Jury Duty Excuse Letter in Maryland
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 Maryland law says
| Who can be excused from jury duty | A person is exempt from jury service only if he or she is at least 70 and asks the jury commissioner in writing, is an elected member of the federal Legislative Branch, is an active-duty armed forces member exempted under federal law, or is an organized-militia member exempted under state law. Except as a jury plan allows or to finish a case, a person may not be required to serve or attend court for jury service more than once in any 3-year period. Other excuses or rescheduling are handled by the local jury commissioner. |
|---|---|
| Penalty for skipping jury duty | Failing to appear for jury service as summoned can lead a jury judge to order you to show cause; without good cause you face a fine up to $1,000, up to 60 days in jail, or both. Failing to complete jury service as directed carries up to $1,000 and/or 90 days, and failing to return the juror qualification form carries up to $1,000 and/or 30 days. |
| Jury duty pay and your job | An employer may not fire, coerce, intimidate or threaten to fire an employee for losing work time to answer a jury summons or serve. An employee who appears for 4 or more hours (including travel) cannot be required to work a shift starting at or after 5 p.m. that day or before 3 a.m. the next day. An employer also may not require the employee to use annual, sick or vacation leave for jury service. Each violation is subject to a fine up to $1,000. The statutes read do not require the employer to pay wages during service. |
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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 · Maryland tenant rights
Last verified against official sources: October 23, 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.