Jury Duty Excuse Letter in West Virginia
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 West Virginia law says
| Who can be excused from jury duty | West Virginia law says no qualified prospective juror is exempt from jury service, so there is no automatic age exemption in the statute. The court may excuse a person, on the person's request or on its own, for undue hardship, extreme inconvenience or public necessity for as long as the court thinks necessary, after which the person must report again as directed. The court may also excuse current members of the National Guard or reserves. The decision is based on the juror qualification form, an interview, or other evidence. Source: W. Va. Code §§ 52-1-10, 52-1-11 |
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| Penalty for skipping jury duty | In West Virginia, a person summoned for jury duty who fails to appear or to finish jury service as directed will be ordered to come to court right away and show cause. If the person cannot show good cause, the person is guilty of civil contempt and may be fined up to $1,000. Source: W. Va. Code § 52-1-24 |
| Jury duty pay and your job | A West Virginia employee who gets a jury summons must show it to the immediate supervisor on the next workday, and must then be excused from work for the days needed to serve. An employer may not fire, threaten to fire, or cut the regular pay of an employee for time not actually spent away because of jury service; the employee may sue for reinstatement, back pay and attorney's fees, and an employer who discriminates is guilty of civil contempt with a fine of $100 to $500. Employers are not required to pay wages for the time actually spent away on jury service. Jurors receive mileage plus $15 to $40 per day, as set by the circuit court. |
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 · West Virginia 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.