Jury Duty Excuse Letter in Delaware
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 Delaware law says
| Who can be excused from jury duty | Everyone is qualified for jury service except people who are not U.S. citizens, under 18, not residents of the county, unable to read, speak and understand English, unable to serve because of a physical or mental disability, or convicted felons whose civil rights have not been restored; the court may require a physician's certificate. Someone who is qualified may be excused by the Court only for undue hardship, extreme inconvenience or public necessity, for a period the Court sets, and the Court may treat certain groups or occupations as meeting that standard. Women currently breastfeeding a child must be excused for at least one year. The statute sets no age at which older people are automatically exempt. Source: 10 Del. C. §§ 4509, 4511 |
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| Penalty for skipping jury duty | A person who ignores a jury summons or the clerk's direction to complete a juror qualification form may be ordered by the Court to appear and show cause. Failing to appear and show cause as ordered is criminal contempt, punishable by a fine of not more than $100, up to 3 days in jail, or both. |
| 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. An employer who does is guilty of criminal contempt, punishable by a fine of not more than $500, up to 6 months in jail, or both, and a fired employee may sue in Superior Court within 90 days for lost wages and reinstatement plus attorney's fees. The statute does not require employers to pay wages during service. Jurors receive $20 a day as an allowance for travel, parking and other expenses (not counted as pay by the employer); jurors who serve only one day or one trial get no reimbursement for the first day. Source: 10 Del. C. §§ 4514, 4515 |
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 · Delaware tenant rights
Last verified against official sources: October 22, 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.