Courts and safety
Who handles a jury summons I received?
Who handles it
The court named on your summons handles it. It may be a federal district court or a state or local court in your community.
- Federal
- State
- Local
Facts checked November 5, 2026 · 4 sources
Why federal and state and local government
Federal, state and local courts each call their own jurors, and there is no single place to check them all. Each federal district court summons citizens from counties in its district.
What to do next
- Read the summons to see which court sent it, and follow its instructions.
- For a federal summons, you can use the court’s eJuror site to fill out the questionnaire or ask for an excuse or deferral.
- If a call or email asks for personal data or threatens fines, do not give the information. Contact the court clerk directly.
In your state
Find your state’s official offices on our state pages.
What varies
Each federal district court sets its own jury and excuse policies, and state and local courts run separate jury systems.
Learn the background: How does jury duty work?
Sources
Official recordU.S. Courts: Summoned for Federal Jury Service?
Official recordU.S. Courts: Juror Scams
Official recordU.S. Courts: Juror Qualifications, Exemptions and Excuses