If you’re wondering how a court picks you for jury duty, the short version is this: a computer pulled your name at random from public records, a questionnaire confirmed you were eligible, and another random draw put you on the list for a specific trial. Nothing about the selection was personal. Federal district courts are required by law to follow a written plan for random jury selection that produces a pool reflecting a fair cross-section of the community.1Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 28 USC 1863 – Plan for Random Jury Selection State courts work the same way with local variations.
Where Your Name Came From
Federal courts start with voter registration rolls. When voter lists alone don’t produce a demographically representative pool, courts must add supplemental sources, most commonly driver’s license and state ID records.1Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 28 USC 1863 – Plan for Random Jury Selection Some jurisdictions also pull from tax filings or unemployment records. State courts use similar combinations of public records.
All those names go into what’s called a master jury wheel. The court randomly draws a batch and mails each person a qualification questionnaire. People who meet the requirements and aren’t exempt or excused move into a second pool, the qualified jury wheel. When a trial needs jurors, names are drawn at random from the qualified wheel and assigned to a panel.2Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 28 USC 1866 – Selection and Summoning of Jury Panels Two random draws, one at each stage, is what keeps the system from being stacked.
Whether You Actually Qualify
Federal law sets six baseline requirements. You must be a U.S. citizen, at least 18 years old, and have lived in the judicial district for at least one year. You need to read, write, and speak English well enough to follow proceedings and complete court forms. You cannot have a mental or physical condition that would prevent you from serving adequately. And you cannot have a felony conviction unless your civil rights have been legally restored.3Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 28 USC 1865 – Qualifications for Jury Service
One qualification that catches people off guard: you’re also disqualified if you currently face felony charges punishable by more than a year in prison, even without a conviction.3Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 28 USC 1865 – Qualifications for Jury Service For people with past convictions, “civil rights restored” generally means the state where you were convicted has given back your right to vote, hold office, and serve on a jury. Some states do that automatically once you complete your sentence; others require an application.
What Happens After the Summons Arrives
The summons tells you when and where to report. It usually includes, or is preceded by, a qualification questionnaire the court uses to confirm your eligibility. That questionnaire is a legal document. You have to complete and return it even if you believe you don’t qualify or plan to request an excuse.4United States Courts. Juror Qualifications, Exemptions and Excuses Lying on it to dodge service carries the same penalties as skipping the summons itself.
Many courts now use a one-day/one-trial system. You show up on your assigned date, and if you aren’t selected for a trial by the end of the day, you’re done. If you are placed on a trial, you serve until it ends. Most people finish sooner than they expect.
The summons is a court order, not a suggestion. In federal court, if you fail to appear, the judge can order you back to explain why. Without good cause, 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 1864 – Drawing of Names From the Master Jury Wheel State penalties vary, and some are steeper. Courts rarely jump straight to jail; most start with a follow-up notice or an order to show cause. Repeat no-shows get noticed.
How Attorneys Decide Whether You Sit
When you report to the courthouse, a group of potential jurors is brought into a courtroom where a trial is about to begin. The questioning that follows is called voir dire. The judge and the attorneys ask questions designed to uncover anything that might prevent you from deciding the case fairly: prior knowledge of the parties, strong opinions on the subject matter, or life experiences that could create bias.6United States Courts. Juror Selection Process
Voir dire is where the real winnowing happens. Sometimes the judge handles the questioning; sometimes the attorneys take the lead. Questions can feel personal, covering your job, your family, or your views on law enforcement, but both sides are looking for the same thing: jurors who can weigh evidence without a thumb on the scale. In criminal cases, judges often refer to prospective jurors by number rather than name, and transcripts of the questioning may be sealed.
Two mechanisms can knock you off a panel. A challenge for cause happens when your answers reveal a clear reason you can’t be impartial: you know the defendant, you’ve already formed an opinion, or you tell the judge you can’t follow a particular legal instruction. There’s no cap on how many jurors can be struck this way as long as the judge agrees each reason is legitimate.6United States Courts. Juror Selection Process
Attorneys also get a limited number of peremptory challenges, which let them remove a prospective juror without stating any reason. In federal criminal cases the number depends on the severity of the charges, ranging from 3 per side in a misdemeanor case up to 20 per side in a capital case.7Cornell Law School. Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure – Rule 24 – Trial Jurors There is one hard limit on how these can be used: peremptory challenges cannot exclude jurors based on race, ethnicity, or sex. The Supreme Court set that rule in Batson v. Kentucky (1986).8Justia Law. Batson v. Kentucky, 476 U.S. 79 If the opposing attorney believes a strike targets a juror because of a protected characteristic, they can raise a challenge, and the striking attorney must offer a neutral explanation or lose the strike.
Getting Excused or Exempt
Meeting the basic qualifications doesn’t always mean you’ll serve. Federal law exempts three groups outright: active-duty military members, full-time professional firefighters and police officers, and full-time paid public officers of federal, state, or local government.4United States Courts. Juror Qualifications, Exemptions and Excuses
Beyond those automatic exemptions, courts grant excuses case by case. Common grounds include:
- A physical or mental condition that makes service extremely difficult, even with accommodations.
- Age. Most federal district courts permanently excuse people over 70 on request.4United States Courts. Juror Qualifications, Exemptions and Excuses
- Recent service. If you’ve served on a jury within the past two years, you can request an excuse. The exact lookback varies by court.
- Undue hardship, including serious caregiving responsibilities, financial strain, or other circumstances the judge finds compelling.
Full-time students aren’t automatically exempt, but most courts will reschedule service around an academic calendar rather than force a choice between class and the courtroom. Note it on your questionnaire with your school name and expected graduation date.
Hardship excuses are decided by the judge, and documentation helps. A doctor’s note, proof of caregiving obligations, or evidence of financial impact all strengthen the request. The bar varies from judge to judge, so a generic “it’s inconvenient” won’t get you far.
Pay and Job Protection
Federal jurors receive $50 per day for each day they report to court.9Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 28 USC 1871 – Fees The rate stays flat regardless of how long the trial runs. Jurors also receive mileage reimbursement at $0.725 per mile for the round trip between home and the courthouse, matching the standard government mileage rate for 2026.10U.S. General Services Administration. Privately Owned Vehicle Mileage Reimbursement Rates If a trial requires you to stay overnight, the court covers meals and lodging at set rates. State court juror pay is a different story, with daily rates that range from nothing to around $50 and a national average near $22.
Federal law makes it illegal for any employer to fire, threaten, or punish a permanent employee for serving on a federal jury. An employer who violates that protection faces liability for lost wages, a court order to reinstate you, and a civil penalty of up to $5,000 per violation. When you return, the law treats your service like a leave of absence: no loss of seniority, and benefits continue as though you never left.11Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 28 USC 1875 – Protection of Jurors Employment
What federal law does not do is require your employer to pay your regular wages while you serve. The Fair Labor Standards Act has no jury-duty pay mandate.12U.S. Department of Labor. Jury Duty Whether you keep your paycheck depends on your employer’s policy, your contract, or your state’s law. A handful of states require private employers to cover some or all of your usual wages during jury duty; most do not. Check the employee handbook and your state’s rules before you report.
One boundary worth flagging: everything above describes selection for a trial jury, sometimes called a petit jury. Grand jury selection starts with the same random draw from the qualified wheel, but grand juries are larger, sit for a term of many months, and decide only whether to charge someone rather than whether they’re guilty. If your summons is for grand jury service, the schedule and role are different from what most people picture when they think of jury duty.