If you get summoned for jury duty in federal court, you need to fill out the qualification questionnaire that came with the summons, return it by the deadline, and show up on the reporting date unless the court excuses you or grants a postponement. Skipping the summons without a good reason can cost you up to $1,000, up to three days in jail, community service, or some combination of those.1Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 28 USC 1866 – Selection and Summoning of Jury Panels Most people who report end up spending a day or two at the courthouse and never sit on a trial, but the obligation to appear is real.
First Step: Return the Questionnaire
Your summons arrives with a juror qualification questionnaire. Fill it out and send it back by the deadline printed on the form. Most federal courts let you do this online through their eJuror portal, and mailing it back is still an option if you prefer.
The questionnaire asks for basic personal information and confirms you meet the eligibility rules. If you are clearly disqualified or exempt, the court can take you off the list at this stage without making you appear in person. Response windows differ from district to district — some give you five days, others ten — so read the summons carefully and don’t let it sit on the counter.
Asking to Postpone or Be Excused
A summons does not lock you into the date on the paper. Courts routinely grant postponements for scheduling conflicts like a pre-booked trip, upcoming surgery, or an exam period, and they will reschedule you to a date that works. Ask early and most courts will accommodate you.
Getting excused outright is harder. Federal law allows courts to permanently excuse people whose service would cause undue hardship or extreme inconvenience.2Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 28 USC 1863 – Plan for Random Jury Selection Common categories include people over 70, anyone who served on a federal jury within the past two years, and volunteer firefighters or rescue squad members.3United States Courts. Juror Qualifications, Exemptions and Excuses Serious medical conditions and primary caregiving responsibilities can also qualify, usually with documentation such as a doctor’s letter. Each of the 94 federal district courts sets its own excuse policies, so contact the court listed on your summons about your specific situation.
Penalties for Ignoring the Summons
This is where people get into real trouble. If you fail to appear or never return the questionnaire, the court can order you to come in and explain yourself. Without good cause, you face a fine of up to $1,000, up to three days in jail, community service, or any combination.1Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 28 USC 1866 – Selection and Summoning of Jury Panels
Courts usually send a follow-up notice before escalating, but relying on that courtesy is a gamble. If you missed a summons because you moved or the letter went to an old address, call the court as soon as you realize. Judges are far more forgiving when you reach out than when they have to track you down.
What the Reporting Day Looks Like
On your reporting date, you check in at the jury assembly area and a clerk confirms your attendance. Expect waiting. Sometimes a few hours, sometimes most of the day. Many courthouses play an orientation video or have a judge give a short talk about how the process works. Bring something to read. If no trial needs jurors that day, you may be released without ever setting foot in a courtroom.
If a trial does need a panel, a group from the assembly room is sent upstairs for jury selection.
If You’re Picked for a Trial
In the courtroom, the judge and the attorneys question prospective jurors about their background, experiences, and potential biases. This process is called voir dire, and the goal is to seat jurors who can weigh the evidence fairly.4United States Courts. Juror Selection Process Attorneys can remove prospective jurors either for cause, by showing a specific reason the person cannot be impartial, or with a limited number of peremptory challenges that require no explanation.5Legal Information Institute. Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure – Rule 24, Trial Jurors
If you are seated, your job is to pay close attention to every piece of evidence, follow the judge’s instructions on the law, and keep an open mind until deliberations begin. That last part is harder than it sounds, because you’ll spend days absorbing testimony while being told not to make up your mind yet.
Confidentiality runs through the whole trial. You cannot discuss the case with anyone outside the jury room, including your spouse, your coworkers, and your social media followers. Jurors have been removed for posting about cases online. In federal criminal cases, the final verdict must be unanimous.
Most federal trials wrap up in three to four days, and once the case ends, trial jurors are discharged.6United States Courts. Types of Juries
Petit Jury vs. Grand Jury
Your summons will be for one of two types of juries, and the time commitment is very different.
A petit jury, also called a trial jury, is the one most people picture. Between 6 and 12 jurors hear one case and decide the outcome. In a criminal trial, the panel decides whether the government proved guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. In a civil trial, the panel decides whether the plaintiff showed it was more likely than not that the defendant caused harm.6United States Courts. Types of Juries
A grand jury is different. It does not decide guilt or innocence. A panel of 16 to 23 people reviews evidence from a federal prosecutor and decides whether there is probable cause to charge someone with a crime. If so, the grand jury issues an indictment. Grand jurors hear multiple cases over a term that usually runs up to 18 months, extendable by a judge to 24 months.6United States Courts. Types of Juries Sessions are typically scheduled a few days a month, not every day, but the overall commitment is far longer than a single trial.
Pay and Your Job While You Serve
Federal jurors receive an attendance fee of $50 per day. If a trial runs longer than ten days, the judge may add up to $10 per day for each day beyond the tenth.7Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 28 USC 1871 – Fees The fee is a token acknowledgment of your time, not wage replacement. State courts set their own rates, and many pay less.
Federal law does not require your employer to keep paying your regular wages during jury service. The Fair Labor Standards Act treats jury duty like any other unpaid absence, so compensation depends on your employer’s policy or your employment agreement.8U.S. Department of Labor. Jury Duty Some states do require paid jury leave, so check your state’s rules and your company’s handbook before your reporting date.
What federal law does guarantee is your job itself. Under 28 U.S.C. § 1875, no employer may fire, threaten, intimidate, or retaliate against a permanent employee for serving on a federal jury. An employer who violates this protection is liable for lost wages and benefits, can be ordered to reinstate the employee, and faces a civil penalty of up to $5,000 per violation.9Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 28 USC 1875 – Protection of Jurors Employment If your employer pressures you to skip jury duty or threatens consequences for attending, report it to the court.