Yes, you can bring a book to jury duty, and most experienced jurors will tell you it’s one of the smartest things to pack. Courthouses expect you to spend long stretches waiting in the jury assembly room, and reading material is welcome there. The catch is that a book has to go back in your bag the moment you step into a courtroom.
What’s Allowed in the Jury Assembly Room
The assembly room is where you’ll spend most of your day, and the rules there are relaxed. Paperbacks, hardcovers, nonfiction, magazines, newspapers, and crossword puzzles are all fine. E-readers like a Kindle are typically welcome too. Many courthouses also allow laptops and tablets in the assembly area and offer Wi-Fi, so you can work while you wait.
Cell phones are generally permitted inside the building, but silence them or set them to vibrate. Use headphones if you’re listening to anything. Snacks, water bottles, and packed lunches are usually allowed in the assembly room, though food and drink are almost always banned from courtrooms themselves.
One thing that surprises first-time jurors: courtrooms run cold. A light jacket or sweater is worth tossing in your bag even in summer.
What Security Will Turn Away
Courthouses draw hard lines on anything that could double as a weapon. Firearms and knives of any length are banned, along with scissors, box cutters, and similar sharp objects. Mace, pepper spray, and aerosol cans are typically prohibited as well. If you carry a pocket knife or multi-tool out of habit, leave it at home or in your car. Courthouses generally don’t store confiscated items, and anything taken by law enforcement won’t come back.
Cameras and recording devices can’t be used inside the building, so your phone’s camera stays off. Large tools, glass containers, and items that have been modified from their original purpose may also be refused at the officer’s discretion.
Entry works a lot like an airport checkpoint. You’ll walk through a metal detector while your bags go through an X-ray machine, and officers may use a handheld wand or a brief pat-down if the detector triggers. Have your jury summons and government-issued photo ID out and ready. Arriving a few minutes early gives you a buffer if the line is long.
Prescriptions and Service Animals
Bring prescription medication in its original labeled container. Small quantities of medically necessary liquids are generally permitted along with the medication. Medical devices like insulin pumps, hearing aids, and mobility equipment are allowed through, though they may need to be screened.
Service animals are protected by federal law. Under the ADA, court staff cannot ask you to produce certification or documentation for a service animal and cannot ask about the nature of your disability. They may only ask whether the animal is required because of a disability and what task it has been trained to perform.1eCFR. 28 CFR 35.136 – Service Animals The animal must be leashed or harnessed and under your control at all times.
When You Have to Put the Book Away
The moment you enter a courtroom, the relaxed atmosphere of the assembly room ends. Reading material of any kind is not permitted during court proceedings. The federal trial juror handbook states plainly that no juror may read newspapers or magazines in the courtroom, and the same principle applies to books, paper or electronic.2United States Courts. Handbook for Trial Jurors Serving in the United States District Courts The judge expects your full attention on testimony, evidence, and arguments.
Electronic devices are handled even more strictly. Many courts require jurors to power off phones, tablets, and smartwatches during trial proceedings and deliberations. Some courts collect devices entirely before you enter the courtroom and hold them until a break. The definition of “electronic device” in these policies is broad enough to sweep in smartwatches and anything capable of connecting to the internet or recording.
The Rules Against Research and Social Media Are Serious
This is where jurors get into real trouble, so it’s worth flagging even though it goes beyond pleasure reading. Once you’re empaneled, you cannot use any device to look up information related to the case. No Googling the defendant, no checking news coverage, no looking up legal terms, no pulling up maps of a location where something happened. Federal jury instructions are explicit that jurors may not use phones, computers, the internet, or any messaging service to research or communicate about the case.3Federal Judicial Center. Jurors’ and Attorneys’ Use of Social Media During Voir Dire, Trials, and Deliberations
You also can’t post about the trial on social media, text friends about what’s happening, or discuss the case with family until you’ve been formally discharged. A judge who discovers a juror researched the case or posted about it can hold that juror in contempt of court, impose fines, remove them from the panel, or declare a mistrial. Courts have the power to punish contempt by fine or imprisonment.4Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 18 US Code 401 – Power of Court When juror misconduct causes a mistrial, some courts have ordered the responsible juror to pay the cost of retrying the case.3Federal Judicial Center. Jurors’ and Attorneys’ Use of Social Media During Voir Dire, Trials, and Deliberations
The bright line: a novel to pass time in the assembly room is fine. Anything that touches the case, from a Google search to a text message, is not.
What to Wear
There’s no universal dress code, but business casual is the safe choice and what most courts request. Collared shirts, slacks, closed-toed shoes. Skip shorts, tank tops, flip-flops, and hats. Some courts explicitly ban these and will send you home to change, which can mean rescheduling for another date. Hats worn for religious purposes are an exception.
A Simple Packing List
- Your jury summons and a government-issued photo ID
- A book, e-reader, magazine, or crossword puzzle
- A silenced phone and headphones
- A light jacket or sweater
- A water bottle and a packed snack or lunch
- Any prescription medication in its original container
- A laptop or tablet if you plan to work while you wait
Pack the book, expect to enjoy it in the assembly room, and be ready to close it the moment you’re called in.