Getting Out of Jury Duty

As an American citizen it is your civil duty to serve as a trial juror in order for the accused to get a fair trial. To many this responsibility is a grueling task which will interrupt their personal and professional lives. You may think that it is impossible to get out of jury duty service but as long as you have a legitimate reason you can get out of almost anything.

If you wish to get excused from jury duty you really should move quickly. Jury duty summonses are sent to people weeks in advance prior to the service date and it would be inappropriate for you to show up the day of service to ask to be excused.

There are many valid reasons to request to be excused from jury service such as being a student, a stay at home parent, medical problems, and so on.

It is crucial when asking to be excused from jury duty, that you always provide documentation of your situation.

Every state and county was its own rules regarding which individuals are eligible for being excused from jury service.

There are several common reasons why certain individuals may be exempt from jury duty:

1) In some situations you may be automatically exempt from serving as a trial juror if you are under the age of eighteen, not a United States citizen, have been convicted of a felony, and/or served as a trial juror in the past few years.

2) Medical illnesses are one of the most common reasons why people could get excused from jury duty service. In order to be excused from service for a medical issue your illness should cause you to be fatigued and/or have chronic pain to the point where it prevents you from carrying out the duties of a juror effectively. Mental health issues also falls within the category of medical illnesses. If you want to be granted a medical excuse you should get a letter from your doctor that is on hospital or clinic letterhead listing your ailments and how these disorders prevent you from serving as a juror.

3) Depending on where you live students may be exempt from jury service. The only way you would be excused from jury duty if you are a student is if you are in high school or you are a full-time college student.