You can postpone jury duty in New York up to three times, and no more than 18 months can pass between your original summons date and the date you actually serve. The first postponement is automatic and requires no reason. The second and third are granted only at the Commissioner of Jurors’ discretion, and only if you submit written proof of an unanticipated hardship.
The First Postponement Is Yours by Right
Under New York Judiciary Law ยง 517, every prospective juror is entitled to one postponement without giving a reason.1New York State Senate. New York Judiciary Law JUD 517 You pick a new date that works for you and the postponement is granted, provided two things are true: your service hasn’t already been postponed or excused, and you submit the request before your scheduled appearance date.
The new date has to fall within six months of the date printed on your original summons. That’s the only real limit on the first request.
There are three ways to submit it:
- Online at nyjuror.gov, using the identifying information on your summons
- By phone through the statewide automated line at 1-800-449-2819
- By mail, returning your completed summons to the division of jurors listed on the form2New York State Unified Court System. Postponements
Most counties want the request in at least a week before your report date, though exact deadlines vary. Wait until the day of, and you’ve likely missed the window.
The Second and Third Postponements
Once you’ve used your automatic postponement, the rules change sharply. Additional postponements are not guaranteed. The Commissioner of Jurors reviews each request individually and can only grant one if you submit a written application with documentation showing that serving on your new date would create a hardship you didn’t anticipate when you asked for the earlier postponement.3Legal Information Institute. New York Code, Rules and Regulations Title 22 Section 128.6-a
The controlling phrase is “unanticipated hardship.” A conflict you already knew about when you filed the first postponement will not support a second one. Situations that typically qualify include:
- A medical procedure for yourself or a dependent
- A documented financial loss from missing work
- A prepaid, non-refundable trip booked before the summons arrived
Whatever the basis, bring paperwork. A doctor’s letter, travel confirmations, an employer statement, or comparable proof gives the Commissioner something to act on. A bare assertion generally will not.
These subsequent requests go directly to the Commissioner of Jurors in your county rather than through the online portal or phone line. Some counties require you to appear in person. Check your summons or nyjuror.gov for local instructions.
The 18-Month Ceiling
State regulations set a hard outer boundary. Absent extraordinary circumstances, the Commissioner cannot grant more than three total postponements, and the combined delay cannot push your service more than 18 months past your original summons date.3Legal Information Institute. New York Code, Rules and Regulations Title 22 Section 128.6-a Once you’ve hit either limit, you serve, whether it’s convenient or not.
Practical implication: if you space your postponements too aggressively, you can burn through all three requests and still be inside the 18-month window with no flexibility left. If you use them close together, the 18-month cap may hit before you’ve used all three. Either limit can be the binding one, depending on how you sequence your requests.
Full-Time Students
Students enrolled full time can request a postponement to a school break. Contact your registrar or academic services office; many schools will provide a letter supporting the request. This is a postponement, not an exemption. You still serve, just during a break.
What Happens If You Skip Instead of Postpone
Ignoring a summons is a poor substitute for postponing one. You won’t be arrested on your missed report date, but the court sends a formal notice of noncompliance describing what you failed to do and giving you a chance to respond, either by admitting the failure or requesting a hearing.4New York State Senate. New York Judiciary Law JUD 527
If you ignore that notice too, or a judge finds your excuse inadequate at a hearing, the penalty is a civil fine of up to $250, and the court can order you to serve on a future date that is not optional. Contempt of court is theoretically available but rarely used against first-time no-shows.
If you’ve already missed your date, call the Commissioner of Jurors in your county right away. Most offices will reschedule rather than escalate, particularly if no noncompliance notice has gone out yet.
Federal Summonses Follow Different Rules
Everything above applies to New York state court summonses only. If your summons came from a U.S. District Court in New York, the postponement process runs through a separate federal system at uscourts.gov, with its own deferral policies. Check the top of your summons to see which court issued it before applying any of these rules.