Frequently Asked Questions

How often can I be called for jury duty?
How do I obtain a postponement or excusal?
How long does jury service last?
Do the courts have special accommodations for disabled jurors?
Will I be paid for jury duty?
Will I be able to check my e-mail at the courthouse?

How often will I be called for Jury Duty?
Those jurors who served after August 1998 will now be called every four years.

New York County has some of the busiest courthouses in the country--indeed, 60 Centre Street is said to be the busiest.

The huge number of jury trials demands a comparably huge number of jurors. Even as demand for jurors was high, there were a couple of factors restricting the supply. Most important, the New York State legislature exempted 26 different occupations from jury duty, including lawyers, physicians, podiatrists, and practical nurses.

We used to call jurors so often because the courts' need for jurors was so great and the supply was limited.

The Office of the Commissioner of Jurors for many years used what was called the Permanent Qualified List, made up of those faithful New Yorkers who duly returned the qualification questionnaire and showed up for jury duty. Those on the Permanent Qualified List tended to be called every two years.

Because the state legislature abolished all professional exemptions as of January 1, 1996, and because Chief Judge Kaye abolished the Permanent Qualified List, the supply of available New Yorkers is much larger.

Jurors are now summoned randomly from the entire community, which is drawn from the following source lists: NYS income tax, the NYS Department of Motor Vehicles, Board of Elections, Unemployment Compensation, and Public Assistance recipients.

All jurors, even those who served before, will receive new qualification questionnaires.

How do I obtain a postponement or excusal?

Your first request for postponement will be granted automatically.

You must, however, request the postponement before the scheduled date of your service. (The day of service is too late!)

You can apply by mail (Rm. 139, 60 Centre Street, NYC 10007) or by phone (24-hour number: 212-748-5300). State your suggested date, which must be within two to six months of the date on your summons.

If you phone:
Enter your nine-digit juror index number, which is located on the front of your summons, followed by the date that you wish to start your jury service. (If your requested month or day is a single digit you must enter a "0" first; otherwise, enter the two digit month followed by the two digit day.)

For Example:
If you want to request January 25, you press 0-1-2-5.
If you want to request November 6, you press 1-1-0-6.

Note: If the date you requested is not available, you will be given the next closest court date.

If your summons indicates that you have already postponed service, or if you were absent when last called, you must appear on the date summoned.

All subsequent requests for excuse or postponement other than medical exceptions must be made in person prior to your date of service.

Other Postponements and Excusals
If requesting a first postponement, see instructions above. Any subsequent applications for postponements and excusals must be made prior to your date of service. Your jury summons (with back portion completed) must be sent with any correspondence by mail in order to be considered. If a postponement of jury service to a fixed date is not applicable, an excusal (if granted) will be for a 2-year period. After this excusal period, you will become eligible for requalification as a juror.

Medical: An application for postponement or excusal may be granted if you are challenged by a mental or physical condition which renders you incapable of performing jury service. To apply for such postponement, you must provide a signed statement by a licensed physician or psychologist setting forth all of the following:

- a diagnosis of the mental or physical condition
- a prognosis of the length of time the mental or physical condition is expected to continue
- a conclusion that the applicant is not capable of performing jury duty the age of the applicant
- Unless you hear otherwise, your request for postponement or excusal will be granted

Financial Hardship: (a personal appearance is required) An application for excusal may be granted if you can prove that jury service will cause a financial hardship, which will significantly compromise your ability to support yourself, or your dependents. Please Note: This excusal is only for jurors experiencing a severe financial hardship. There are no excusals solely for loss of income. Please bring with you:

- all current tax forms showing your financial status
- documentation showing present employment status (wages, hours, etc.)
- any document showing your inability to provide support for you or your family as a result of jury service

Caregivers: (a personal appearance is required) An application for postponement or excusal may be granted to caregivers if your personal care and attention are required during the time you have been summoned to serve. Consideration will be given to jurors who offer proof that they have no access to alternative care or that the special needs of the care recipient require the applicant’s personal care. Please bring the following:

- copy of birth certificate of the minor child under the age of 16 (if applicable)
- documentation verifying any employment of the applicant, including hours worked
- doctor’s note detailing patient’s diagnosis and verification of caregiver’s services (if caregiving for a patient).

How long does Jury Service last?
The Unified Court System recently implemented a policy to reduce the length of service to the shortest possible term wherever practicable.

Those who are selected on a jury are required to serve on only one trial. On average, the length of a civil trial ranges from three to five days. Criminal trials average from five to ten days. If you are not selected for a trial you will usually be released after 2-3 days.

Do the courts have special accommodations for disabled jurors?
The courthouses are all accessible to wheelchairs, but some are more convenient than others.

If you have a disability and need special accommodations, you should call our office (212-374-8583 or 212-374-8584) when you receive your summons. Let us know the nature of your disability. We will try to be as helpful as possible.

Will I be paid for jury duty?
Most employers pay their employees while they're on jury duty. Those jurors not paid by their employers will be compensated at the rate of $40 a day.

Will I be able to check my e-mail at the courthouse?
Bell Atlantic has installed a pay e-mail/data port outside the main jury assembly room in the hallway across from the Citizens Jury Project booth. If you have a laptop with a modem, you can check your email or send and receive faxes there. Operation instructions are on the port. Click here for further information.