If you received a summons for federal jury duty in Texas, you are legally required to respond, and federal law decides who serves, who is excused, what you are paid, and how your job is protected while you are gone. Texas has four federal judicial districts (Northern, Southern, Eastern, and Western), and the one named on your summons is where you report. Ignoring the notice can cost you up to $1,000, up to three days in jail, or both.
Who Has to Serve
Federal law sets six qualifications. You must be a U.S. citizen, at least 18 years old, and a resident of the judicial district for at least one year as of the date you complete the qualification questionnaire. You also need to read, write, speak, and understand English well enough to follow proceedings and complete the required forms.1Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 28 US Code 1865 – Qualifications for Jury Service
Two things disqualify you. One is a pending felony charge punishable by more than a year in prison. The other is a prior felony conviction where your civil rights have not been restored. A mental or physical condition that the court cannot reasonably accommodate is also disqualifying.2United States Courts. Juror Qualifications, Exemptions and Excuses
Whether a past felony keeps you off a federal jury depends on the law of the state where you were convicted. Some states restore civil rights automatically after you complete your sentence; others require a pardon, expungement, or separate petition. If you aren’t sure where you stand, call the clerk of the federal court listed on your notice before deciding you’re ineligible.
Responding to the Questionnaire and Summons
The first thing most people receive is not a summons but a juror qualification questionnaire. It asks about citizenship, age, residency, English proficiency, criminal history, and any condition that would prevent you from serving. You have ten days to return it.3Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 28 USC 1864 – Drawing of Names From the Master Jury Wheel
Texas federal courts generally direct you to the eJuror online system, and your notice includes a participant number for logging in. A postage-paid envelope is included if you prefer to mail the paper form back. Don’t miss the ten-day window. If you fail to return the form, the court can order you to appear in person to complete it. Lying on the questionnaire to avoid service carries the same penalties as ignoring the summons entirely.3Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 28 USC 1864 – Drawing of Names From the Master Jury Wheel
Automatic Exemptions
Three groups are exempt by law and do not need to request to be excused:
- Members of the Armed Forces on active duty.
- Full-time members of any state or local police or fire department.
- Full-time public officers in the executive, legislative, or judicial branches of federal, state, or local government who are actively performing their duties.
If you fall into one of these categories, complete the questionnaire and indicate your exempt status rather than ignoring the notice.4Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 28 US Code 1863 – Plan for Random Jury Selection
Getting Excused or Deferred for Hardship
If you aren’t automatically exempt but serving on the assigned date would be a real problem, you can ask the court to excuse you or postpone your service. The legal standard is “undue hardship or extreme inconvenience,” decided case by case. Reasons courts commonly accept include a serious medical condition documented by a doctor, being the sole caregiver for someone who cannot care for themselves, and recent completion of federal jury service.
Deferral is usually easier to get than full excusal. If the issue is timing, like a scheduled surgery, final exams, or a non-refundable trip, you can ask to be moved to a later date, generally within the same year. File through eJuror or by mail with supporting documents, and do it as soon as you know there’s a conflict. A timely request with a doctor’s note is treated very differently from a phone call on the morning you’re supposed to appear.
People 70 and older can ask to be excused. It isn’t automatic, but the court will typically grant the request if you note it on your questionnaire or summons response.
Penalties for Ignoring the Summons
If you don’t show up after being summoned, the court can order you to appear and explain why. A U.S. Marshal may deliver that order in person. Without a good reason, you can be fined up to $1,000, jailed for up to three days, ordered to perform community service, or receive some combination of those.5Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 28 USC 1866 – Selection and Summoning of Jury Panels
The same penalties apply to ignoring the qualification questionnaire or lying on it. Courts usually give people a chance to comply before imposing a punishment, but “I didn’t get it” and “I forgot” rarely satisfy a judge.
What You’ll Be Paid
Federal jurors receive $50 per day of attendance, including travel days at the start and end of service. If you sit on a petit (trial) jury that goes beyond ten days, the judge can raise your daily fee by up to $10, bringing it to a maximum of $60, for each day past that mark. Grand jurors become eligible for the same increase after 45 days of actual service.6Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 28 USC 1871 – Fees
You are also reimbursed for travel. The court pays a mileage allowance for the round trip between your home and the courthouse at a rate set by the Administrative Office of the United States Courts. Tolls and reasonable parking fees are reimbursed with receipts, though parking policies vary by courthouse, so check your district court’s website.
Attendance fees are taxable. If your fees total $600 or more in a year, the court issues a Form 1099-MISC. Below that, you still have to report the income.7United States District Court. Are Juror Attendance Fees Considered Reportable Income
Job Protection While You Serve
Federal law prohibits any employer from firing, threatening, intimidating, or coercing a permanent employee because of federal jury service. The protection covers your time in court and any scheduled attendance tied to your service.8Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 28 US Code 1875 – Protection of Jurors Employment
An employer who violates the law can be ordered to pay lost wages and benefits, reinstate you if you were fired, and pay a civil penalty of up to $5,000 per violation per employee. You can file a claim in the same federal district court, and if the court finds it has merit, counsel is appointed for you at no cost.8Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 28 US Code 1875 – Protection of Jurors Employment
One gap: neither federal nor Texas law requires a private employer to keep paying your regular wages during jury duty.9Texas Workforce Commission. Jury Duty Some employers do so voluntarily, and many large employers have written policies. Check your employee handbook or ask HR before your reporting date. The $50 daily fee from the court will not replace most people’s wages.
Reporting for Service in Texas
Texas’s four federal districts are headquartered in Dallas (Northern), Houston (Southern), Tyler (Eastern), and San Antonio (Western), each with additional division courthouses in smaller cities. Your summons says exactly where and when to report.
Most Texas federal courts put jurors “on call,” often for a month at a time. You check a recorded hotline or the court’s website the evening before each potential date to find out whether to appear the next morning. If your group isn’t called, you don’t go in.
When you do report, arrive early enough to clear security. You’ll pass through metal detectors and have your bag X-rayed. Bring the summons and a government-issued photo ID. Weapons are prohibited. Cell phone rules vary by courthouse, with some allowing silenced phones and others restricting electronics in courtrooms, so check your district court’s site before you leave home.
Petit Jury vs. Grand Jury
What kind of jury you are placed on changes everything about how long you serve. A petit, or trial, jury hears a single civil or criminal case and decides it. These juries have 6 to 12 members, most federal trials finish in a few days, and once the verdict is in, your service is done. Many federal courts use a one-day/one-trial system: if you are not picked for a panel on your reporting day, you are released and your obligation is over.10United States Courts. Types of Juries
A grand jury is different. It reviews evidence from federal prosecutors to decide whether charges should be filed. Grand juries have 16 to 23 members and serve a much longer term, typically up to 18 months and extendable to 24. Grand jurors don’t sit every day; most panels meet a few days each month, with the schedule depending on the district and caseload.10United States Courts. Types of Juries Most federal civil and criminal trials last one to five days, though complex matters can run longer.