Jury Duty Excuse Letter in California
A short letter asking the court to excuse you from jury duty or postpone it. Follow the instructions on your summons first, because courts handle these requests differently, and keep following the summons until the court answers.
What California law says
| Who can be excused from jury duty | California has no exemption based on age; jurors must be at least 18, and someone who served on a jury in the last 12 months is not qualified to serve again. A juror may ask to be excused for hardship: no transportation, excessive travel distance, a physical or mental impairment, caring for a dependent when no one else can, or extreme financial burden. People with a serious health problem may be excused or postpone (a doctor's note may be required, and disabled people may request a permanent medical excuse), and a breastfeeding mother may postpone for up to one year. To ask, mark the right category on the summons response form and return it to the court right away, or follow the summons instructions to postpone; you may still have to appear before a judge. Judicial Branch of California, official Jury Service page. Statute text (Code Civ. Proc. jury sections, Gov. |
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| Penalty for skipping jury duty | Anyone who fails to respond to a jury summons when required may be fined up to $1,500, jailed, or both. Judicial Branch of California, official Jury Service page. Statute text (Code Civ. Proc. jury sections, Gov. |
| Jury duty pay and your job | California employers must allow employees time off for jury service, and employees are protected from being fired or harassed for serving; the court's jury page points to Government Code section 12945.8 for this protection, and to Education Code provisions for teachers and school employees. Jurors are paid $15 per day starting on the second day of service, plus at least 34 cents per mile each way from the second day, or up to $12 for public transit starting on the first day. Government employees receive their full pay and benefits from their employers instead of juror pay. Judicial Branch of California, official Jury Service page. Statute text (Code Civ. Proc. jury sections, Gov. |
Fill it in
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[today's date]
[your name]
[your mailing address]
[your phone or email]
To: [court or jury office name and address, from your summons]
Re: Jury summons. Juror number: [juror number from your summons]. Reporting date: [date you are told to report].
Dear [jury commissioner, clerk or judge named on your summons]:
I received a jury summons for the date above. I am asking to be [excused from / postponed from] jury service because [your reason, in one or two plain sentences].
I have attached [documents supporting your request, such as a doctor's note, or none].
If my service can be postponed, I can serve on these dates: [dates you are available].
Please tell me in writing whether my request is approved. I understand that I must follow the summons until I hear from the court.
Sincerely,
[your name]
Jury Duty Excuse Letter for other states · California tenant rights
Last verified against official sources: October 22, 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.