exemptions and Excuses If you fall into one of those categories, check the box and briefly describe your role.
If you don’t qualify for an exemption but face a genuine hardship — caring for a dependent with no alternative childcare, attending school full-time, or dealing with a medical condition — explain the situation in the space provided and attach any supporting documentation the form requests. Courts take legitimate hardships seriously, but a vague “I’m busy at work” rarely gets approved. A deferral is often easier to obtain than a full excuse because it just moves your service to a later date rather than eliminating the obligation. Through the eJuror portal, you can even select your preferred alternate date if the deferral is granted.6United States Courts. Summoned for Federal Jury Service
If you have a disability that requires an accommodation, such as a sign language interpreter, a wheelchair-accessible courtroom, or large-print materials, note it on the form and contact the jury commissioner listed on your summons as early as possible. Courts are required to provide reasonable accommodations, and flagging the need early gives them time to arrange it.
How to Send It Back
You have two options: mail or the eJuror online portal.
By Mail
Your packet includes a pre-addressed, postage-paid return envelope. Seal the completed form inside and drop it in the mail well before the deadline. Most federal courts require the form back within ten days of receipt.1United States District Court Northern District of Alabama. Juror Qualification Questionnaire State court deadlines vary but are printed on the form or the accompanying instructions.
Through eJuror
Most federal courts offer eJuror, an online portal that lets you complete the questionnaire electronically. To log in, you need the nine-digit participant number printed on your summons, the first three letters of your last name, and your date of birth. The questionnaire takes roughly ten minutes. Finish it in one sitting, because the system does not save partial responses if you close the browser.6United States Courts. Summoned for Federal Jury Service eJuror also lets you check your reporting schedule, submit excuse or deferral requests, and update your personal information later if anything changes.
Whether you submit by mail or online, keep a copy of the completed form or save the confirmation number the portal generates. That record is your proof of compliance if the court ever questions whether you responded.
What Happens After You Submit
Once the court processes your questionnaire, one of three things happens: you’re found qualified and placed in the jury pool, you’re disqualified based on your answers, or your excuse or deferral request is granted. Being qualified does not mean you’ll be called right away. Your name stays in the pool, and you may receive a separate summons weeks or months later directing you to appear at a specific courthouse on a specific date. Even then, going through the selection process in the courtroom doesn’t guarantee you’ll sit on a trial.
What Happens If You Ignore the Form
Courts treat a missing questionnaire the same way they treat a no-show. If you don’t return the form, the clerk can order you to appear in person to fill it out. Ignore that follow-up, and a judge can order you to show up and explain why. If you still don’t appear or can’t show good cause for ignoring the summons, federal penalties include a fine of up to $1,000, up to three days in jail, community service, or any combination of the three.3Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 28 USC 1864 – Drawing of Names From the Master Jury Wheel; Completion of Juror Qualification Form State courts impose their own penalties, which can be higher or lower. The process is typically slow and escalating, but the authority to fine and jail non-respondents is real and does get used.
Spotting Jury Duty Scams
Scammers regularly impersonate court officials by phone, email, or text, claiming you missed jury duty and now face arrest unless you pay. Everything they say is designed to extract money or personal information like Social Security numbers and credit card details.7United States Courts. Juror Scams A few things to keep in mind:
- Federal courts contact prospective jurors by U.S. mail, not by phone, email, or text. A call threatening immediate arrest for missing jury duty is a scam.
- No real court official will ask you to buy gift cards, prepaid debit cards, or money orders to settle a “fine.” Actual fines are imposed by a judge in a courtroom after a hearing.
- A genuine questionnaire asks for your name, address, and eligibility details, never your bank account or credit card number.
- Caller ID can be faked. A call that appears to come from a local courthouse number means nothing.
If a call seems suspicious, hang up. Then look up the courthouse number independently from the court’s official website or directory assistance (not from anything the caller gave you) and verify your jury status directly with the clerk’s office.