Jury Duty in Tennessee

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

Short answer: A Tennessee court may excuse a person whose mental or physical condition makes them incapable of jury service, with documentation from a licensed physician. Tenn. Code Ann. § 22-1-103 (secondary source: public copy of the state code; check the official code)

Who can be excused from jury duty	A Tennessee court may excuse a person whose mental or physical condition makes them incapable of jury service, with documentation from a licensed physician. A person 75 or older whose mental or physical condition makes service impossible must be excused on a written declaration (name, date of birth and condition) sent to the jury coordinator, though they may choose to serve. A judge (or a jury coordinator the judge authorizes) may excuse a person for undue or extreme physical or financial hardship, such as having no substitute caregiver for someone in their care; missing work alone does not qualify, documentation is required, and a ruling must be obtained by the scheduled service date. A breastfeeding mother is excused on a written request with a supporting statement from a licensed physician or certified professional midwife. Excusals last up to 24 months unless the judge finds the grounds permanent. Read on codes.findlaw.com (a public copy of the official code); check against the official code. Mirror page states it is current as of January 2, 2024. Source: Tenn. Code Ann. § 22-1-103 (secondary source: public copy of the state code; check the official code)
Penalty for skipping jury duty	If a summoned juror who was not excused fails to appear, the court issues a show-cause order requiring the person to come to court and explain why they should not be held in civil contempt. If the excuse is insufficient, the person is held in civil contempt and assessed a civil penalty of up to $500 plus the costs of the show-cause order; the court must suspend the part above $50 on the condition that the person completes the jury service term. If the excuse is sufficient, the person may still have to pay the costs of the order unless the judge waives them. Read on codes.findlaw.com (a public copy of the official code); check against the official code. Mirror page states it is current as of January 2, 2024. Source: Tenn. Code Ann. § 22-2-309(b), (c) (secondary source: public copy of the state code; check the official code)
Jury duty pay and your job	An employee who receives a jury summons must show it to their immediate supervisor on the next day they work; the employer must then excuse the employee for each day of jury service that lasts more than three hours, and may not discharge or discriminate against the employee for serving. The employee keeps their usual pay (the employer may deduct the juror fee), but employers with fewer than five regular employees, and temporary employees employed less than six months, are not covered by the pay requirement. Night-shift workers are also excused from the shift before their first day of service and the next shift within 24 hours of a service day over three hours. A violation, or willfully refusing to rehire or restore an employee, is a Class A misdemeanor, and an employee who is discharged, demoted or suspended is entitled to reinstatement and lost wages and benefits. Read on codes.findlaw.com (a public copy of the official code); check against the official code. Mirror page states it is current as of January 2, 2024. Source: Tenn. Code Ann. § 22-4-106 (secondary source: public copy of the state code; check the official code)

More Tennessee criminal law

FAQ

Who is exempt from jury duty in Tennessee?

A Tennessee court may excuse a person whose mental or physical condition makes them incapable of jury service, with documentation from a licensed physician. A person 75 or older whose mental or physical condition makes service impossible must be excused on a written declaration (name, date of birth and condition) sent to the jury coordinator, though they may choose to serve. A judge (or a jury coordinator the judge authorizes) may excuse a person for undue or extreme physical or financial hardship, such as having no substitute caregiver for someone in their care; missing work alone does not qualify, documentation is required, and a ruling must be obtained by the scheduled service date. A breastfeeding mother is excused on a written request with a supporting statement from a licensed physician or certified professional midwife. Excusals last up to 24 months unless the judge finds the grounds permanent.

What happens if you miss jury duty in Tennessee?

If a summoned juror who was not excused fails to appear, the court issues a show-cause order requiring the person to come to court and explain why they should not be held in civil contempt. If the excuse is insufficient, the person is held in civil contempt and assessed a civil penalty of up to $500 plus the costs of the show-cause order; the court must suspend the part above $50 on the condition that the person completes the jury service term. If the excuse is sufficient, the person may still have to pay the costs of the order unless the judge waives them.

Does your employer have to let you serve on a jury in Tennessee?

An employee who receives a jury summons must show it to their immediate supervisor on the next day they work; the employer must then excuse the employee for each day of jury service that lasts more than three hours, and may not discharge or discriminate against the employee for serving. The employee keeps their usual pay (the employer may deduct the juror fee), but employers with fewer than five regular employees, and temporary employees employed less than six months, are not covered by the pay requirement. Night-shift workers are also excused from the shift before their first day of service and the next shift within 24 hours of a service day over three hours. A violation, or willfully refusing to rehire or restore an employee, is a Class A misdemeanor, and an employee who is discharged, demoted or suspended is entitled to reinstatement and lost wages and benefits.

Last verified against official sources: October 27, 2026.

How we source this page: each state-specific rule links to the statute, court rule or official government page it comes from. A rule taken from a public copy of a state code (used only where the official code is not freely readable online) is marked as a secondary source. Spot an error? Use the contact page to report it. About our sources

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.