If you skip jury duty in Virginia, the court can fine you between $50 and $200 for missing a trial jury summons, or between $5 and $20 for missing a grand jury summons, and you can be held in contempt of court on top of the fine. A jury duty no-show in Virginia is treated as disobedience of a court order, not a scheduling mishap, so the better path when you cannot attend is to contact the clerk’s office before the date and either claim an exemption or ask for a deferral.
The Fine for Missing Trial Jury Duty
Under Virginia Code 8.01-356, a person who has been properly notified to appear as a trial juror and fails to show up without a sufficient excuse can be fined between $50 and $200.1Virginia Code Commission. Virginia Code 8.01-356 – Failure of Juror to Appear The judge decides the exact amount within that range. This is the penalty most people will face, because trial jury summons are far more common than grand jury summons.
The Fine for Missing Grand Jury Duty
Grand jurors are handled under a separate statute. If you were summoned as a grand juror and don’t attend, the fine runs from $5 to $20. The court will first order you to show cause for your absence, which gives you a chance to explain before any fine is imposed.2Virginia Code Commission. Virginia Code 19.2-204 – Penalties on Officers and Jurors for Failure of Duty
Contempt of Court Is the Bigger Risk
The Supreme Court of Virginia’s juror handbook is direct on this point: a summons is an official court order, and ignoring it can result in being held in contempt of court.3Supreme Court of Virginia. The Answer Book for Jury Service Contempt is a separate matter from the statutory fine and gives the judge broader discretion over how to respond. A no-show who never contacts the court is in a worse position than one who missed the date but reaches out quickly with a reason.
If Your Summons Came From a Federal Court
Check your summons carefully before assuming the state-court fines apply. If you were summoned to a federal court sitting in Virginia, such as the Eastern or Western District, the penalties are much steeper. Under federal law, a juror who fails to appear and cannot show good cause can be fined up to $1,000, imprisoned for up to three days, ordered to perform community service, or receive some combination of those.4Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 28 U.S. Code 1866 – Selection and Summoning of Jury Panels Federal marshals can also bring you to the courthouse to explain the absence to a judge.
Ask for an Exemption if You Qualify
Virginia law lists specific categories of people who may be excused from serving if they ask. Exemptions are not automatic; you have to request one. The categories include:
- Anyone over 73 years old
- A person with legal custody of a child 16 or younger who requires continuous care during court hours
- A mother who is breastfeeding
- The sole caregiver for a person with a physical or mental impairment needing continuous care during court hours
- A person whose services are so essential to a business that it would have to close if they served
- Someone actively employed in maritime service
- A person whose spouse has been summoned to the same jury panel
Additional exemptions exist for certain legislative employees during session periods and for electoral officials during election seasons.5Virginia Code Commission. Virginia Code 8.01-341.1 – Exemptions From Jury Service Upon Request
What isn’t on that list matters as much as what is. A personal medical issue, a scheduled vacation, a work deadline, or general inconvenience does not appear in the exemption statute. For those situations, look at a deferral instead.
Ask for a Deferral if Serving Right Now Would Be a Hardship
If you don’t qualify for an exemption but attending during a particular term of court would be a genuine problem, Virginia allows the court to defer your service or limit it to certain dates. The statute uses the phrase “particular occupational inconvenience” and specifically includes full-time students attending classes and parents with custody of children 16 or younger.6Virginia Code Commission. Virginia Code 8.01-341.2 – Deferral or Limitation of Jury Service for Particular Occupational Inconvenience
A deferral does not erase your obligation. It moves service to the next court term after the conflict ends. If you have surgery scheduled, a family emergency, or a work conflict you genuinely cannot move, that is what deferral is for.
Contact the Clerk Before the Date
The single most important step for anyone worried about missing jury duty is to reach out early. Call the clerk’s office listed on your summons as soon as you know there is a problem. Courts tend to be more accommodating the earlier you contact them. Waiting until the morning of, or simply not appearing and hoping nothing happens, is what triggers the fine and the contempt exposure.
If you missed the date entirely, contact the clerk anyway. The trial-juror statute lets the court excuse a no-show for a sufficient reason, and the grand-juror statute builds in a show-cause hearing before any fine is imposed. Neither of those helps you if you stay silent.
Your Job Is Protected While You Serve
People sometimes skip jury duty because they are worried about their job. Virginia law addresses that directly. Your employer cannot fire you, take any adverse personnel action against you, or make you use sick leave or vacation time because of jury service. You need to give reasonable notice that you were summoned.7Virginia Code Commission. Virginia Code 18.2-465.1 – Penalizing Employee for Court Appearance or Service
There is also a shift-protection rule. If your jury service runs four or more hours in a day, including travel time, your employer cannot require you to start a shift that begins at or after 5:00 p.m. that day or before 3:00 a.m. the following day.7Virginia Code Commission. Virginia Code 18.2-465.1 – Penalizing Employee for Court Appearance or Service An employer who violates these protections commits a Class 3 misdemeanor.
Virginia law does not require your employer to keep paying your regular wages while you serve. Some employers cover the gap between the jury stipend and your normal salary as a matter of policy, but that is a company decision, not a legal one. Check your employee handbook so you know what to expect.