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Jury Duty Explained

How to postpone jury duty

How to move your jury service to a later date in state and federal courts, the deadlines, and what to include.

You can usually ask for a later date, but how depends on the court that summoned you. In New York State courts your first postponement is granted on request, to a date up to six months later1; the courts' system asks for a date 2 to 6 months out2. Federal courts in New York want the request in writing34.

Verified November 10, 2026 by Roger K. NeustadtSee sources

First, which court summoned you?

Read the court's name on your summons. Federal jury summonses come from a United States District Court, such as the Eastern or Southern District of New York56. State summonses come from your county's jury office. The two have different postponement rules, and asking the wrong office will not move your date.

Postponing in New York State courts

Your first postponement must be granted if you have not already been postponed or excused, you ask the way your county's jury office requires, and you pick a date when court is in session no more than six months after your original date1. The courts let you do this once online or by phone, at least one week before your service date7, and their system asks you to pick a date 2 to 6 months from the date on your summons2.

How far out you can move a New York date

What the courts' online and phone system asks for2The legal limit for a first postponement1

After your first postponement, contact your county's Commissioner of Jurors8. To request another, submit a written application with documentation acceptable to the Commissioner, explaining why serving on the rescheduled date would cause a hardship you did not anticipate when you got your previous postponement. Unless extraordinary circumstances apply, no one gets more than three postponements in all, including the first, and the combined length cannot exceed 18 months9.

Postponing a federal summons

Federal law lets a court defer your service for undue hardship or extreme inconvenience, for a period it sets12. Each district runs its own process:

  • Eastern District of New York (Brooklyn, Queens, Staten Island, Long Island): send your request in writing to the jury office at least 10 days before your summons date. Requests by email are not accepted3.
  • Southern District of New York (Manhattan, the Bronx, lower Hudson Valley): mail your summons with a note saying when you can serve within the next six months. A summons marked MUST SERVE means you have used up your postponements4.

Find your latest postponement date

Enter your original service date from your summons to see the furthest date your court's rule allows. Nothing you enter is stored.

 

Rules in each court we cover

CourtHow to askDeadlineLimit
New York State courtsOnline or by phone for the first postponement7At least one week before your date7Three in all and 18 months combined, except in extraordinary circumstances9
Texas state courts (statewide rule)In person, in writing or by phone13Before your summons date13First granted if none in that county in the past year; later ones only for emergencies13
California state courtsIn writing or online, as your court directs14Set by each courtOne-time deferral should be granted14; no statewide limit on how far, though the Judicial Council's model summons allows up to six months from the summons date15
Georgia state courtsAs your court directs. State law sets no fixed cap; deferrals granted by a court's appointee go to a set date in the current or next term of court, or as the court's order provides16Gwinnett: at least 7 days before17Gwinnett: one, within 90 days, at the court's discretion17
Federal: Eastern District of New YorkIn writing to the jury office3At least 10 days before your date3Not published
Federal: Southern District of New YorkMail your summons with a note4No deadline publishedA date within the next six months4

State details: Texas, California, Georgia, New York.

Common situations

IfYou already used your first New York postponement
Contact your county's Commissioner of Jurors8 with a written application and documentation showing a hardship you didn't anticipate. Except in extraordinary circumstances, no one gets more than three postponements or 18 months in all9.
IfYou are breastfeeding (New York State courts)
With a note from a doctor or nurse practitioner, you must be excused or postponed10; a postponement can be up to two years out11.
IfYour summons says MUST SERVE (Southern District)
You have used up your postponements4.
IfYour federal date is less than 10 days away (Eastern District)
Written requests are due at least 10 days before your date3.

Making a request that works

  • Ask as early as you can, and keep a copy of what you send.
  • Give dates you are sure you can make, so you do not need a second postponement.
  • If the court asks for documents, include them: a written request without them may be refused.
  • Keep checking your mail and any reporting line until you have confirmation of your new date.

If you can't serve at all

A postponement only moves your date. If you cannot serve, ask to be excused instead. In New York the court can excuse you for incapacity, undue hardship or extreme inconvenience18; federal districts list groups excused on request in their jury plans19. See federal jury duty and New York jury duty.

What to do next

  1. Check whether your summons is from a state court or a United States District Court.
  2. New York State: use your first postponement online or by phone at least a week ahead7: New York courts juror site
  3. Federal: send a written request following your district's instructions. The Eastern District wants it at least 10 days before your date3; the Southern District wants your summons back with a note4: EDNY jurors or SDNY jurors
  4. Mark your new date in your calendar and keep your confirmation.
Jury duty in New YorkStatewide rules, pay and excuses.Federal jury dutyFederal excuses, pay and job protection.Kings County jury dutyBrooklyn's jury office.

