If you’ve been summoned for Nassau County jury duty, you’ll report to a courthouse in Mineola, serve under the state’s “one day or one trial” rule, and receive $72 a day with legal protection against being fired for showing up. Ignore the summons and you face a civil penalty of up to $250 under New York Judiciary Law.1New York State Senate. New York Consolidated Laws, Judiciary Law JUD 527 The Nassau County Commissioner of Jurors runs the whole process, from mailing the summons to enforcing compliance.2New York State Unified Court System. NY Juror
Respond to the Summons First
Your summons arrives by mail with a Juror Index Number printed on it. That number is what you’ll use for every response, postponement, or status update. The summons also includes a Juror Qualification Questionnaire covering your address, employment, and eligibility.
You have three ways to respond. The eJuror portal at nyjuror.gov takes your index number and zip code. An automated phone system walks you through voice prompts. Or you can mail the paper questionnaire to the Commissioner of Jurors at 100 Supreme Court Drive, Mineola, NY 11501.3New York Courts. Nassau County Commissioner of Jurors Each method generates a confirmation number. Save it. That number is your proof you responded.
Postponing or Being Excused
You get one free postponement if you request it at least one week before your reporting date. Pick a new date between two and six months out from the date on your summons; the court assigns you the closest available slot. Use eJuror or call 800-449-2819.4New York Courts. Juror Questions and Answers FAQs
If even a postponed date won’t work, you can ask the Commissioner of Jurors for a hardship excusal. Excusals are discretionary and usually require documentation, such as a signed physician’s statement for a medical issue or proof of caregiving responsibilities. Contact the Commissioner’s office directly to start that request.
Where to Go and What to Expect
Read your summons carefully, because the reporting address varies. Most Nassau County jurors check in at the Central Jury Room at 100 Supreme Court Drive in Mineola. Some are sent to the Nassau County Court at 262 Old Country Road, also in Mineola.3New York Courts. Nassau County Commissioner of Jurors
Parking is free for jurors in Lot 6 on the north side and Lot 14 on the south side. Everyone passes through security with metal detectors and bag screening, so leave sharp objects and recording devices at home. After security, you present your summons at the jury assembly room and sit through a short orientation. There’s no formal dress code, but the court asks for business casual rather than beachwear.
Pay and Job Protection
New York pays jurors $72 for each day you physically report to the courthouse. If your employer is required to cover your wages for the first three days, you don’t collect the state stipend for those days unless your daily wages come in under $72, in which case the state pays the difference.5New York Courts. Judiciary Law Article 16 New York State Consolidated Laws – Section 521
Employer rules turn on headcount. If your employer has more than ten employees, they cannot withhold the first $72 of your daily wages during the first three days of service. Smaller employers with ten or fewer workers can withhold wages, but no employer of any size can fire or penalize you for serving. Violating that protection is criminal contempt of court.6New York State Senate. New York Judiciary Law 519 – Right of Juror to Be Absent from Employment The statute also requires you to give your employer advance notice before your service date.
How Long You Actually Serve
Nassau County follows New York’s “one day or one trial” standard. If you aren’t picked for a jury on your reporting day, you’re done. If you are picked, you serve for the full length of the trial. Once you’ve served, you’re exempt from being summoned to any New York state court for at least six years. Sit on a trial that runs more than ten days and the exemption stretches to eight years.4New York Courts. Juror Questions and Answers FAQs
Who Qualifies to Serve
Under New York Judiciary Law Section 510, you must be a U.S. citizen, at least 18 years old, a Nassau County resident, and able to understand and communicate in English.7New York State Senate. New York Judiciary Law 510 – Qualifications A felony conviction disqualifies you, though eligibility can be restored through a Certificate of Relief from Disabilities (for a single felony) or a Certificate of Good Conduct (for multiple felonies), issued through the courts or the state Department of Corrections.
What Happens If You Ignore the Summons
Stuff the summons in a drawer and the Commissioner of Jurors sends a noncompliance notice. Ignore that notice and you face a civil penalty of up to $250, plus a court order setting a new mandatory service date. Blowing off that order exposes you to additional criminal and civil penalties on top of the fine.1New York State Senate. New York Consolidated Laws, Judiciary Law JUD 527 Even if you can’t serve on the assigned date, responding to request a postponement costs you nothing and keeps you out of the penalty track.
Federal Jury Duty Is a Separate Summons
A Nassau County summons from the Commissioner of Jurors is a state matter. Federal jury duty is handled by the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York, which covers Nassau along with Brooklyn, Queens, Staten Island, and Suffolk.8US Courts – New York Eastern District. Jurors Federal pay is $50 a day with mileage and parking reimbursement, and the process runs on its own track with its own rules.9Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 28 USC 1871 – Fees Federal service does count toward your state exemption period.4New York Courts. Juror Questions and Answers FAQs
Jury Pay and Your Taxes
Both state and federal jury pay are taxable income. Report the amount on Schedule 1 (Form 1040), line 8h. If your employer kept paying your salary during service on the condition that you turn over your jury check, you can deduct that amount on Schedule 1, line 24a, so you aren’t taxed on money you never kept.10Internal Revenue Service. 1040 Instructions