Jury Duty Excuse Letter in South Dakota
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 South Dakota law says
| Who can be excused from jury duty | A person 80 or older may ask to be excused, and the judge must give the request substantial weight. A mother breastfeeding a baby younger than one year, and a parent of a baby less than six weeks old (or expected to be born during or just before the jury duty), is exempt on a written request to the clerk of court within ten days of receiving the summons. Clergy, and members of a church or religious organization, are exempt if jury service conflicts with their religious belief. To be eligible a person must be a county (or jury district) resident and citizen, 18 or older, of sound mind and able to read, write and understand English; a person with a felony conviction is not eligible unless civil rights are restored. Other sections: https://sdlegislature.gov/api/Statutes/16-13-10.html , https://sdlegislature.gov/api/Statutes/16-13-10.4.html |
|---|---|
| Penalty for skipping jury duty | A summoned juror who fails, refuses or neglects to appear, willfully fails to complete and return the jury questionnaire, or after appearing fails without good cause to attend as required, is guilty of contempt of court and may be fined $50 to $500. If the person still neglects or refuses to appear after a second order of attachment, the court may fine the person as above and jail the person for up to ten days in county jail. Source: SDCL § 16-13-45 |
| Jury duty pay and your job | No one may discharge or suspend an employee for serving as a juror in any South Dakota court; a violation is a Class 2 misdemeanor (up to 30 days in county jail, a $500 fine, or both). The employee keeps the same job status, pay and seniority as before jury duty, but the leave may be with or without pay at the employer's discretion. Jurors receive $50 for each day's attendance in circuit or magistrate court plus mileage at the state rate, paid by the county; a juror called but not impaneled receives a $10 appearance fee plus mileage. Pay: https://sdlegislature.gov/api/Statutes/16-13-41.2.html , https://sdlegislature.gov/api/Statutes/16-13-46.html |
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 · South Dakota 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.