How to Be Excused as a Juror

Juries are necessary for both criminal and civil cases. It is the responsibility of each juror to try to deduce the truth in a trial and arrive at a verdict. Although this duty is highly important, it is not always possible to serve. There are several reasons for which one may be excused from jury duty.

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

Request an Exemption

1. Ask for exemption if you are over 70 years of age and have health problems. You will not need a letter from your doctor.
2. File for an exemption if you will have difficulty finding care for children under the age of 10 for whom you have legal custody.
3. Ask to be excused from service if you are a high school student or attend an institution of higher learning. Jurors in this position are usually excused if it is apparent that they will experience conflicts with their classes.
4. State your association with the legislative branch if any. Employees of the Senate, House of Representatives and all other agencies in the legislative branch can be exempted from jury duty.
5. Check the amount of elapsed time between your last jury duty and the current summons. If you served as a juror within the last 24 months, you are exempt from current service.
6. File for an exemption if you are the primary caretaker of someone with special needs.
7. Request an exemption for medical reasons. If you have health concerns that would prevent you from serving as a juror, you will need to show a letter from your doctor. This letter must be written on a professional letterhead.

Postpone Your Jury Service

8. Postpone your jury service temporarily. If you cannot be excused based on the allowable exemptions given above, but you are not able to serve when summoned, you can ask to postpone your jury service.
9. Select a new date for jury service. The court has a standard amount of time, from the date of your current summons, within which you can select a new date for jury duty. The amount of time given will vary from court to court and state to state.
10. Check that the new date you have chosen for jury service falls within the work week and is not a legal holiday.
11. Find out whether you will be able to postpone to a new date if you cannot serve on the date you have chosen. Some courts will allow you to do this, especially if the amount of time given for postponement is ample.

Tips & Warnings

• If you postpone your jury service, select a new date early enough within the allowed time. This way, if you are unable to keep that appointment, you may be able to postpone it again before the time expires.
• Take note of non-allowable exemptions. The county will not grant exemptions for reasons such as being the sole owner of a business, possibility of lost pay, frequent business travel or lack of transportation.