Look at the court's name. Federal jury summonses come from a United States District Court, such as the Eastern or Southern District of New York12. State summonses come from your county's jury office; in Texas, for example, service is run county by county3. The two systems have different pay, excuses and postponement rules. Federal jurors are paid $50 a day4; state pay depends on your state.
Does the summons say "United States District Court"?
How the two systems differ
State courts
Federal courts
Who can serve
Set by state law; New York requires county residence6
Citizen, 18 or older, living in the district for a year7
Pay
Excuses
Groups listed in each district's jury plan5
Federal districts for areas we cover
| Where you live | Federal court |
|---|---|
| Brooklyn, Queens, Staten Island, Nassau, Suffolk | Eastern District of New York1 |
| Manhattan, the Bronx and parts of the Hudson Valley | Southern District of New York2 |
| Harris County, Texas | Southern District of Texas, Houston Division15 |
| Dallas County, Texas | Northern District of Texas, Dallas Division16 |
| Los Angeles County, California | Central District of California, Western Division17 |
| San Diego County, California | Southern District of California18 |
| Fulton and Gwinnett counties, Georgia | Northern District of Georgia, Atlanta Division19 |
A state summons and a federal summons are separate, so answer each one. Service in one system can count in the other: New York State courts will not summon you again for six years after you serve on a federal jury20, and both New York federal districts excuse, on request, people who served on a state or federal jury in the past two years2122. New York State Courts say that if your state jury service was limited to telephone standby, it does not excuse you from federal court service23. Ask for a prior-service excuse through the federal court that summoned you, with proof of your service2425.
What to do next
- Check the court name and the return address on your summons.
- Federal: read federal jury duty and your district's juror page: uscourts.gov jury service
- State: go to your state's page from the states list.
Related
Sources
25 official sources, with the exact sentence each rule comes from
- 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."
- 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."
- Tex. Gov't Code § 62.011 – Electronic or Mechanical Method of Selection. Tex. Gov't Code §§ 62.011, 62.003."(a) On the recommendation of a majority of the district and criminal district judges of a county, the commissioners court, by order entered in its minutes, may adopt a plan for the selection of names of persons for jury service with the aid of electronic or mechanical equipment instead of drawing the names from a jury wheel."
- 28 U.S. Code § 1871 - Fees (LII). 28 U.S.C. § 1871(b)(1)."(1) A juror shall be paid an attendance fee of $50 per day for actual attendance at the place of trial or hearing. A juror shall also be paid the attendance fee for the time necessarily occupied in going to and returning from such place at the beginning and end of such service or at any time during such service."
- 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."
- N.Y. Judiciary Law § 510 – Qualifications. N.Y. Judiciary Law § 510."In order to qualify as a juror a person must: 1. Be a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the county. 2. Be not less than eighteen years of age. 3. Not have been convicted of a felony. 4. Be able to understand and communicate in the English language."
- 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;"
- N.Y. Judiciary Law § 521 – Fees and travel expenses of jurors. N.Y. Judiciary Law § 521(a), as amended by L.2025, ch. 55, Part LL, § 1."trial and grand jurors in each court of the unified court system shall be entitled to an allowance equal to the sum of seventy-two dollars per day for each and every day of physical attendance wherein the court convenes"
- Tex. Gov't Code § 61.001 – Reimbursement of Expenses of Jurors and Prospective Jurors. Tex. Gov't Code § 61.001(a)-(b)."(1) not less than $20 for the first day or fraction of the first day the person is in attendance in court in response to the process and discharges the person's duty for that day; and (2) not less than $58 for each day or fraction of each day the person is in attendance in court in response to the process after the first day and discharges the person's duty for that day."
- 28 U.S. Code § 1871 - Fees (LII). 28 U.S.C. § 1871(c)(1)."(1) A travel allowance not to exceed the maximum rate per mile that the Director of the Administrative Office of the United States Courts has prescribed pursuant to section 604(a)(7) of this title for payment to supporting court personnel in travel status using privately owned automobiles shall be paid to each juror, regardless of the mode of transportation actually employed. The prescribed rate shall be paid for the distance necessarily traveled to and from a juror’s residence by the shortest practical route in going to and returning from the place of service."
- 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..."
- NY Courts – Jurors: Questions & Answers (FAQs). NY Courts juror FAQ."There are no automatic exemptions or excuses from jury service in New York State."
- N.Y. Judiciary Law § 506 – Source of names. N.Y. Judiciary Law § 506."The commissioner of jurors shall cause the names of prospective jurors to be selected at random from the voter registration lists, and from such other available lists of the residents of the county as the chief administrator of the courts shall specify, such as lists of utility subscribers, licensed operators of motor vehicles, registered owners of motor vehicles, state and local taxpayers, persons applying for or receiving family assistance, medical assistance or safety net assistance, persons receiving state unemployment benefits and persons who have volunteered to serve as jurors"
- Juror Selection Process | United States Courts. uscourts.gov; 28 U.S.C. § 1863(b)(2)."All courts use the respective state voter lists as a source of prospective jurors. If voter lists alone fail to provide the court and litigants with a representative cross section of the relevant community, courts use other sources in addition to voter lists, such as lists of licensed drivers in the district,"
- U.S. District Court, Southern District of Texas - Houston Division. S.D. Tex. Houston Division page; 28 U.S.C. § 124(b)(2)."Counties: | Colorado, Fort Bend, Harris, Montgomery, San Jacinto, Wharton"
- U.S. District Court, Northern District of Texas - Instructions for Petit Jurors in the Dallas Division. N.D. Tex. Dallas Division juror instructions; 28 U.S.C. § 124(a)(1)."The Dallas division encompasses seven counties: Dallas, Ellis, Hunt, Kaufman, Johnson, Navarro, and Rockwall."
- Jurisdiction | Central District of California | United States District Court. U.S. District Court, C.D. Cal., Jurors - Jurisdiction page."This federal court may summon citizens for jury service who live in Los Angeles, Ventura, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, Orange, Riverside and San Bernardino Counties. Your jury service cannot be transferred to a superior court."
- Jurisdiction | Southern District of California | United States District Court. U.S. District Court, S.D. Cal., Jurors - Jurisdiction page."The Federal Court may summon citizens for jury service who live in San Diego and Imperial County. Your jury service “cannot” be transferred to a local County Court - Superior Court of California."
- U.S. District Court, Northern District of Georgia - Court Locations (gand.uscourts.gov). N.D. Ga. Court Locations page; 28 U.S.C. § 90(a)(2)."The Atlanta division includes the following counties: Cherokee, Clayton, Cobb, DeKalb, Douglas, Fulton, Gwinnett, Henry, Newton and Rockdale."
- 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."
- 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."
- NY Courts - Jurors: Questions & Answers (FAQs). NY Courts juror FAQ."If your service was limited to telephone standby you are not excused from federal court service."
- Summons Information | US Courts - New York Eastern District. EDNY Jury Selection Plan § 7(5); EDNY Summons Information."4. If you have served as a juror in a state or federal court within the last two years you must submit the certificate of attendance verifying your service. The state and federal court are not linked and we cannot verify your jury service in your local or state courts without this documentation."
- Jury Duty Frequently Asked Questions | U.S District Court (SDNY). SDNY Jury Duty FAQ; Plan Art. VI(3)."Under Federal law, a person cannot be required to serve jury duty more often than once every two (2) years. If you have served in the United States District Court or a New York State Court within the last two (2) years, and wish to be excused, please mail a copy of your official jury certificate, together with our summons, in the return envelope."
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.