A lost jury duty summons doesn’t excuse you from appearing. The summons is a court order, and the obligation stands whether or not you still have the paper. Call the court that sent it, confirm your reporting date, and plan to show up. That one call solves the problem.
How to Recover Your Reporting Details
Call the clerk of court or jury commissioner’s office in the county or federal district where you’re registered to vote or hold a driver’s license. That’s almost always the court that summoned you. If you aren’t sure which court issued the summons, start with your county courthouse. Phone numbers are on the judiciary’s website for your area, usually under a “jury services” or “juror information” tab.
When you call, expect to verify your identity with your full name, date of birth, address, and possibly the last four digits of your Social Security number or driver’s license number. The clerk can then pull up your reporting date, time, courthouse location, and juror identification number. Write it all down this time.
Many courts also run online juror portals where you can look up your status, complete a qualification questionnaire, or confirm your reporting date using personal identifiers. Federal courts offer the eJuror program for this purpose. If you can’t reach anyone by phone, the court’s website is a solid backup. Losing the paper doesn’t erase your record in the court’s system. Your information is still there.
What Happens If You Don’t Show Up
Courts don’t treat a lost letter the way your employer treats a lost memo. Ignoring a summons can trigger real penalties. In federal court, a person who fails to appear can be ordered to show up and explain why. If the court finds the excuse inadequate, the penalty is a fine of up to $1,000, up to three days in jail, community service, or any combination of those consequences.1Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 28 USC 1866 – Selection of Petit Juries
State courts set their own penalties. Fines for a first-time no-show generally range from $100 to $1,000 depending on the jurisdiction. A handful of states authorize short jail stays for repeat offenders or people who ignore follow-up orders. Actual incarceration is rare, but the process that follows a no-show is stressful and avoidable.
Before any penalty kicks in, the court typically sends a follow-up notice or issues what’s called an “order to show cause.” That’s a formal demand to appear and explain why you didn’t comply with the original summons. The federal statute specifically authorizes this step before imposing fines or jail time.1Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 28 USC 1866 – Selection of Petit Juries If you receive one, take it seriously. Showing up and honestly explaining that you lost the summons and are willing to serve is usually enough to resolve the situation without punishment. Courts are more interested in getting you into the jury pool than in punishing you.
Rescheduling or Being Excused
Once you’ve confirmed your reporting details, you may be able to postpone your service if the date creates a genuine conflict. Most courts allow at least one postponement, and many allow two, within a set window from your original date. You can usually request this through the court’s online portal, by phone, or in writing.
Courts commonly accept a pre-planned vacation, a medical procedure, a work conflict that would cause significant hardship, or recent prior jury service as grounds for postponement. You don’t always need to provide a specific reason for a first postponement. Some courts let you pick a new date within the allowed window and get automatic confirmation.
Full excusal is a higher bar. Under federal law, active-duty military members, police officers, firefighters, and certain public officials are exempt from jury service. Beyond those categorical exemptions, federal courts can excuse individuals whose service would cause “undue hardship or extreme inconvenience.”2Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 28 USC 1863 – Plan for Random Jury Selection State courts handle excusals differently, but serious medical conditions, primary caregiving duties, and advanced age are among the most widely accepted grounds.
One point worth being clear about: losing the summons is never itself grounds for excusal. It’s a reason to call the court, not a reason to skip service.
Your Job and Your Pay During Service
A common worry for people scrambling to sort out a lost summons is whether jury duty will cost them their job. Federal law is clear: no employer can fire, threaten, intimidate, or punish a permanent employee for serving on a federal jury. An employer who violates that rule faces liability for lost wages, possible reinstatement of the fired employee, and a civil penalty of up to $5,000 per violation. The court can also award attorney’s fees to the employee.3Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 28 USC 1875 – Protection of Jurors Employment
Every state has its own version of this protection covering state court jury service. The details differ, but the core guarantee is the same: your employer cannot retaliate against you for answering a jury summons.
Pay is murkier. Federal law doesn’t require employers to pay your regular salary while you serve. About a dozen states mandate some form of employer-paid jury leave, but most do not. Check your employee handbook or ask HR before your service date. Federal courts themselves pay jurors $50 per day of attendance, with an additional $10 per day possible at the judge’s discretion for trials running longer than ten days.4Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 28 USC 1871 – Fees State court pay varies widely, from as little as $5 per day in some jurisdictions to $50 or more in others.