To get excused from jury duty, you respond to the summons and use one of four legitimate paths: request a postponement, show you’re disqualified, claim an exemption tied to your role, or ask for a hardship excuse with documentation. Which one fits depends on why you can’t serve, and most people who genuinely can’t serve have options. What you cannot do is ignore the summons.
Do Not Ignore the Summons
A jury summons is a court order. In federal court, failing to appear without a good reason can bring a fine of up to $1,000, up to three days in jail, community service, or a combination of the three.1Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 28 USC 1866 – Selection of Petit Juries State courts set their own penalties, and some are steeper. The court can also issue a bench warrant.
Courts track non-responses. A second summons often follows, and it comes with stricter instructions. Every option below depends on responding on time, which most courts define as five to ten days after you receive the summons.
Ask for a Postponement First
If the problem is timing rather than ability, a postponement is the easiest fix and the one courts grant most freely. A postponement (some courts call it a deferral) moves your service to a later date, usually within three to six months. Most courts allow at least one without requiring proof of hardship. You just have to ask.
Contact the jury office listed on your summons by mail, email, fax, or phone. Many federal courts now handle this through an online eJuror portal.2United States Courts. Juror Qualifications, Exemptions and Excuses Have a few available dates ready when you request the new date. Full-time students can often defer to a school break, and many courts give students a longer rescheduling window.
A postponement does not remove you from the pool. You’ll get a new summons for the rescheduled date. But for a vacation, a work deadline, or a scheduled medical procedure, it usually solves the problem cleanly.
Check Whether You’re Disqualified
Some people are legally barred from serving, whether they want to or not. Under the Jury Selection and Service Act, you are disqualified from federal jury service if you:
- Are not a U.S. citizen at least 18 years old
- Have not lived in the judicial district for at least one year
- Cannot read, write, and speak English well enough to follow proceedings and complete the juror questionnaire
- Have a mental or physical condition that prevents you from serving, even with reasonable accommodation
- Have a felony conviction or pending felony charge for a crime punishable by more than one year in prison, and your civil rights have not been restored
These criteria apply in every federal court.3Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 28 USC 1865 – Qualifications for Jury Service State courts use similar tests with some variation. If any of these apply to you, check the appropriate box on your juror qualification form and return it. You usually will not need to appear in person.
Check Whether You’re Exempt
An exemption is different from a disqualification. Exempt people could serve but are barred from federal juries because of their role. Three groups are exempt under the Jury Selection and Service Act:
- Active-duty members of the armed forces and National Guard
- Professional (not volunteer) members of state or local fire and police departments
- Full-time public officers—people elected to public office or appointed by an elected official—who are actively performing government duties at the federal, state, or local level
If you fall into one of these categories, the exemption is mandatory: you’re barred from serving even if you want to. Volunteer firefighters and rescue squad members are not automatically exempt, but they can request an individual excuse, which federal courts are required to grant.4Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 28 USC 1863 – Plan for Random Jury Selection
State courts often add exemptions of their own. Attorneys, clergy, doctors, nurses, and elected officials at various levels may qualify depending on where you live. Check the summons or the court’s website for the categories in your jurisdiction.
Request a Hardship Excuse
If you don’t fit a disqualification or exemption, you can still ask the court to excuse you for hardship. These excuses are not guaranteed. The judge or clerk evaluates each request and decides whether your situation amounts to “undue hardship or extreme inconvenience.”2United States Courts. Juror Qualifications, Exemptions and Excuses The decision cannot be appealed. Documentation is what turns a plausible request into a granted one.
Age or Recent Prior Service
Many federal district courts permanently excuse people over 70 on request. Most will also excuse you if you’ve served on a federal jury within the past two years.2United States Courts. Juror Qualifications, Exemptions and Excuses Each of the 94 federal district courts sets its own policy on both, so check yours. State age thresholds run from 70 to 75, and some states have no age-based excuse at all.
Medical Conditions
A serious medical condition that would make sitting through a trial physically difficult or dangerous is a strong basis for excuse. You’ll need a letter from a licensed medical professional explaining the condition and why service isn’t feasible. A specific letter beats a vague one. “Undergoing chemotherapy on a schedule that conflicts with the service dates and cannot sit for extended periods” does more work than “patient should be excused.”
Financial Hardship
Federal juror pay is $50 per day, and for self-employed workers, sole proprietors, and hourly employees without paid leave, the income loss can be severe. Courts take documented financial hardship seriously. Bring pay stubs, tax returns showing self-employment income, or a letter from your employer confirming you will not be paid during service. The clearer the showing that serving threatens your ability to meet basic obligations, the better your chances.
Caregiving Responsibilities
If you are the sole caregiver for a young child, an elderly family member, or a person with a disability, and no alternative care is reasonably available, many courts will excuse you. Be ready to explain why other family members, paid providers, or community resources cannot fill in during your service. Some courts set specific age cutoffs for children (for example, under 10); others evaluate case by case.
Full-Time Students
Being enrolled full-time does not automatically excuse you, but it supports a postponement and, in some jurisdictions, a temporary excuse. Courts generally prefer to defer students to a school break rather than excuse them outright. If your summons lands during finals or a clinical rotation, say so in your request and propose alternative dates.
How to Submit Your Response
Whichever path fits, respond promptly. Read every instruction on the summons before you fill anything out, then complete the juror qualification form in full. Attach your supporting documents with the initial response rather than waiting to be asked: doctor’s letters, proof of caregiving, pay stubs, tax records, proof of active-duty status.
Federal courts increasingly accept responses through the national eJuror portal, which lets you complete the questionnaire, request a postponement, or submit an excuse request online. You can also mail the form back in the pre-addressed envelope, or contact the jury office by email, fax, or phone if your court permits it.
Don’t assume silence means yes. If your reporting date is approaching and you haven’t heard back, call the jury clerk’s office to confirm your status. The 94 federal district courts handle notifications differently, and some send decisions only by mail.2United States Courts. Juror Qualifications, Exemptions and Excuses Until you have written confirmation that you’re excused, plan to appear on the date listed.
If You Still Have to Report, Voir Dire May End It
Showing up at the courthouse does not mean you’ll sit on a jury. During jury selection—voir dire—the attorneys on each side question prospective jurors and remove those they don’t want. A “challenge for cause” removes someone who shows actual bias, a relationship to a party, or another specific reason they can’t be fair, and there’s no limit on those. A “peremptory challenge” lets an attorney strike a juror without stating a reason, though these cannot be used to exclude people based on race, gender, or ethnicity. Each side gets a limited number.
Answer voir dire honestly. If you have strong feelings about the type of case, a personal experience that would make impartiality difficult, or a genuine bias, say so. Judges and attorneys usually spot performances, and faking bias to escape service can backfire. Real concerns, stated plainly, are what voir dire is designed to surface, and they often lead to a dismissal from that panel.