It depends on the court. Texas lets high school students, and college students enrolled and in actual attendance, claim an exemption1. Georgia must excuse or defer full-time postsecondary students who ask while enrolled and taking classes or exams2. New York has no automatic exemptions, including for students3, and federal districts follow their own jury plans4.
Were you summoned by a Texas state court?
By court
| Court | Students |
|---|---|
| Texas state courts | Exemption for high school students and enrolled, attending college students1 |
| New York State courts | No automatic exemption3. In Suffolk County, full-time students may request an excuse by mailing a copy of their student ID or current full-time class schedule with the original signed Part A of their summons; the county says excuses are rarely granted6 |
| Georgia state courts | Full-time college, vocational or other postsecondary students: excused or deferred on request while enrolled and taking classes or exams2 |
| California state courts | No occupational or status exemptions; undue hardship only7 |
| Federal courts | Depends on the district's jury plan4 |
Rules for more states are being added as their research is completed.
Common belief
College students can't be called because they live away from home.
Common belief
Students are always excused.
What the rule says
Only where the rules say so. New York has no automatic exemptions3.
If exams or a semester conflict with your date, a postponement may be the simplest fix. In New York, and under Texas's statewide rule if you have not postponed in that county in the past year, a first postponement can be to a date up to six months out1011.
What to do next
Related
Sources
11 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
- 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..."
- 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."
- 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 § 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."
- 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."
- Suffolk County Commissioner of Jurors - New York State Unified Court System. Suffolk County Commissioner of Jurors excuses page."Copy of Student ID Card or copy of current Full Time School Schedule"
- 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."
- 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;"
- Tex. Gov't Code § 62.102 – General Qualifications for Jury Service. Tex. Gov't Code § 62.102(a)."(a) Except as provided by Subsection (b), a person is disqualified to serve as a petit juror unless the person: (1) is at least 18 years of age; (2) is a citizen of the United States; (3) is a resident of this state and of the county in which the person is to serve as a juror; (4) is qualified under the constitution and laws to vote in the county in which the person is to serve as a juror; (5) is of sound mind and good moral character; (6) is able to read and write; (7) has not been convicted of misdemeanor theft; (8) has not been convicted of a felony; (9) is not under indictment or other legal accusation for misdemeanor theft or a felony; and (10) has not 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."
- 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"
- 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."
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.