If you’ve been summoned for jury duty, read the summons carefully and respond by the deadline printed on it, usually within a few days of receiving it. A jury summons is a court order. Most courts let you respond online through a portal called eJuror using the juror ID number printed on your summons, or by mailing back the enclosed Juror Qualification Questionnaire. Everything else—whether you can be excused, what to bring, what you’ll be paid, what your employer can and can’t do—flows from that first response.
Respond by the Deadline
Open the summons the day it arrives. It lists the court that called you, the date you may need to appear, the deadline to respond, and a contact number if something goes wrong. Each court runs its process a little differently, so the summons itself is your primary instruction sheet.
To log into an online portal you’ll usually need the juror ID number on the summons and your date of birth. If your court still uses paper, fill out the questionnaire and mail it back in the envelope provided. Don’t wait until the last day. If the mail is slow or the website is down, you’ve left yourself no cushion.
The questionnaire is about eligibility, not excuses. You’ll confirm that you are a U.S. citizen, at least 18 years old, a resident of the court’s jurisdiction, and that you have not been convicted of a crime punishable by more than a year in prison unless your civil rights have been restored. These qualifications come from federal law, and most states track them closely.1Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 28 USC 1865 – Qualifications for Jury Service You may also be asked whether you can read and understand English well enough to complete the form, which is itself part of the test.
Who Is Exempt From Federal Jury Service
A small group of people are barred from serving on a federal jury even if they’d like to. Federal law carves out three categories: members of the armed forces or National Guard on active duty, professional (not volunteer) firefighters and police officers, and public officials in federal, state, or local government who are actively performing official duties.2United States Courts. Juror Qualifications, Exemptions and Excuses If you fall into one of those categories, mark it on the questionnaire and you’re done.
State courts set their own exemptions. Some match the federal list; others add categories like attorneys, elected officials, or people over a certain age. If you think you qualify, check the instructions on your summons or call the jury clerk’s office listed there.
Getting Excused or Postponing Your Service
If you don’t qualify for an outright exemption, you may still be able to get excused or postpone. These are two different outcomes. Being excused releases you from this particular summons. Postponing (sometimes called deferring) moves your service to a later date, usually within six months. Courts grant postponements much more freely than excusals, so if you just have a scheduling conflict, ask to defer rather than trying to get out of it altogether.
Courts recognize several grounds for an excusal, though the bar is high. Financial hardship is the most common. If serving would cause serious economic harm to you or the people who depend on your income, the court may release you; some courts want a letter from your employer confirming you won’t be paid during service. A significant medical condition, documented by your doctor, is another common basis. The same goes for being the sole caregiver for a child, elderly parent, or disabled person when no substitute caregiver is available.
Full-time students enrolled away from home can usually postpone to a school break. Prior jury service within the past two years (or four years for grand jury service in some jurisdictions) may also qualify you for a release. Submit requests in writing, through the court’s portal or by mail, with any supporting documents attached. The court reviews each request individually. If you’re denied, you must appear on your scheduled date.
What to Bring and Expect on Reporting Day
Confirm the courthouse address on your summons. People routinely show up at a state courthouse when they’ve been summoned to federal court, or the reverse. If you’re driving, assume parking will be slow and expensive; most courts don’t provide or reimburse parking, though federal courts have discretion to cover reasonable parking fees with a receipt.3Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 28 USC 1871 – Fees
Every courthouse has a security checkpoint, so leave anything you wouldn’t bring through airport security at home. You can usually bring your phone into the jury assembly room but you’ll be told to silence or surrender it before entering any courtroom. Dress in business casual. Courts prohibit shorts, tank tops, flip-flops, hats, and beachwear. A suit isn’t required, but you should look like you take the proceedings seriously.
Check in with your summons and a photo ID, then settle in. You may watch an orientation video and then wait some more. Some jurors spend the whole day in the assembly room and are never called to a courtroom. Bring a book or something to work on. If you aren’t selected for a trial panel by the end of the day, your service may be complete.
Jury Selection and the Rules If You’re Seated
If you’re called into a courtroom, you’ll go through jury selection, known as voir dire. The judge gives a short overview of the case, introduces the attorneys and parties, and then asks questions. The attorneys may question you directly too. Expect questions about your occupation, whether you know anyone involved in the case, any experiences you’ve had related to the subject matter, and whether you hold beliefs that might make it hard to be impartial. Answer honestly. Lying during voir dire can result in contempt charges.
