Jury Duty
Frequently Asked Questions

Yes. The United States Constitution guarantees the right to a trial by jury in both criminal and civil cases. Your participation as a juror helps make that possible.

Juror Qualification letters and Juror Qualification forms are sent to people randomly selected from the voter rolls (these are not to be confused with the update cards found at the back of the Summons to Jury Duty). The qualification letters and qualification forms are used to determine who is qualified to sere jury duty. You can complete the Juror Qualification Letter or Juror Qualification form on-line or you can complete the paper qualification form, sign it and return it in the business reply envelope. There is a space on the front of the form if you wish to write a message. If you claim a medical hardship you must include a doctor’s note. If you recently served Jury Duty in another Court, you must include a copy of your jury certificate. If you are found to be qualified for jury service, you will receive a Summons to Jury Duty at a later date.

Yes, please proceed to the E-JUROR website to fill out the online form. You will need your Questionnaire to continue.

The court follows current best practices for database and server security, maintained by highly-skilled Information Technology court staff, and supported by a dedicated national network security group.

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.

If you are selected as a juror on a case, you must serve until the conclusion of the case, even if it is longer than the time described below. Jurors should be prepared to remain the entire day. The Court’s normal hours of operation are 8:30 A.M. to 5:00 P.M. 

If summoned to Jury Duty in Manhattan, your service may be as long as 2 weeks, from the first day you report to the courthouse.
If summoned to Jury Duty in White Plains, you will be on call for approximately one month.

The Court’s schedule sometimes changes at the last minute. Rather than have you sit in the jury room all day, we may change your date to report. It is therefore important to call the telephone number printed on your summons on the evening (or weekend) before the summons date. You will hear a recorded message, available 24 hours a day. The recording may instruct you to report to the courthouse on the summons date, or it may delay your date to report.

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 three months. However, if your summons states "MUST SERVE ", then you have exhausted your postponements and must serve.

If you are seeking to be permanently excused, mail the summons, the completed update card, a full note of explanation and any supporting documentation, such as a doctor’s note, certificate of prior jury service or proof of a new address (yellow postal forwarding sticker, copy of a new drivers license or utility bill).

Due to the large volume of mail, you will not receive a reply to your letter and you do not have to appear on the date of the summons. If your request is denied or the Court has any further questions, you will be contacted at a later date by mail.

If you receive a postponement or permanent excuse on the day you report for jury duty, you will not be paid for your attendance or travel.

No, there is no transfer of jury service. You must report to the Courthouse that summoned you.

While jurors from Westchester, Rockland and Putnam Counties may be summoned to either New York City or White Plains, the majority of jurors are randomly selected for jury service in New York City. The New York City Court is ten times the size of the White Plains Federal Court and has a greater need for jurors. Transfers to the White Plains Court will not be granted. Jurors are welcome to bring an escort to the New York City courthouse where a large waiting room is available.

The U.S. District Court will pay each juror an attendance fee of $50 per day plus a travel fee of .70¢ per mile, paid round trip, to the juror’s hometown. The payment will be in the form of a check and mailed to the home address. The travel payment will cover the costs of public transportation, and you do not need to submit receipts. However, jurors should know their employer’s policy regarding payroll and jury service. Federal employees, instead of the attendance fee, will receive their regular pay. The attendance payment is taxable income and should be declared. The travel payment is not taxable. Jurors who earn over $600 in attendance Income in one calendar year will receive a 1099 form.

If you live outside New York City and drive your car, either to your local train station or to the courthouse, the Court will pay your parking and toll costs over and above the mileage fee. The Court does not own a parking lot for jurors. Park in a private or municipal parking lot. Receipts are required for reimbursement of parking, and parking meters. if you are using an EZ-PASS, you must submit a copy of your EZ-Pass statement.

Select the link for travel directions to the NYC or White Plains Courthouses.

While no formal dress code exists, jurors are requested to dress in a manner respectful to the Court. You will have to pass through a metal detector each time you enter the courthouse. Please leave excess metal and jewelry at home to speed your entry.

You may only bring one electronic device to the courthouse. 

You must check your phone with Court Security.

When you have completed your jury service, you can long onto our E-Juror website and print your proof of jury service. If you are unable to print the letter, the court will mail it to your address in two weeks. (Please note your juror’s check will not be enclosed in this letter) Once you have served, you are exempt from jury service I any other Court for at least the next four years. Keep the original letter as it is the only way to prove your jury service if you are summoned by another Court.

Telephone Numbers:

You may reach the Jury Department between the hours of 8:30 A.M. and 5:00 P.M

For the New York City Courthouse, dial (212) 805-0179 
For the White Plains Courthouse, dial (914) 390-4014

No. Federal Courts do not require anyone to provide any sensitive information in a telephone call. Most contact between a Federal Court and a prospective juror will be through U.S. mail, and any phone contact by real Court officials will not include requests for social security numbers, credit card numbers, or any other sensitive information.

Persons receiving such a telephone call should not provide the requested information, and should notify the Clerk of the Court's office of the U.S. District Court in their area.