If you miss jury duty in Pennsylvania, the court can hold you in contempt and impose a fine of up to $500, up to ten days in jail, or both.1Pennsylvania General Assembly. Pennsylvania Code 42 Pa.C.S. 4584 In practice, almost no one gets the maximum on a first miss. Courts tend to send follow-up notices and give you a chance to explain yourself before any penalty lands. The real trouble starts when those follow-ups get ignored too.
What Actually Happens First
The court notices you didn’t show. Then it typically sends a second summons or a warning letter. If you still don’t respond, the next step is a “show cause order.” That is a court order telling you to appear before a judge on a specific date and explain why you missed your original summons.
Take a show cause order seriously. The judge wants to hear whether you had a legitimate reason or simply ignored the summons. Documentation helps a lot. A doctor’s note, proof you never received the original summons, or evidence of a family emergency can resolve the matter without any penalty.
Ignoring the show cause order is far worse than missing the original summons. At that point the court has confirmed you know about the proceeding and you are choosing not to respond. That is when fines and jail time stop being theoretical.
The Maximum State Penalties
Under 42 Pa.C.S. 4584, a summoned juror who fails to appear and is not exempt or excused can be held in contempt of court. The penalty is a fine of up to $500, imprisonment for up to ten days, or both.1Pennsylvania General Assembly. Pennsylvania Code 42 Pa.C.S. 4584 Judges rarely start at the top of that range for a first offense, but the authority is there.
If Your Summons Came From a Federal Court
Check the letterhead and return address on your summons. If it came from a U.S. District Court such as the Eastern or Middle District of Pennsylvania, different rules apply. Federal law allows a fine of up to $1,000, imprisonment for up to three days, community service, or any combination of those penalties for failing to appear without good cause.2United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. FAQs for Potential Jurors The fine is double the state maximum, though the jail exposure is actually shorter.
The federal process mirrors the state one. The court orders you to appear and show cause for your absence, and only imposes penalties if you fail to show up for that hearing or cannot offer a good reason.3United States District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania. Jury FAQs
What To Do If You Already Missed It
Don’t wait for the court to come looking. Call the jury office listed on your original summons and explain what happened. If you had a genuine reason (illness, a death in the family, never receiving the notice because you moved) say so and offer to send documentation. Most courts will reschedule you for a later date without any penalty.
If a show cause order has already arrived in the mail, go to the hearing. Bring whatever documentation supports your explanation. Jurors who communicate with the court almost never face contempt proceedings. The ones who get fined or jailed are, overwhelmingly, the ones who went silent.
Legitimate Ways To Be Excused or Postponed
Pennsylvania law recognizes specific categories of people who can be exempted or excused from service:4Pennsylvania General Assembly. Pennsylvania Code 42 Pa.C.S. 4503 – Exemptions From Jury Duty
- Members of the U.S. armed forces or Pennsylvania National Guard on active service.
- Anyone who served on a jury within the past three years, or within the past year if that service lasted fewer than three days.
- People for whom service would cause undue hardship or extreme inconvenience, which covers medical conditions, caregiving duties, financial hardship, and similar circumstances. The court decides whether to excuse you permanently or for a set period.
- Anyone age 75 or older who requests to be excused.
- Breastfeeding women who request to be excused.
- Spouses, children, siblings, parents, grandparents, and grandchildren of criminal homicide victims.
- People who have served 18 months on a statewide investigating grand jury.
- State and federal judges.
“I’m busy at work” is not on this list by itself. You would need to frame it as undue hardship, and the court decides whether it qualifies. A letter from your employer explaining the specific hardship carries more weight than a general statement.
If you can serve but the date is bad, most Pennsylvania courts allow a postponement. The standard route is to fill out the juror questionnaire that arrives with your summons and indicate your scheduling conflict in the section for excusals and postponements. Many counties also take written requests by mail, fax, or online form. A postponement is not a release; the court will summon you again for a later date. Medical postponements usually require a physician’s letter.
Phone Calls Demanding Payment Are Scams
If someone calls or emails claiming you missed jury duty in Pennsylvania and must pay a fine immediately to avoid arrest, it is a scam. Real courts do not call to demand payment over the phone, and they do not ask for Social Security numbers or payment information by phone or email.5United States Courts. Juror Scams Legitimate jury communications come through the U.S. mail. Hang up, and if you want to confirm your status, call the jury office at the courthouse directly using a number you look up yourself.