Each side can remove prospective jurors in two ways. Challenges for cause ask the judge to remove a juror for a specific reason, and there’s no limit on them. Peremptory challenges let each side remove a limited number of jurors without stating a reason, though they can’t be used to discriminate based on race, ethnicity, or sex. Selection for a straightforward case often wraps up in a single morning. Most jurors who aren’t selected are released and don’t need to return.
If you’re seated on a jury, the court will give you detailed instructions. The most important one: decide the case only on what you see and hear in the courtroom. No independent research of any kind. Don’t Google the parties, the lawyers, the charges, or any legal concept that comes up. Don’t visit the scene. Don’t look up news coverage. Don’t discuss the case with anyone—not your spouse, not your friends, not your fellow jurors on breaks, and especially not on social media. A juror in a New York robbery case was fined $1,000 and caused a mistrial by posting about deliberations on Facebook. If someone involved in the case approaches you outside the courtroom, report it to the judge immediately.
Pay, Mileage, and Your Job
Federal jurors receive $50 per day of actual attendance. If a trial runs longer than ten days, the judge can add $10 per day for each day beyond the tenth. State court pay varies widely. Some states pay nothing for the first day; others pay up to $50 per day, with a national average around $20. Federal jurors also receive a mileage allowance for travel to and from the courthouse, plus reimbursement for tolls, bridges, tunnels, and ferries. If your service requires an overnight stay, federal courts provide a subsistence allowance for meals and lodging, and during sequestration the court covers actual costs the judge deems appropriate.3Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 28 USC 1871 – Fees
Federal law prohibits any employer from firing, threatening, intimidating, or coercing a permanent employee because of jury service.4Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 28 USC 1875 – Protection of Jurors Employment An employer who violates this faces a civil penalty of up to $5,000 per violation per employee, liability for your lost wages, and a court order to reinstate you. If you file a claim and the court finds it has probable merit, the court will appoint an attorney to represent you at no cost. Every state has its own anti-retaliation law for jury service, though the specifics vary.
Protection from being fired is not the same as being paid while you serve. Federal law does not require employers to pay your salary during jury duty, and most states don’t either. A handful of states mandate some level of paid leave for jury service, but in most places your employer only has to hold your job open, not your paycheck. Check with your HR department before your service date so you know what to expect.
What Happens If You Ignore the Summons
Ignoring a jury summons is treated like ignoring any other court order. In federal court, the judge can order you to appear and explain yourself. If you can’t show a good reason for missing your date, you face a fine of up to $1,000, up to three days in jail, community service, or any combination of those.5Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 28 USC 1866 – Selection and Summoning of Jury Panels State penalties vary and can be steeper in some places.
The process usually starts with a second notice or warning letter. If you ignore that too, the court can issue an order to show cause requiring you to appear before a judge and explain your absence. Continued defiance can result in a contempt finding, and some courts issue warrants that could lead to arrest during a routine traffic stop.
If you’ve already missed your date, call the jury services office immediately. Courts deal with this constantly, and in most cases a sincere phone call and a willingness to reschedule resolves the situation without penalties. The people who get fined are the ones who ignore every notice the court sends.
Beware the “Missed Jury Duty” Scam
Scammers have figured out that the words “arrest warrant” and “missed jury duty” push people to act fast. The call, email, or even certified letter claims you missed jury service and a warrant is out for your arrest. The caller says you can avoid arrest by paying a fine immediately through gift cards, a payment app like Zelle or Venmo, cryptocurrency, or a wire transfer.
This is always a scam. Courts never demand payment over the phone; if a fine is imposed, it happens in open court and is reduced to writing. No government agency accepts gift cards or cryptocurrency. And courts never ask for your Social Security number or financial information by phone or email. Legitimate jury communications arrive by U.S. mail.
If you receive a suspicious call, hang up and contact your local courthouse directly using the number on your summons or the court’s official website. If you’ve already paid or shared personal information, report the incident to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.6Federal Trade Commission. That Call or Email Saying You Missed Jury Duty and Need to Pay? Its a Scam