Sources

19 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
  1. N.Y. Judiciary Law § 517 – Excuses and postponements. N.Y. Judiciary Law § 517(a)(2)."An application for postponement of jury service shall be granted hereunder provided: (i) such service has not already been postponed or excused, (ii) the application is made at such time and in such manner as the commissioner of jurors requires, and (iii) the postponement is to a date certain when the court is in session not more than six months after the date on which such service otherwise is to commence and such date is selected by the prospective juror"
  2. NY Courts - Jurors: Questions & Answers (FAQs). NY Courts juror FAQ."Pick a date between 2 and 6 months from the date on your summons"
  3. Summons Information | US Courts - New York Eastern District. EDNY Summons Information."Jurors requesting to be excused from or postpone their jury service may place their request in writing no less than 10 days prior to the summons date to the jury office. ... Postponements or excusals will not be accepted via email."
  4. Jury Duty Frequently Asked Questions | U.S District Court (SDNY). SDNY Jury Duty FAQ."If you would like to postpone your jury service to a more convenient time, use the return envelope to mail the summons and a brief note indicating when you can serve within the next six months. However, if your summons states "MUST SERVE ", then you have exhausted your postponements and must serve."
  5. EDNY Jury Selection Plan (As amended, January 31, 2023). EDNY Jury Selection Plan § 1 (as amended Jan. 31, 2023)."This plan is applicable to the Eastern District of New York, which consists of counties of: Kings, Nassau, Queens, Richmond, and Suffolk. There are no statutory divisions in the Eastern District of New York."
  6. Amended Plan for the Random Selection of Grand and Petit Jurors, S.D.N.Y. (M-10-468). SDNY Amended Jury Plan (eff. Oct. 5, 2023), preamble."which embraces the counties of New York, Bronx, Westchester, Putnam, Dutchess, Sullivan, Orange and Rockland."
  7. NY Courts – Jurors: Questions & Answers (FAQs). NY Courts juror FAQ."You can postpone your service once online or by calling 800-449-2819 at least one week before your date of service."
  8. 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."
  9. Justia - N.Y. Comp. Codes R. & Regs. tit. 22, § 128.6-a. 22 NYCRR § 128.6-a(a)(2)."(2) The commissioner may grant a prospective juror's subsequent request for a postponement of jury service, but only upon a written application, containing documentation acceptable to the commissioner, showing that an inability to obtain a postponement would result in a hardship that was unanticipated at the time of the prior postponement. Absent extraordinary circumstances, the commissioner shall not grant a prospective juror more than three postponements of jury service, nor shall the aggregate period of postponements granted to a prospective juror exceed 18 months."
  10. 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."
  11. N.Y. Judiciary Law § 517 - Excuses and postponements. N.Y. Judiciary Law § 517(a)(2)."provided that if the prospective juror is a breastfeeding mother, the postponement date may be a date certain up to two years after the date on which such service otherwise is to commence."
  12. 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,"
  13. Tex. Gov't Code § 62.0143 – Postponement of Jury Service. Tex. Gov't Code § 62.0143."(b) On receipt of a request under Subsection (a), the clerk of the court shall grant the person a postponement if: (1) the person has not been granted a postponement in that county during the one-year period preceding the date on which the person is summoned to appear; and (2) the person and the clerk determine a substitute date on which the person will appear for jury service that is not later than six months after the date on which the person was originally summoned to appear."
  14. Cal. Rules of Court, rule 2.1004. Cal. Rules of Court, rule 2.1004(a)."The jury commissioner should accommodate a prospective juror's schedule by granting a prospective juror's request for a one-time deferral of jury service."
  15. Judicial Council of California, Model Juror Summons (rev. 2020). Judicial Council Model Juror Summons (2000, rev. 2020)."I request a postponement of jury service to the following date (may request up to 6 months from summons date):"
  16. 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)."Any order of appointment shall provide that, except for permanently mentally or physically disabled persons, all excuses shall be deferred to a date and time certain within that term or the next succeeding term or shall be deferred as set forth in the court order."
  17. Gwinnett County Courts - Jury Services (gwinnettcourts.com). Gwinnett Courts, Jury Services page."Jurors can request an one-time postponement. A postponement request must be made no later than seven days prior to your service date. All postponements are granted or denied under the discretion of the court. | The postponement time frame is no later than 90 days from your original service date."
  18. 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."
  19. 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."

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.