If you’ve received a Collin County jury duty summons, you must respond to it — either to confirm you’ll appear, claim an exemption, or request a one-time deferment — and if you’re not excused, you’ll report to the Russell A. Steindam Courts Building in McKinney for possible service. Texas law sets who qualifies, who can be excused, and what happens if you don’t respond. The details below cover each step.
How to Respond to the Summons
Every summons requires a response. The fastest way is the county’s online Juror Access portal, where you can complete the juror questionnaire, submit a disqualification or exemption claim, and request a one-time deferment to a later date. You’ll need your Juror ID number and date of birth to log in. Responding by mail is also accepted.1Collin County. District Clerk: Jury Services
A deferment reschedules your service to a future date and can only be used once. Ask for it during the response window after you receive the summons, not on your report date. If you have a genuine conflict, like a non-refundable trip or a scheduled medical procedure, requesting the deferment early is straightforward.
Who Qualifies and Who Is Disqualified
Texas requires every prospective juror to meet all of the following:
- At least 18 years old
- A United States citizen
- A resident of Texas and of Collin County
- Able to read and write
- Of sound mind and good moral character
- Qualified to vote in Collin County (registration is not required)
You are automatically disqualified if you have been convicted of misdemeanor theft or a felony, or if you are currently under indictment or other legal accusation for either offense.2Texas Judicial Branch. Jury Service in Texas – Section: Qualifications for Jury Service
Exemptions You Can Claim
Meeting the qualifications above doesn’t end the inquiry. Texas Government Code Section 62.106 lists categories of people who may claim an exemption, but it is never automatic. You have to affirmatively request it through the Juror Access portal or by contacting the court. Say nothing, and you’re expected to appear.
The available exemptions:
- Age 75 or older
- Legal custody of a child younger than 12, where serving would leave the child without adequate supervision
- Currently attending a public or private secondary school
- Enrolled and actively attending an institution of higher education
- Primary caretaker of someone who cannot care for themselves
- Officer or employee of the Texas Senate, House of Representatives, or another legislative-branch agency
- Active-duty U.S. military member deployed away from home station and out of Collin County
- Served as a petit juror in Collin County within the past three years
The prior-service exemption is worth a closer look because it depends on county population. Collin County is well above 250,000, which triggers the three-year lookback under subsection (a)(8) of Section 62.106.3State of Texas. Texas Government Code Section 62.106 – Exemption From Jury Service Serve within that window and you can claim it.
Medical Excuses and Hardship
Medical conditions and personal hardship aren’t listed as statutory exemptions, but Texas courts have discretion to excuse individual jurors for good cause. If a physical or mental condition prevents you from serving, contact the Collin County District Clerk’s office as soon as you receive your summons. Expect to provide a letter from your physician explaining the condition and whether it’s permanent or temporary. A temporary issue is more likely to result in a postponement than a permanent excuse.
What Happens If You Ignore the Summons
Texas has two separate penalty provisions, and they cover different situations. The first applies when you fail to respond to or comply with the summons at all, or when you knowingly provide false information in a request for an exemption. That subjects you to a contempt action with a fine between $100 and $1,000.4State of Texas. Texas Government Code Section 62.111 – Penalty for Defaulting Jurors
The second provision targets a juror who has been lawfully notified to attend court, meaning you responded but then didn’t show up without a reasonable excuse, or filed a false exemption claim. That fine runs from $100 to $500.5Texas Judicial Branch. Jury Service in Texas – Section: Statutory Penalties for Non Compliance
Courts rarely jump to maximum fines for a first-time no-show, but the risk is real. Requesting a deferment or contacting the clerk’s office before your service date is far better than simply not appearing.
What to Expect at the Courthouse
Jurors report to the Central Jury Room at the Russell A. Steindam Courts Building, 2100 Bloomdale Road in McKinney.1Collin County. District Clerk: Jury Services The courthouse opens as early as 7:00 a.m. Parking is free for jurors, but spaces go quickly on heavy docket days, and everyone passes through security screening. Arriving early is worth the effort.
Security prohibits knives of any kind, multi-tools and hand tools, scissors, razor blades, lighters, matches, vapes, mace and pepper spray, aerosol sprays, and metal or glass drink containers. Cell phones and laptops are allowed inside; recording devices, cameras, and audio equipment are not. You can use your phone and read on a tablet during waiting periods, which helps because there’s often a lot of downtime.
Courthouse policy requires appropriate courtroom attire. Shorts, tank tops, flip-flops, and clothing with obscene or revealing graphics aren’t allowed. You don’t need a suit; business casual is fine.
The day starts with check-in and an orientation video, then a wait. If your panel is called, you’ll head to a courtroom for voir dire, the questioning process where the judge and attorneys ask prospective jurors about their background, potential biases, and ability to be fair. Exemptions, hardships, and conflicts that weren’t resolved beforehand can be raised there.
Jurors not selected are typically released by the end of the day. If you are selected, you serve for the duration of that trial. Most Collin County trials wrap in one to three days, though complex cases can run longer. Your obligation is generally one day or one trial.
Juror Pay and Taxes
Collin County pays jurors at least $20 for the first day of service. If you’re selected for a trial that continues, the rate increases to at least $58 per day for each additional day.6Texas Judicial Branch. Jury Service in Texas – Section: Compensation These are state-mandated minimums. You can request an attendance certificate for your employer after service.
Jury pay is taxable. The IRS requires you to report it on Schedule 1 (Form 1040), line 8h. If your employer pays your regular salary during jury duty but requires you to turn over the jury fees, you can deduct the surrendered amount on Schedule 1, line 24a, so the same money isn’t taxed twice.7IRS. Publication 525 – Taxable and Nontaxable Income
Your Job While You Serve
Texas law prohibits your employer from firing, threatening, intimidating, or coercing you because of jury service. The protection covers permanent employees and applies to service in any court, state or federal.8State of Texas. Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code Section 122.001 – Protection of Jurors Employment If you are fired in violation of this law, you’re entitled to reinstatement and damages ranging from one to five years of your compensation at the rate you were earning when summoned, plus reasonable attorney’s fees. You must give your employer actual notice of your intent to return as soon as practical after service ends, and any lawsuit has to be filed within two years of the date you served.9State of Texas. Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code Section 122.002 – Damages, Reinstatement, Attorneys Fees
What the law doesn’t do is require your employer to pay your regular wages while you serve. Texas has no such mandate for hourly or non-exempt workers. Salaried exempt employees are treated differently under federal wage rules: if you work any portion of a workweek and miss the rest for jury duty, your employer must pay your full salary for that week. The employer can offset the jury fees you received against that salary, but cannot dock your pay below the full weekly amount.10U.S. Department of Labor. FLSA Overtime Security Advisor – Jury Duty, Military Leave and Serving as a Witness Your employer also cannot force you to use vacation or paid time off for jury duty days, though some offer paid jury leave voluntarily.