Ask the court that summoned you, the way the summons says, before your date. New York can excuse you for incapacity, undue hardship or extreme inconvenience1; Texas lets you claim exemptions listed in its law2; federal districts excuse groups named in their jury plans3.
Words that matter
- Disqualified
- You do not meet a legal requirement, such as citizenship or residence4.
- Exempt
- In Texas, a qualified person who may choose not to serve on a ground in the law2. New York has no automatic exemptions5.
- Excused
- A court or jury office releases you for a reason such as hardship1.
- Postponed or deferred
- Your service moves to a later date6.
How each court decides
| Court | Grounds | How to ask |
|---|---|---|
| New York State courts | Incapacity, undue hardship or extreme inconvenience to you, someone in your care or the public1 | Your county's Commissioner of Jurors7 |
| Texas state courts | Nine exemptions2, or a reasonable sworn excuse heard by the court8 | Exemptions: signed statement to the court clerk before your date9. Excuses: a sworn excuse to the court, as your summons explains8 |
| California state courts | Undue hardship only; no occupational exemptions1011 | In writing, with the facts and why a deferral would not solve it12 |
| Georgia state courts | Full-time postsecondary students, on request13; primary caregivers of a child six or younger, or of an adult who cannot be left alone, who sign the court's affidavit that no reasonable alternative care is available (adult caregivers also need a medical provider's statement)1415; age 70 or older, on written request with an affidavit16; other good cause, at the judge's discretion17 | Before your date, as your summons directs; courts supply affidavit forms17, and some counties require them notarized18 |
| Federal courts | Groups in the district's plan3; deferral for undue hardship or extreme inconvenience6 | As your district's summons or eJuror site directs19 |
Rules for more states are being added as their research is completed.
Common situations
IfYou are over 70 and summoned by a New York federal court
IfYou are breastfeeding and summoned by a New York State court
With a note from a doctor or nurse practitioner, you must be excused or postponed23.
IfYou are 70 or older in Georgia
You can ask the clerk in writing, with an affidavit, to be excused16.
What to do next
- Read the excuse and exemption section of your summons.
- Send your request before your date, with any proof the court asks for.
- Not eligible for an excuse? Postpone instead.
Related
Sources
25 sources, with the exact sentence each rule comes from. Georgia statute text is quoted from Justia's copy of the 2025 Official Code of Georgia
- N.Y. Judiciary Law § 517. N.Y. Judiciary Law § 517(c)."the commissioner or the court shall consider whether the applicant has a mental or physical condition that causes him or her to be incapable of performing jury service or there is any other fact indicates that attendance for jury service in accordance with the summons would cause undue hardship or extreme inconvenience to the applicant, a person under his or her care or supervision, or the public."
- Tex. Gov't Code § 62.106 – Exemption from Jury Service. Tex. Gov't Code § 62.106(a)."(a) A person qualified to serve as a petit juror may establish an exemption from jury service if the person: (1) is 75 years of age or older; (2) has legal custody of a child younger than 12 years of age and the person's service on the jury requires leaving the child without adequate supervision; (3) is a student of a public or private secondary school; (4) is a person enrolled and in actual attendance at an institution of higher education; (5) is an officer or an employee of the senate, the house of representatives, or any department, commission, board, office, or other agency in the legislative branch of state government; (6) is summoned for service in a county with a population of at least 200,000, unless that county uses a jury plan under Section 62.011 and the period authorized under Section 62.011(b)(5) exceeds two years, and the person has served as a petit juror in the county..."
- 28 U.S. Code § 1863 - Plan for random jury selection (LII). 28 U.S.C. § 1863(b)(5)(A)."(A) except as provided in subparagraph (B), specify those groups of persons or occupational classes whose members shall, on individual request therefor, be excused from jury service. Such groups or classes shall be excused only if the district court finds, and the plan states, that jury service by such class or group would entail undue hardship or extreme inconvenience to the members thereof, and excuse of members thereof would not be inconsistent with sections 1861 and 1862 of this title."
- 28 U.S. Code § 1865 - Qualifications for jury service (LII). 28 U.S.C. § 1865(b)(1)."(b) In making such determination the chief judge of the district court, or such other district court judge as the plan may provide, or the clerk if the court’s jury selection plan so provides, shall deem any person qualified to serve on grand and petit juries in the district court unless he— (1) is not a citizen of the United States eighteen years old who has resided for a period of one year within the judicial district;"
- NY Courts – Jurors: Questions & Answers (FAQs). NY Courts juror FAQ."There are no automatic exemptions or excuses from jury service in New York State."
