How to Postpone Jury Duty: the Two Dates on Your Summons and the One You Pick
To postpone jury duty, respond to your summons through the court's website, phone line or reply form before the deadline it gives, and pick a new date. Each court sets its own rules, and both dates you need are printed on your summons.
To postpone jury duty, you respond to the summons and ask for a new date, usually online through the court's juror website, by phone, or with the reply form that came with the summons. Most courts grant a first postponement for almost any reason, as long as you ask before their deadline and pick a new date inside their window. There is no national rule: every state court system and each of the 94 federal district courts sets its own. So the two dates that matter are printed on your summons: the day you must respond by, and the day you are called to report. A third date appears once you postpone: the new one you pick.
First, find out which court sent it
The top of the summons tells you who is calling you. That matters, because each court has its own website, deadlines and rules.
- State or county court. Most summonses come from here. The jury office of your county's court, or a statewide office in some states, runs the process.
- Federal court. The letterhead says "United States District Court". According to U.S. Courts, each of the 94 federal district courts keeps its own jury procedures, and they can grant temporary deferrals for undue hardship or extreme inconvenience. You contact the court that summoned you.
Use only the website, phone number or form printed on the summons. Scammers call and email people about "missed jury duty" and threaten fines or jail to get personal data or money. U.S. Courts warns about this on its juror scams page: these messages are not connected with the courts, and you should report them to the clerk's office.
How to postpone: the usual steps
The details change by court, but the path is almost always the same:
- Find the respond-by date on the summons, and the juror ID or participant number you will need.
- Go to the response option the summons lists: the juror website, a phone line, or the reply form by mail.
- Choose "postpone" or "defer" and pick a new date from the ones offered.
- Save the confirmation. A screenshot, the email or the letter. It is your proof if anything goes wrong.
- Put the new date in your calendar, with the place and time to report.
If you need to be excused altogether, for example for a medical reason, that is a different request with its own form. Postponing only moves the date.
Two real examples, two sets of rules
Here is how different two courts can be.
Massachusetts. The state's Office of Jury Commissioner lets you postpone your service, for any reason, to any available business day within 12 months of your original date. It recommends picking a date no more than 11 months out, in case you need to move it again before that deadline. Online, the new date is approved right away, though it can take up to 24 hours to show on the website. You can also call the office or use the reply form that came with the summons. Grand jury summonses have more limited options.
Maricopa County, Arizona. The Superior Court in Maricopa County asks you to request a first postponement no less than 10 days before your summons date, and the new date must be within 90 days of the original. A second postponement has to be requested in writing, and Arizona law allows it only for an extreme emergency that was not foreseen when the first one was granted.
| Massachusetts | Maricopa County, AZ | |
|---|---|---|
| How to ask | Online, phone or mail | Online, phone, email or chat |
| Ask by | The date on your summons | At least 10 days before |
| New date within | 12 months | 90 days |
| Second postponement | Possible inside the 12 months | Only for an extreme emergency, in writing |
Your court may follow neither of these. The summons and the court's jury page are the only rules that apply to you.
What happens if you ignore it
Not responding is the one option to avoid. What a court does about a missed summons depends on the state and the court, and it can range from a second notice to an order to appear and explain. If instead someone calls or emails demanding payment for missed jury duty, treat it as a scam: U.S. Courts says those messages are not connected with the courts.
The practical risk is simpler: the summons sits on the counter, the respond-by date passes, and the postponement option is gone. That is why the respond-by date is the first one to keep.
Where Tracy fits
Tracy, the assistant in dEssence, does not contact courts or fill in forms. She keeps the dates from the paper you would otherwise lose.
Take a photo of the summons and send it from Telegram, Chrome or the web. Tracy keeps the court, the respond-by date and the report date, and reminds you before each. After you postpone, send her the confirmation and she keeps the new date the same way. It is the same problem as a DMV renewal notice that never arrived: the date counts whether or not the paper reaches you. For the bigger picture of these small tasks, see what life admin is.
This is general information, not legal advice. Follow the instructions on your summons.
Frequently asked questions
How do I postpone jury duty?
Respond to your summons through the court's juror website, phone line or reply form before the respond-by date, choose to postpone, and pick a new date from the ones offered. Save the confirmation.
Can I postpone jury duty for any reason?
Many courts grant a first postponement for almost any reason. Massachusetts, for example, allows it for any reason within 12 months. Second postponements are often limited to emergencies.
How far in advance do I need to postpone jury duty?
It depends on the court. Maricopa County, Arizona asks for at least 10 days before the summons date. The deadline for your court is on the summons or the court's jury page.
How long can I postpone jury duty?
Each court sets a window: up to 12 months in Massachusetts, within 90 days in Maricopa County. Federal courts set their own rules.
What if I get a call saying I missed jury duty?
Hang up and call the court yourself, using the number on its official website. U.S. Courts warns that calls and emails threatening fines or jail for missed jury duty are scams.