Connecticut Jury Duty Laws: Pay, Exemptions and Employer Rules

Connecticut state-court jury service is governed by chapter 884 of the General Statutes, starting with the qualifications in Conn. Gen. Stat. § 51-217. Connecticut requires employers to pay a full-time employee's regular wages for the first five days of jury service, and the state pays every juror $50 a day from the sixth day on (§ 51-247).

An employer may not fire, threaten or coerce you because of a summons or your service (§ 51-247a). People 75 or older may ask not to serve, but the age rule is not automatic (§ 51-217(a)(8)).

Information last verified on October 7, 2026. This article has not been reviewed by a licensed lawyer.

Jurisdiction scope: This page covers jury service in Connecticut state courts, administered statewide by the Judicial Branch's Jury Administration. A summons from the U.S. District Court for the District of Connecticut follows federal law, summarized on our jury duty laws by state hub.

Do you have to go? The short answer

Yes, unless a disqualification applies, you have earned the prior-service excuse, or the court or Jury Administrator excuses or postpones you. Connecticut repealed its old exemption section (§ 51-219), so there is no list of professions that are simply exempt.

What remains is a list of disqualifications in § 51-217, a few of which work only if you ask, plus an "extreme hardship" excuse decided case by case. To sort out which route might fit before you contact the court, try our jury duty exemption checker.

Who can serve on a jury in Connecticut

Under Conn. Gen. Stat. § 51-217(a), jurors must be "electors, individuals lawfully admitted for permanent residence ... or citizens of the United States, who are residents of this state having a permanent place of abode in this state." They must also appear on the Jury Administrator's list and be at least 18.

That means a green-card holder who lives in Connecticut is eligible. The statute states no minimum length of residence. The juror list is built from registered voters, state income tax filers, unemployment compensation recipients and people with a driver's license or state ID, according to the Judicial Branch Juror FAQ.

Who is disqualified

Section 51-217(a) disqualifies a person who:

• is found by a Superior Court judge to show a quality that would impair the capacity to serve (but no one is disqualified for being deaf or hard of hearing);
• has been convicted of a felony within the past three years, is a defendant in a pending felony case, or is in the custody of the Commissioner of Correction;
• is not able to speak and understand English;
• holds certain offices: the Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Secretary of the State, Treasurer, Comptroller and Attorney General, and judges of the Probate, Superior, Appellate and Supreme Courts, state referees, family support magistrates and federal judges;
• is a member of the General Assembly, but only while it is in session;
• is a registrar or deputy registrar of voters, but only from 21 days before to 21 days after an election, primary or referendum;
• is 75 or older and chooses not to serve;
• is incapable of satisfactory service because of a physical or mental disability (with a provider's letter, below); or
• served in the U.S. District Court for the District of Connecticut as a trial juror on a case tried to a jury, or as a federal grand juror, during the last three jury years, with proof of that service.

On English, the Judicial Branch says you "do not need to know English legal terminology" and may still serve if English is your second language but you can communicate in it.

Felony convictions

Connecticut's jury statute sets its own test: a felony conviction disqualifies you only if it was within the past three years (§ 51-217(a)(2)). After that window, the conviction alone is not a disqualification under this section. A pending felony case or being in the custody of the Commissioner of Correction also disqualifies you. A person released on parole under § 54-125a remains in the custody of the Commissioner of Correction during parole (Conn. Gen. Stat. § 54-125a(h)), so that parole counts.

Voter registration is not required: a U.S. citizen who lives in Connecticut qualifies, so voting-rights status does not decide jury eligibility. If you are unsure whether you are eligible, answer the juror questionnaire truthfully and ask Jury Administration.

Excusals and postponements in Connecticut

Age 75 and older: you have to ask

Section 51-217(a)(8) disqualifies a person who "is seventy-five years of age or older and chooses not to perform juror service." The key word is "chooses": nothing happens on your 75th birthday. If you are 75 or older and do not want to serve, tell Jury Administration when you respond to the summons.

You can also ask the Jury Administrator to stop summoning you. Under § 51-217(c)(2), you are placed on an exclusion list, and the request "may be rescinded at any time with written notice to the Jury Administrator." There is no upper age at which Connecticut removes anyone automatically.

Medical disqualification and the six-hour guideline

To claim a disability disqualification, you must send the Jury Administrator a letter from a licensed health care provider stating that the disability prevents satisfactory juror service. The statute tells the provider what test to use: "A person shall be capable of rendering satisfactory juror service if such person is able to perform a sedentary job requiring close attention for six hours per day, with short work breaks in the morning and afternoon sessions, for at least three consecutive business days" (§ 51-217(c)(1)).

For a permanent disability, a letter from a physician, physician assistant or APRN can put you on a permanent exclusion list. The request must include your name, address, date of birth and Social Security number so the office can match you, and it can be withdrawn in writing.

The three-year prior-service rule

Under § 51-217a(a), a person who appeared in court for jury service and was not excused during the three preceding jury years is excused for the current jury year, unless the person asks to be summoned. Each jury year runs from September 1 to August 31.

The Judicial Branch puts it this way: you "may be randomly selected for jury service every court year," but you are "only required to come to court for jury service once within 3 court years." If you are summoned again inside that window, contact Jury Administration and ask to be excused based on your prior service.

Extreme hardship

"The court shall have authority to excuse a juror from juror service, upon a finding of extreme hardship" (§ 51-217a(b)). The Jury Administrator may also decide whether a person may be excused for extreme hardship (§ 51-217(b)). The statute lists no categories, so the decision depends on your facts. The Judicial Branch says childcare hardship requests are handled through its eResponse portal.

Students, military members and non-residents

These are Jury Administration policies, not statutory categories. Students "are expected to defer jury service to a school break that is longer than a week in duration" and have one year from the original summons date to serve; a student who cannot attend during a break may request an excusal.