- 28 U.S. Code § 1866 - Selection and summoning of jury panels (LII). 28 U.S.C. § 1866(c)(1)."Provided, That any person summoned for jury service may be (1) excused by the court, or by the clerk under supervision of the court if the court’s jury selection plan so authorizes, upon a showing of undue hardship or extreme inconvenience, for such period as the court deems necessary, at the conclusion of which such person either shall be summoned again for jury service under subsections (b) and (c) of this section or, if the court’s jury selection plan so provides, the name of such person shall be reinserted into the qualified jury wheel for selection pursuant to subsection (a) of this section,"
- NY Courts - Jurors: Questions & Answers (FAQs). NY Courts juror FAQ."Any future request for postponement or excusal must be made by contacting your local commissioner of juror's office."
- Tex. Gov't Code § 62.110 – Judicial Excuse of Juror. Tex. Gov't Code § 62.110."(a) Except as provided by this section, a court may hear any reasonable sworn excuse of a prospective juror, including any claim of an exemption or a lack of qualification, and if the excuse is considered sufficient shall release him from jury service entirely or until another day of the term, as appropriate."
- Tex. Gov't Code § 62.107 – Procedures for Establishing Exemptions. Tex. Gov't Code § 62.107(a)-(b)."(a) A person who is notified to appear for jury service may establish an exemption from the service under Section 62.106 without appearing in person by filing a signed statement of the ground of his exemption with the clerk of the court before the date on which he is summoned to appear."
- Cal. Rules of Court, rule 2.1008. Cal. Code Civ. Proc. § 204(b); Cal. Rules of Court, rule 2.1008(b)(4)."Inconvenience to a prospective juror or an employer is not an adequate reason to be excused from jury duty, although it may be considered a ground for deferral."
- Cal. Code Civ. Proc. § 204. Cal. Code Civ. Proc. § 204(a)."No eligible person shall be exempt from service as a trial juror by reason of occupation, economic status, or any characteristic listed or defined in Section 11135 of the Government Code, or for any other reason."
- Cal. Rules of Court, rule 2.1008. Cal. Rules of Court, rule 2.1008(c); Cal. Code Civ. Proc. § 218."The prospective juror must support the request with facts specifying the hardship and a statement why the circumstances constituting the undue hardship cannot be avoided by deferring the prospective juror's service."
- Justia - 2025 Code of Georgia (O.C.G.A.). O.C.G.A. § 15-12-1.1(a)(2)."Notwithstanding paragraph (1) of this subsection, any person who is a full-time student at a college, university, vocational school, or other postsecondary school who, during the period of time the student is enrolled and taking classes or exams, requests to be excused or deferred from jury duty shall be excused or deferred from jury duty."
- Justia - 2025 Code of Georgia (O.C.G.A.) - O.C.G.A. § 15-12-1.1. O.C.G.A. § 15-12-1.1(a)(3)."(3) Notwithstanding paragraph (1) of this subsection, any person who is the primary caregiver having active care and custody of a child six years of age or younger, who executes an affidavit on a form provided by the court stating that such person is the primary caregiver having active care and custody of a child six years of age or younger and stating that such person has no reasonably available alternative child care, and who requests to be excused or deferred shall be excused or deferred from jury duty."
- Justia - 2025 Code of Georgia (O.C.G.A.) - O.C.G.A. § 15-12-1.1. O.C.G.A. § 15-12-1.1(a)(5)."Any person seeking the exemption shall furnish to the court, in addition to the aforementioned affidavit, a statement of a physician, or other medical provider, supporting the affidavit’s statements related to the medical condition of the person with physical or cognitive limitations."
- Justia - 2025 Code of Georgia (O.C.G.A.) - O.C.G.A. § 15-12-1.1. O.C.G.A. § 15-12-1.1(b)."(b) Any person who is 70 years of age or older shall be entitled to request that the clerk excuse such person from jury service in the county. Upon such request, the clerk shall inactivate such person. The request for excusal shall be made to the clerk in writing and shall be accompanied by an affidavit providing the person’s name, age, and such other information as the clerk may require. The clerk shall make available affidavit forms for the purposes of this subsection."
