The fine for missing jury duty runs from about $100 to $1,500, depending on whether you were summoned to federal or state court and how the judge views your absence. Federal court caps the fine at $1,000, and the same statute lets a judge add 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 State fines vary widely, and a handful of states treat a missed summons as a misdemeanor that carries its own consequences on top of the money.
Federal Court Fine
Under 28 U.S.C. 1866, a person who fails to show good cause for ignoring a federal jury summons can be fined up to $1,000, jailed for up to three days, ordered to perform community service, or given any combination of those.1Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 28 USC 1866 – Selection and Summoning of Jury Panels The court first orders you to appear and explain the absence. The penalty follows from what you tell the judge.
First-time no-shows in federal court rarely see jail. A warning or a modest fine with a new service date is more typical. The full $1,000 and the three-day sentence tend to be reserved for people who ignore multiple summonses or show clear contempt for the process.
State Court Fines
State penalties cover a wider range because each state writes its own rule. First-offense fines start around $100 to $250 in some states and reach $1,500 in others. Where a missed summons is charged as a misdemeanor, a judge can add jail time of up to 90 days.
What a judge actually imposes turns on a few things: whether this is your first missed date, how quickly you contacted the court, and whether your absence looks like an honest mistake or deliberate avoidance. Someone who forgot and called the clerk the next morning is in a different position than someone who ignored notices for months.
What Can Happen Beyond the Fine
The money is often the smaller problem. Courts have other tools, and they escalate once you start ignoring follow-up notices.
Contempt of Court
The most common non-monetary penalty is a contempt finding, meaning a judge has formally determined you disobeyed a court order. In federal court, contempt for a missed summons is punished under the same statute that sets the fine.1Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 28 USC 1866 – Selection and Summoning of Jury Panels State courts apply their own contempt rules, but the idea is the same.
A contempt finding can leave a mark on your record, either as a civil citation or a misdemeanor conviction depending on the jurisdiction. That can show up on a background check for jobs, professional licenses, or security clearances.
Bench Warrant
If you ignore both the summons and the later order telling you to appear and explain, the court can issue a bench warrant. That means law enforcement can pick you up during a routine traffic stop or any other encounter. The warrant stays outstanding until you deal with it.
What to Do If You Already Missed Your Date
Call the jury clerk’s office. Don’t wait for a follow-up notice, and don’t wait for the show-cause order. Have your juror ID number and the summons date ready. Courts handle these calls constantly, and staff want compliance, not punishment. In most cases the clerk simply reschedules you for a future date with no penalty.
If you had a legitimate reason for missing, be ready to back it up. A doctor’s note, hospital records, or proof of a family emergency will carry the day where a verbal explanation might not. If the summons went to an old address and you never received it, say so and bring proof of your move, like a lease or utility bill.
The whole process from missed date to warrant usually stretches over weeks or months. Acting inside that window almost always keeps you out of trouble.
Reasons Courts Will Excuse You
Judges recognize a fairly consistent set of legitimate reasons to excuse or postpone jury service. The specifics vary by jurisdiction, but documentation matters everywhere.
- Serious illness, surgery, or a medical condition affecting you or a close family member, supported by a letter from a healthcare provider.
- Active military duty, confirmed by a letter from a commanding officer.
- Caregiving for a young child, elderly parent, or person with a disability when no alternative care is available.
- Recent prior jury service. Federal law prohibits requiring anyone to serve more than once every two years, and many states have similar rules with waiting periods of one to six years.2US District Court – Southern District of New York. How Often Must I Serve Jury Duty?
- Age, in states that allow a permanent exemption for people over 70 or 75.
Pre-planned travel, full-time student status, and religious observance often result in a postponement rather than full excusal.
Economic hardship is recognized, but the bar is high. You generally need to show genuine harm, not inconvenience: a sole proprietor whose business can’t operate without them, an employee whose employer doesn’t pay for jury leave, or commission income that stops during service. Federal jurors currently earn $50 per day, which doesn’t replace most paychecks.3United States Courts. Fees of Jurors and Commissioners – FY2026 A letter from your employer confirming no paid jury leave, or documentation of self-employment with no one to cover your work, helps make the case.
Your Job Is Protected
Fear of losing a job is one of the main reasons people ignore a summons. Federal law addresses this directly. Under 28 U.S.C. 1875, no employer can fire, threaten, intimidate, or coerce an employee because of jury service in federal court. An employer who violates it faces a civil penalty of up to $5,000 per violation and can be ordered to reinstate the employee with full back pay and benefits.4Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 28 USC 1875 – Protection of Jurors Employment Most states have parallel protections for state court service. If an employer is pressuring you to skip jury duty, the legal problem belongs to the employer.
Watch Out for Jury Duty Scams
If someone calls claiming you missed jury duty and demands immediate payment by gift card, wire transfer, or cryptocurrency, it is a scam. Real courts do not operate that way. Legitimate communications about jury duty come through the U.S. mail. A real court will not call demanding immediate payment, will not ask for your Social Security or credit card number over the phone, and will not threaten instant arrest unless you pay on the spot.5United States Courts. Juror Scams Hang up and call your local courthouse directly using the number on its official website.