What happens if you miss jury duty in NC? Are there acceptable reasons for being excused?
Jury service, also known as jury duty, can have a big impact in civil and criminal trials. According to North Carolina state law, excuses for not going are only accepted under certain conditions.
So what happens if you can’t go or accidentally miss it? Here’s what qualifies as an acceptable excuse for getting out of jury duty, and what consequences you could face if you fail to appear.
Who qualifies for jury duty? How are they selected?
“At least every two years, a three-person Jury Commission for each county oversees the compiling of a master jury list of licensed drivers and/or registered voters. Names are drawn at random from this list,” the North Carolina Judicial Branch website says.
This is what qualifies someone to be summoned for jury duty:
Citizens of the United States
Residents of the county where the summons was issued
At least 18 years old
Physically and mentally competent
Able to understand English
Have not served as a juror during the previous two years
Have not served a full term as a grand juror in the last six years
Have not been convicted of a felony (unless citizenship rights have been restored)
But there are certain exceptions if you can’t go.
Acceptable excuses for missing or getting out of jury duty
“The General Assembly hereby declares the public policy of this State to be that jury service is the solemn obligation of all qualified citizens, and that excuses from the discharge of this responsibility should be granted only for reasons of compelling personal hardship or because requiring service would be contrary to the public welfare, health, or safety,” state law says.
According to the state judicial website, the procedures to request an excuse or deferral vary depending on the county you live in. But generally, you need to contact the clerk of the superior court office or the chief district court judge’s office for getting excused from jury service.
You can request to be excused, deferred or exempted five days before you’re due in court if you are:
- a full-time student at an out of state school
- 72 years or older
- have a disability that could interfere with the ability to serve as a juror
Consequences for missing jury duty
While there are certain exceptions for getting out jury duty, missing it without an excuse could cost you. By state law, the court could hold you in contempt and or impose a $50 fine for each time you fail to appear unless you have an excuse “deemed sufficient.”
If you do miss jury duty, you will get a notice sent by mail only. But beware of any phone calls or emails you may get from scammers posing as officials issuing fake notices.
“If you fail to appear, you cannot be fined by telephone or email. Any phone call stating that a (bench) warrant has been issued for your arrest due to not reporting for jury service is a scam,” the state judicial website says. “Court staff and the Sheriff’s Office do not call or email citizens requesting Social Security numbers, credit card numbers, money, pre–paid debit card numbers, or any other sensitive financial information.”
You can find more information about jury service in North Carolina online at nccourts.gov.
This story was originally published December 11, 2023 at 2:55 PM with the headline "What happens if you miss jury duty in NC? Are there acceptable reasons for being excused?."
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