If you believe jury service would cause you an undue hardship or extreme inconvenience, you may request to be excused from your current term of jury service when completing your online or paper Juror Qualification Questionnaire.
Common reasons include:
- You are not a United States citizen.
- You do not speak or understand English well enough to serve.
- You have a prior or pending felony charge that affects your eligibility.
- You have a physical or mental condition that prevents you from serving.
- You are on active military duty.
- You have served on a federal jury within the past two years.
- You have a vacation, medical appointment, or other important conflict during your jury term.
Submitting Your Request
All excuse requests must:
- Be submitted in writing within your Juror Qualification Questionnaire online or in paper.
- Include enough information for the Chief Judge to evaluate your request.
The Jury Office cannot accept or process excuse requests by telephone.
Please allow approximately 10 days for your request to be reviewed.
Do not assume your request has been approved simply because it has been submitted. You are responsible for checking the status of your request online or by calling 1-866-249-5932 and selecting option 1.
How Excuse Requests Are Reviewed
All excuse requests are reviewed by the Chief Judge in accordance with the Court’s Jury Plan.
The Chief Judge may:
- Grant a temporary excuse from your current jury term.
- Grant a permanent excuse from the current master jury wheel when appropriate.
- Deny the request.
If your request is denied and you are required to report for jury selection, you will have the opportunity to address your circumstances with the presiding judge before a jury is selected.
Deferrals and Temporary Excuses
If you have a scheduling conflict, explain your circumstances when submitting your excuse request. The Chief Judge will determine whether a temporary excuse (deferral) is appropriate under the Court’s Jury Plan. The Court does not allow jurors to pre-select a jury term at a future date.
A temporary excuse only excuses (defers) you from your current jury term.
Unless otherwise directed by the Chief Judge, individuals who receive a temporary excuse are returned to the Court’s master jury wheel and may be randomly selected again in the future.
Because federal jurors are selected through a random process established by law, the Jury Office cannot remove your name from the current jury wheel or prevent future summonses unless the Chief Judge orders a permanent excuse.
It is possible to receive another jury summons even if you have previously been granted one or more temporary excuses.
If Your Circumstances and/or Availability Change
If your circumstances and/or availability change after submitting your questionnaire, promptly notify the Jury Office by email, fax, or mail.
If your request is submitted fewer than 10 days before the beginning of your jury term, trial preparations may already be underway. Although we will provide your request to the Court, it may not be reviewed before your scheduled call-in date.
If you are instructed to report for jury service, you should report as directed. You will have the opportunity to explain your circumstances to the judge during jury selection if your request has not yet been decided.