For jury duty in Florida, bring your summons, a valid photo ID, any questionnaire the court mailed with your packet, a light jacket, small snacks and a drink in a non-glass container, something to read, and your phone with a charger. Leave firearms, knives, pepper spray, and glass bottles over four ounces at home. Rules vary a little by county, so read the full summons packet before your reporting date.
Documents You Need at Check-In
Your jury summons is the one thing you cannot forget. It carries your juror participant number, your reporting date, and the courthouse address. Without it, check-in slows down and staff may have to look you up by hand.
Bring a valid photo ID as well. A Florida driver’s license or a Florida identification card from the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles works at every courthouse in the state.
Many courts include a Confidential Juror Questionnaire in the mailed packet. If yours did, fill it out at home and bring it with you. Some packets also include a parking pass or parking validation instructions, so read the whole envelope rather than just noting the date.
If your employer wants proof you appeared, ask the jury clerks in the Jury Assembly Room for a Certificate of Attendance. Most courthouses issue one for each day served, or a single certificate covering the full period on your last day.1U.S. District Court, Southern District of Florida. What If My Employer Wants Proof That I Was Serving on Jury Duty Ask for it before you leave the building.
Comfort Items, Snacks, and Something to Read
Jury duty involves a lot of sitting and waiting. A book, magazine, crossword puzzle, or notebook will make the assembly room hours much easier.2Pasco County Clerk. Juror Handbook Some assembly rooms keep magazines on hand, but the selection is usually thin.
Small snacks and non-alcoholic drinks are generally allowed. Courthouses often have vending machines or a small café, but prices reflect the captive audience. Pack food and drinks in plastic or metal containers. Glass bottles over four ounces are prohibited at some courthouses for safety reasons.3Third Judicial Circuit Court. Court Security A refillable water bottle and a couple of granola bars will get you through most days.
Assembly rooms and courtrooms run cold year-round. Bring a light jacket or sweater even if it’s ninety degrees outside. A small cushion or neck pillow is not prohibited, though anything bulky will slow you down at security.
Phones, Tablets, and Laptops
Most Florida courthouses let jurors bring cell phones, e-readers, tablets, and laptops inside. The Southern District of Florida, for example, explicitly allows cell phones with cameras along with Kindles, Nooks, iPads, and similar devices.4U.S. District Court, Southern District of Florida. Can I Bring My Cellular Phone, Laptop Computer, Tape Recorder, Camera or Pager Use them freely in the assembly room while you wait.
The courtroom is a different matter. The presiding judge sets the rules there, and most judges require devices to be silenced or powered off during proceedings. During deliberations, phones and tablets are usually collected or barred outright to prevent outside research or communication. Ignoring a judge’s instruction about electronics can lead to contempt of court, so follow it even when no one appears to be watching.
Throw a charger or portable battery pack in your bag. Days can run past lunch, and outlets in the assembly room are not always easy to reach. Newer courthouses sometimes offer charging stations, but don’t plan around one being available.
What to Wear
Florida courthouses expect business or business-casual clothing. The Northern District of Florida’s policy is representative: no T-shirts, shorts, jeans, or flip-flops.5U.S. District Court, Northern District of Florida. Juror Attire and Conduct Hats are generally not allowed unless worn for religious reasons. A suit is not necessary, but slacks or khakis with a collared shirt will pass anywhere.
Jurors who arrive in prohibited clothing can be sent home and rescheduled. That means another day off work and another trip through the whole process. Slight overdressing beats guessing what a particular judge will tolerate.
What You Cannot Bring
Everyone entering a Florida courthouse passes through a metal detector, and belongings go through an X-ray. Security officers can refuse entry to anyone carrying a prohibited item, and they have discretion to flag anything they consider dangerous even when it isn’t on the standard list.
Florida law bans firearms and weapons from courthouses, even for people with a concealed carry license.6Florida Senate. Florida Code 790-06 – License to Carry Concealed Weapon or Firearm Bringing one in is a second-degree misdemeanor. Beyond firearms, prohibited-item lists at Florida courthouses typically include:
- Bladed items: knives of any size, razors, box cutters, and sharp-pointed scissors
- Self-defense devices: pepper spray, mace, stun guns, and metal knuckles
- Other restricted objects: ammunition, lighters, handcuff keys, glass bottles over four ounces, and slingshots
The exact list varies by courthouse. The Third Judicial Circuit’s list, for instance, also bans kubaton sticks and throwing stars.3Third Judicial Circuit Court. Court Security Because security personnel can confiscate anything they think is dangerous, leave pocket knives, multitools, and self-defense keychains in your car.
Prescription medications in their original labeled containers are allowed through security. Keep any liquid medication in a small container and be ready to explain it at the checkpoint. Insulin pens, inhalers, and other medically necessary items won’t be confiscated, but a visible prescription label speeds screening.
If You Can’t Make Your Reporting Date
If the date on your summons is genuinely impossible, most Florida courts grant one courtesy postponement when you ask at least seven days ahead through the county clerk’s juror portal or by phone. Waiting until the last minute usually results in a denial. For medical reasons, a presiding judge can excuse someone who is physically unable to serve, generally on a physician’s letter that confirms you’re a patient and states whether the condition is temporary or permanent, including the physician’s license number and contact information. Florida law also excuses the primary caregiver of a person incapable of self-care due to mental illness, intellectual disability, or similar incapacity.7Online Sunshine. Florida Code 40-013 – Jurors Qualifications Excuses Request the postponement or excuse in advance rather than skipping; a no-show can carry a fine and contempt penalties.