Jury Duty Excuse Letter in Washington
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 Washington law says
| Who can be excused from jury duty | In Washington a court may excuse a person from jury service only for undue hardship, extreme inconvenience, public necessity or another reason the court finds sufficient, for as long as the court thinks necessary. A person 80 or older who attests on the court's form (no doctor's note required) that they cannot serve for health reasons must be excused. A person excused for a particular term may be reassigned to another term within 12 months, and someone summoned again after already serving at least a week in the past 12 months may ask in writing to be excused. The section in force on 2026-10-31 is labeled "Effective until January 1, 2027"; a new version takes effect on that date. Source: RCW 2.36.100 |
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| Penalty for skipping jury duty | In Washington, a person summoned for jury service who intentionally fails to appear as directed is guilty of a misdemeanor. Source: RCW 2.36.170 |
| Jury duty pay and your job | Washington employers must give an employee enough leave of absence to serve on a jury, and may not fire, threaten, coerce or harass an employee, or deny promotions, because the employee was summoned, responded or served. An employer who intentionally violates this is guilty of a misdemeanor, and an employee penalized can sue for damages and reinstatement plus attorney's fees. Jurors receive a county-set expense payment of $10 to $25 for each day of attendance plus mileage. The statute requires leave, but the sections reviewed do not require the employer to pay wages during service. Source: RCW 2.36.165, 2.36.150 |
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 · Washington 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.