How Many Times Can You Reschedule Jury Duty in Harris County?

You can reschedule jury duty in Harris County twice, and each postponement can move your service date up to six months from the original summons date. The first postponement is automatic and requires no explanation. After the second, the court expects you to appear.¹²

How to Reschedule

The fastest route is the Harris County District Clerk’s website at www.hcdistrictclerk.com. Log in with either the HC Number printed on your summons or your Texas driver’s license number, along with your last name, then pick a new date.³

If you’d rather handle it by phone, call the Harris County Jury Assembly at 713-755-6392. Keep your summons in front of you so staff can pull up your record.³

Save whatever confirmation the system gives you, whether that’s a confirmation screen, email, or text. That’s your proof you rescheduled and didn’t simply skip.

What Happens After You’ve Used Both

Once both postponements are used, you’re expected to appear on the rescheduled date. There is no guaranteed third reschedule.²

If something genuinely serious happens, such as a death in the family or a sudden hospitalization, contact the District Clerk’s office and explain. Under Texas Government Code Section 62.110, a judge has discretion to hear a reasonable sworn excuse and either release you from service or assign a different date. That’s a judicial decision, not an automatic right the way the first two postponements are. Note that the court cannot excuse you on purely economic grounds, such as lost wages, unless every party in the case agrees.⁴

Penalties for Skipping Instead of Rescheduling

Ignoring a summons is a genuinely bad idea. Under Texas Government Code Section 62.111, a juror who fails to appear without a reasonable excuse faces a fine between $100 and $500. The same fine applies to a false exemption claim.⁵

In more serious cases, a judge can hold you in contempt of court, which opens the door to steeper consequences. A court is unlikely to come after someone over one honest scheduling conflict they tried to resolve. Repeatedly ignoring the process is a different story.

Exemption Is Not the Same as Rescheduling

A postponement moves your date. An exemption means you don’t have to serve at all during that summons period. Texas Government Code Section 62.106 lists specific categories that qualify, including people age 75 or older, primary caregivers for a child under 12 or a dependent adult, students, deployed active-duty military, and, in counties with a population of at least 200,000 (Harris County included), anyone who has served as a juror in the past 24 months.⁶ If any of those apply, claim the exemption during pre-registration rather than burning a postponement.

Your Job Is Protected

If you’re rescheduling because your employer is pressuring you, both Texas and federal law protect your position. Under Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code 122.001, your employer cannot fire you, threaten to fire you, or take any adverse action against you for serving on a jury. If they do, you can file a civil lawsuit and recover back pay for up to six months plus attorney’s fees.⁷

Federal law adds another layer. Under 28 U.S.C. § 1875, employers who fire or coerce employees over jury service face civil penalties up to $5,000 per violation, and a court can order reinstatement and lost wages. If your employer retaliates, you can apply to the district court, which will appoint counsel to represent you.⁸

Neither law requires your employer to pay you during jury service, though some choose to. Either way, you’re treated as if on a leave of absence, with no loss of seniority or benefits.⁸

1
Harris County District Clerk. On the Importance of Jury Service
2
Harris County District Clerk. A Citizen’s Guide to Jury Service
3
Harris County District Clerk. Jury Service in Harris County
4
Texas Public Law. Texas Government Code 62.110 – Judicial Excuse of Juror
5
State of Texas. Texas Government Code 62.111
6
State of Texas. Texas Government Code 62-106 – Exemption From Jury Service
7
State of Texas. Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code 122-001 – Protection of Jurors Employment
8
Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 28 US Code 1875 – Protection of Jurors Employment