Tyler Gross | July 22, 2026 | Personal Injury
Yes, it is possible to get out of jury duty in Florida, but not just any excuse will work. Jury duty is something many people dread, but fulfilling it is an important part of our justice system. If you have a legitimate reason, you can typically get out of jury duty in Florida or at least have it rescheduled.
Keep reading below to learn more about jury duty and how you might be able to get out of it in Florida.
How Are Potential Jurors Selected in Florida?
There is often lots of confusion and misinformation about how potential jurors are selected.
In Florida, many jurors are randomly selected from databases maintained by the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV). This includes individuals aged 18 or older who have a valid driver’s license or state identification card.
Methods may vary by location. For example, jurors for the Northern District of Florida are chosen at random from the Florida Secretary of State’s certified list of registered voters.
Who May Serve on a Jury in Florida?
Not just anyone can serve on a jury in Florida, and to qualify as a juror, you must:
- Be 18 years of age or older
- Be a U.S. citizen
- Be a resident of Florida
- Be a resident in the county in which you were called to serve
If you do not meet these criteria, you will not be allowed to serve on a jury, and you may request to be excused prior to your jury service date. This can prevent you from being required to show up at the courthouse on the date of your service, and it also prevents you from getting into legal trouble for failing to appear.
Who Can Be Excused from Jury Duty?
Even if you legally qualify to serve as a juror, there may be other circumstances that make it difficult for you to serve on a jury at this specific point in time.
You may be excused from jury duty if you:
- Are aged 70 or older
- Are an expectant mother
- Are a law enforcement officer
- Are the parent or guardian of a child under 6 years old and do not work full-time
- Have served on a jury within the last 12 months
- Are the sole caregiver of someone incapable of caring for themselves
- Serving would cause an undue hardship
Some of those excuses are legally valid, and you may assert any of these excuses if you wish to not serve on a jury at the specific time you are called.
How Can I Get Out of Jury Duty?
You may contact the court prior to your service date to request your excusal, but do not simply fail to report for jury duty. This could get you into legal trouble, and you might face fines or even jail time.
Additionally, you may request a deferral of your jury service; for instance, suppose you have a vacation booked during the time you are supposed to report for jury duty. You will typically be granted one deferral with no questions asked, but your new jury duty date must be within six months of your originally scheduled date.
To request an excuse or deferral for your jury duty, use the contact information on your summons to find out the specific process used by that court.
Penalties for Failing to Appear for Jury Duty
If you simply refuse to show up for jury duty, you could find yourself in some trouble.
Jurors who fail to report for service could face:
- Fines of $100
- Contempt of court charges
While a $100 fine might not seem like much, contempt of court charges are serious because a conviction could result in additional fines and eventually lead to jail time. While jail time is rare in these cases, it is a potential penalty that you could face.
Contact the Pensacola Personal Injury Lawyers at Gross & Schuster Injury Lawyers for a Free Consultation
If you truly have a valid excuse that prevents you from serving on a jury, you should contact the court clerk prior to the date on your summons. This can allow you to get excused or reschedule your service in a timely manner. Waiting too long means you will need to report to the court on the date of your service, and failure to show up could result in fines and even jail time.
If you need legal help, contact the experienced Pensacola personal injury lawyers at Gross & Schuster Injury Lawyers to set up a free consultation. We work on a contingency fee basis, so you won’t pay anything up front for our legal services.
We have five convenient locations in Pensacola, Navarre, Crestview, Milton, and Mary Esther.
Gross & Schuster Injury Lawyers – Pensacola Office
803 N Palafox St
Pensacola, FL 32501
Phone: (850) 434-3333
Gross & Schuster Injury Lawyers – Navarre Office
9933 Navarre Pkwy
Navarre, FL 32566
Phone: (850) 757-2898
Gross & Schuster Injury Lawyers – Crestview Office
1501 S Ferdon Blvd
Crestview, FL 32536
Phone: (850) 407-7726
Gross & Schuster Injury Lawyers – Milton Office
6373 US-90
Milton, FL 32570
Phone: (850) 790-7790
Gross & Schuster Injury Lawyers – Mary Esther Office
151 Mary Esther Blvd Suite 103A
Mary Esther, FL 32569
Phone: (850) 809-0170