Guides
Jury duty guides
What happens after a summons arrives, from the questionnaire to the verdict. Each guide lists its sources, and we flag where state rules differ from federal ones.
Getting started
Got a jury summons? What to do, step by step
Check it's real, figure out which court sent it, answer the questionnaire, deal with work, and know how to ask for a new date.
Read the guide →Federal vs. state jury duty: what's the difference?
How to tell which court summoned you, and how pay, exemptions, length of service, and employer rules differ between federal and state jury duty.
Read the guide →The juror qualification questionnaire, explained
What the jury questionnaire asks, why courts need it, how to answer it honestly, and what happens after you submit it.
Read the guide →Postpone or excuse
How to postpone jury duty
When you can ask for a new date, how courts usually handle deferral requests, and how to write one that's easy to approve.
Read the guide →Who is exempt from jury duty?
Qualifications, exemptions, and excuses in federal court, and how state rules differ. Why age, occupation, and recent service matter.
Read the guide →Problems
Missed your jury summons? What to do now
What can happen if you miss jury duty, the federal penalties in 28 U.S.C. § 1866(g), and why calling the court quickly matters.
Read the guide →Jury duty scams: how to spot and report them
Scammers threaten fines or arrest for 'missed jury duty' and ask for payment or personal data. How real courts contact you, and where to report fakes.
Read the guide →Work and pay
At the courthouse
What happens at jury selection (voir dire)
From the jury assembly room to the courtroom: how voir dire works, what challenges are, and why being sent home isn't a judgment on you.
Read the guide →Grand jury vs. trial jury: what's the difference?
Petit (trial) juries decide cases. Grand juries decide whether there's probable cause to charge someone. How size, secrecy, schedule, and pay differ.
Read the guide →What to bring to jury duty (and what to leave home)
A practical checklist for your reporting day: summons, ID, something to read, a plan for childcare and parking, and what courthouse security may not allow.
Read the guide →How long does jury duty last?
One day, one trial, or a term of months? How federal and state courts define jury service, and how to plan when you don't know.
Read the guide →