Jury Duty in District of Columbia

Who can be excused from jury duty in District of Columbia, what happens if you skip it, juror pay, and whether your employer must let you serve.

Short answer: To serve, a person must be at least 18. People are disqualified if they cannot serve because of physical or mental infirmity, or if they have a felony conviction or a pending felony or misdemeanor charge (a person with a felony conviction can qualify again no less than one year after… D.C. Code §§ 11-1906(b), 11-1908(a), 11-1909, 11-1911

Who can be excused from jury duty	To serve, a person must be at least 18. People are disqualified if they cannot serve because of physical or mental infirmity, or if they have a felony conviction or a pending felony or misdemeanor charge (a person with a felony conviction can qualify again no less than one year after finishing incarceration, probation or parole). D.C. law says no person or class of people may be excused or exempt except as the statute provides, and it sets no age-based exemption. Instead, a qualified juror may be deferred for undue hardship, extreme inconvenience, public necessity, or a temporary physical or mental disability, using the procedure in the court's jury plan. No one has to serve as a grand or petit juror more than once in any 24-month period, unless the court orders otherwise or the juror list runs short. Source: D.C. Code §§ 11-1906(b), 11-1908(a), 11-1909, 11-1911
Penalty for skipping jury duty	A prospective juror who fails to show good cause, or who fails to appear without good cause after a court order, may be fined not more than $300, jailed for up to seven days, or both. Source: D.C. Code § 11-1907(b)
Jury duty pay and your job	An employer may not fire, threaten or coerce an employee because the employee receives a jury summons, responds to it, serves, or attends court for prospective jury service. A violation is criminal contempt: up to a $300 fine, 30 days in jail, or both for a first offense, and up to $5,000, 180 days, or both for later offenses. A fired employee may sue within 9 months for lost wages, reinstatement and damages, and a winning employee is awarded reasonable attorney's fees. The statute does not require employers to keep paying wages; jurors receive fees and expenses at rates set by the Superior Court's Board of Judges (not more than federal juror rates), and government employees who keep their regular pay get no jury fee. Source: D.C. Code §§ 11-1912, 11-1913

More District of Columbia criminal law

FAQ

Who is exempt from jury duty in District of Columbia?

To serve, a person must be at least 18. People are disqualified if they cannot serve because of physical or mental infirmity, or if they have a felony conviction or a pending felony or misdemeanor charge (a person with a felony conviction can qualify again no less than one year after finishing incarceration, probation or parole). D.C. law says no person or class of people may be excused or exempt except as the statute provides, and it sets no age-based exemption. Instead, a qualified juror may be deferred for undue hardship, extreme inconvenience, public necessity, or a temporary physical or mental disability, using the procedure in the court's jury plan. No one has to serve as a grand or petit juror more than once in any 24-month period, unless the court orders otherwise or the juror list runs short.

What happens if you miss jury duty in District of Columbia?

A prospective juror who fails to show good cause, or who fails to appear without good cause after a court order, may be fined not more than $300, jailed for up to seven days, or both.

Does your employer have to let you serve on a jury in District of Columbia?

An employer may not fire, threaten or coerce an employee because the employee receives a jury summons, responds to it, serves, or attends court for prospective jury service. A violation is criminal contempt: up to a $300 fine, 30 days in jail, or both for a first offense, and up to $5,000, 180 days, or both for later offenses. A fired employee may sue within 9 months for lost wages, reinstatement and damages, and a winning employee is awarded reasonable attorney's fees. The statute does not require employers to keep paying wages; jurors receive fees and expenses at rates set by the Superior Court's Board of Judges (not more than federal juror rates), and government employees who keep their regular pay get no jury fee.

Last verified against official sources: October 27, 2026.

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General legal information, not legal advice. Laws change and local rules can differ; check the linked official source or talk to a lawyer about your situation.