Texas Jury Duty Excuse List (2024)

FAQs

What is the best excuse to miss jury duty? ›

Persons who will be automatically excused from jury service upon request: (1) A person who is over 70 years of age; (2) A person who has served in federal court as a grand or petit juror within the last two years (you must have appeared for service, not merely been summoned to appear);

If you do not respond to the summons, do not appear in court, or deliberately create excuses to avoid being selected for jury duty, the courts reserve the right to charge you with contempt of court. As such, you can face a fine between $100 and $1,000.

For example, write something like “My name is Jane Doe. On (date), I received a jury summons for (court date) at (court address) and was assigned the juror number (insert number here). I am writing to request to be excused from jury service because being absent from work would pose an extreme financial hardship.”

(c) The Jury Administrator shall have the authority to establish and maintain a list of persons to be excluded from the summoning process, which shall consist of (1) persons who are disqualified from serving on jury duty on a permanent basis due to a disability for which a licensed physician, a physician assistant or ...

If you cannot serve the week that you have been scheduled for jury duty, you are eligible to be rescheduled 1 time within 6 months of the date of your original summons. A new date will be emailed to you.

Jurors can be summoned more than once during their two month term of service and can serve on more than one trial during that term. If you are selected for a trial and it lasts more than one day, the judge will dismiss the jury each evening and instruct you as to what time you will need to report in the next day.

A challenge for cause may be made by either the state or the defense for any one of the following reasons: 1. That the juror is not a qualified voter in the state and county under the Constitution and laws of the state; provided, however, the failure to register to vote shall not be a disqualification; 2.

Government Code Section 62.109 allows for a permanent or temporary exemption from jury service based upon a physical or mental impairment. The exemption may only be granted by court order once a juror affidavit/declaration and physician's statement is received from the prospective juror.

Which of the following groups is commonly excluded from jury duty? ›

Three groups are exempt from federal jury service: members of the armed forces and national guard when on active duty; members of non-federal professional (as opposed to volunteer) fire and police departments; and.

You may wear comfortable but appropriate business casual type clothing. Jurors should NOT wear shorts, mini-skirts, tank tops, flip-flops or hats. You may want to bring a light sweater or jacket to stay warm in the event you are assigned to a courtroom that is kept cold.

You are not of sound mind or of good moral character. You have served as a petit juror for six days during the preceding three months in the county court, or during the preceding six months in the district court. You have been convicted of misdemeanor theft or a felony.

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You will be paid a $50.00 attendance fee for each day you are required to report for your assigned jury duty. If you are required to attend court for more than ten days in hearing a case, and unless the presiding judge decides otherwise, your daily attendance fee will increase to $60.

Exemptions for Jury Service

A person may claim a legal exemption if that person (Texas Government Code, Section 62.106): Is over 75 years of age. Has legal custody of a child or children younger than 12 years of age and serving on the jury requires leaving the child or children without adequate supervision.

U.S. citizens at least 18 years old who are residents of the court district to which they are summoned. The jury pool for each court comes from a list of licensed drivers and state ID card holders in the court's district. Those who have been convicted of felony crimes are not eligible for jury service.

If you have been convicted of a felony as an adult and have not had your civil rights restored, or have been declared mentally incompetent and your competence has not been reinstated, you are not eligible to serve on a jury.

a person whose spouse or near relative has recently died or is seriously ill. a person whose jury service would cause them or someone in their care extreme physical or financial hardship, or who would be harmed or would harm the public by serving on a jury. a person who is older than 75 years of age.

Those under eighteen years of age. Those who are not citizens of the United States. Those not residents of the county. Those not able to communicate in the English language.