- Justia - 2025 Code of Georgia (O.C.G.A.) - O.C.G.A. § 15-12-1.1. O.C.G.A. § 15-12-1.1(a)(1)."(1) Any person who shows that he or she will be engaged during his or her term of jury duty as a trial or grand juror in work necessary to the public health, safety, or good order or who shows other good cause why he or she should be exempt from jury duty may have his or her jury service deferred or excused by the judge of the court to which he or she has been summoned or by some other person who has been duly appointed by order of the chief judge to excuse jurors. ... It shall be the duty of the court to provide affidavits for the purpose of requesting a deferral of or excusal from jury service pursuant to this subsection."
- Jury Exemptions and Deferrals | Superior Court of Fulton County (fultonsuperiorcourtga.gov). Superior Court of Fulton County, Jury Exemptions and Deferrals."Affidavits must be notarized by a certified notary. | These affidavits are permanent exemptions. | These affidavits are good for 12 months. You must resubmit the next time you are summoned for jury duty."
- Juror Selection Process | United States Courts. uscourts.gov."Those randomly selected are mailed a qualification questionnaire to complete and return to the court within 10 days or instructed to complete the questionnaire online on the court’s eJuror page."
- Tex. Gov't Code § 62.108 – Permanent Exemption for Elderly. Tex. Gov't Code §§ 62.107(c), 62.108."(b) A person may claim a permanent exemption: (1) by filing with the district clerk of the county, by mail or personal delivery, a signed statement affirming that the person is 75 years of age or older and desires a permanent exemption on that ground; or (2) in the manner provided by Section 62.107(c)."
- EDNY Jury Selection Plan (As amended, January 31, 2023). EDNY Jury Selection Plan § 7."(1) Persons over 70 years of age. (2) Actively engaged members of the clergy. (3) Persons having active care and custody of a child or children under 10 years of age whose health and/or safety would be jeopardized by their absence for jury service; or a person who is essential to the care of aged or infirm persons. (4) Actively practicing attorneys, physicians, dentists, and registered nurses. ... (5) Persons who have served as a grand or petit juror in a state or federal court within the preceding two years. (6) Any person whose services are so essential to the operation of a business, commercial, or agricultural enterprise that it must close if the person were required to perform jury duty."
- Amended Plan for the Random Selection of Grand and Petit Jurors, S.D.N.Y. (M-10-468). SDNY Amended Jury Plan Art. VI."(1) Persons over 70 years of age; (2) Persons having legal custody and active daily care of a child or children under the age of 12 years; or who are essential to the daily care of aged or infirm persons; (3) Persons who have satisfactorily served as grand jurors or as petit jurors in a State or Federal court within the past 2 years; (4) Volunteer safety personnel who serve without compensation as firefighters or members of a rescue squad or ambulance crew for a public agency; (5) Persons as to whom a judge finds, for reasons other than the foregoing, that jury service would constitute undue hardship or extreme inconvenience."
- N.Y. Judiciary Law § 517. N.Y. Judiciary Law § 517(a)(1),(2)."provided that if the prospective juror is a breastfeeding mother and submits with her application a note from a physician or nurse practitioner indicating that the prospective juror is breastfeeding, the commissioner shall excuse the prospective juror or postpone the time of jury service."
- N.Y. Judiciary Law § 524 – Disqualification of former jurors. N.Y. Judiciary Law § 524(a); 22 NYCRR 128.9(b)."A person who has served on a grand or petit jury in any court of the unified court system or in a federal court shall not be competent to serve again as a trial or grand juror in any court of the unified court system for six years subsequent to the last day of such service, provided, however, that any person who serves on a grand or petit jury for more than ten days shall not be competent to serve again as a trial or grand juror for eight years subsequent to the last day of such service."
- Juror Qualifications, Exemptions and Excuses | United States Courts. uscourts.gov."Excuses for jurors are granted at the discretion of the court and cannot be reviewed or appealed to Congress or any other entity. Each of the 94 federal district courts maintains its own jury procedures and policies regarding excuses from jury service. Contact the federal court where you were selected to ask about a temporary deferral or excusal from service."
Reviewed by Roger K. Neustadt, JD, attorney admitted in Georgia. Verified November 10, 2026.
Roger K. Neustadt is admitted in Georgia; pages about other states and federal courts are general information checked against official sources. How we check every rule: editorial policy. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.
This page explains the law in general terms and is not legal advice. Jury Duty Explained is not affiliated with any court. Your summons and your court's instructions control, so check them first.