The Judicial Branch says active-duty service members may request an excusal through eResponse, while civilian personnel who work for the military must still serve but may defer. The disqualification list in § 51-217 does not include military service, and we found no provision in Connecticut's military statutes (Title 27) exempting National Guard members from state jury service.

Separately, federal law says an active-duty member of the armed forces may not be required to serve on a state or local jury if the member's branch Secretary determines that service would unreasonably interfere with military duties or adversely affect unit readiness, and that determination is conclusive (10 U.S.C. § 982). It is a decision by the Secretary, not an automatic exemption.

Because jurors must live in Connecticut, out-of-state students and service members who live out of state are not eligible and may request excusal, the Judicial Branch says.

Postponing your service

Every summons must state "that a juror has a right to one postponement of the juror's term of juror service for not more than ten months" (§ 51-232(b)). The Jury Administrator may grant more postponements, but not beyond one year from the original summons date. If the date you pick is not available, the office assigns one reasonably close to it.

The Judicial Branch says a second deferral requires a call to Jury Administration at 1-800-842-8175 (Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.). If your date is within two weeks, or has already passed, contact the office by phone or email rather than using the portal.

Breastfeeding

Section 51-217b requires the Judicial Branch to post information for breastfeeding women about their ability to postpone jury service. The statute does not create a separate excuse; the general postponement right applies. The Judicial Branch FAQ says a private room is available on request.

The same FAQ says childcare is not available at courthouses and children may not come to court with a parent who is serving.

How much does jury duty pay in Connecticut?

Connecticut's pay rules are set statewide in § 51-247, not by county, and they depend on whether you are full-time employed and how many days you serve.

The statute says a reimbursement award "shall not be less than twenty dollars or more than fifty dollars" for each day of service. The Judicial Branch FAQ says the reimbursement can cover expenses such as childcare, parking and transportation and is claimed on a Reimbursement Form with documentation. A Judicial Branch and Department of Labor guide says unemployment benefits continue during jury service but, from day six, are reduced by two-thirds of the state's juror pay.

A worker placed through a temporary help service counts as full-time if the position normally requires 30 or more hours a week and the worker has held it for more than 90 days (§ 51-247(a)).

A person is not treated as full-time employed on a day when no regular wages would have been earned, or when the person would have worked less than half of a shift that runs into another day.

When an employer can be excused from paying

An employer, or a self-employed juror, can ask the court to be excused from the five-day wage duty by written application and a finding of extreme financial hardship (§ 51-247c). An employer must file the waiver application within 15 days of receiving it, and a hearing may be requested within 20 days if it is denied.

If the waiver is granted, "the court shall award to the juror the amount the court finds to be the juror's regular wages, to be paid by the state, for the first five days ... but in no event shall such award exceed fifty dollars per day" (§ 51-247c(a)). You receive a juror service certificate after your service. To be paid by your employer, give your employer its copy and the waiver application as soon as practicable (§ 51-247c(b)).

Connecticut employer rules for jury duty

Job protection

Under § 51-247a(a), "An employer shall not deprive an employee of his or her employment, or threaten or otherwise coerce the employee with respect to his or her employment, because the employee receives a summons ... responds to the summons, or serves as a juror." The section states no minimum employer size, no length-of-employment requirement and no notice requirement.

Eight hours in court counts as a workday

A juror who has served eight hours of jury duty in a day is treated as having worked a legal day's work, and the employer may not require work beyond those eight hours (§ 51-247a(b)). The section does not address whether an employer may require you to use vacation or sick time. A Judicial Branch and Department of Labor guide says an employer may require a juror dismissed early in the day to return to work.

Wage continuation for full-time employees

For full-time employees, the five days of regular wages are mandatory unless a court excuses the employer. The payment is treated as wages under Connecticut's wage-payment law (§ 51-247(a)). Under § 51-247a(e), an employer that does not pay and was not excused "shall be liable to the juror-employee for damages," and the juror may sue in Superior Court.

"Extreme financial hardship on the employer shall not be a defense to such action," and the court may award treble damages and reasonable attorney's fees on a finding of wilful conduct. Section 51-247a(e) does not state its own filing deadline. Connecticut's general two-year limit for wage claims (§ 52-596) may apply, but we found no court decision confirming that, so act promptly. Section 51-247(a) also makes an employer that does not pay subject to the state wage-payment remedies in §§ 31-71g and 31-72, which can include twice the unpaid wages and collection by the Labor Commissioner. Under § 52-596, filing a wage complaint with the Labor Commissioner tolls the two-year limit.

State employees

For state executive-branch employees, a Department of Administrative Services personnel policy (DAS General Letter 170) provides time off with pay, without loss of earned leave, on the days the jury meets, once you provide proof of jury service. If dismissed early, the employee reports back to work immediately. The five-day wage rule in § 51-247 applies to employers generally. Beyond that, municipal, school and other public employees should check their own leave rules; we did not find a separate statewide rule for them.

Penalties and the 90-day deadline if you are fired

An employer that violates § 51-247a is guilty of criminal contempt, punishable by a fine of up to $500, up to 30 days in jail, or both (§ 51-247a(c)).

Under § 51-247a(d), "If an employer discharges an employee in violation of this section, the employee, within ninety days of such discharge, may bring a civil action for recovery of wages lost as a result of the violation and for an order requiring reinstatement of the employee. Damages recoverable shall not exceed lost wages for ten weeks." A prevailing employee is awarded a reasonable attorney's fee.

If you were fired, talk to a Connecticut employment lawyer promptly. For how this fits with other limits on firing, see our page on Connecticut at-will employment laws.

What happens if you miss jury duty in Connecticut

Under § 51-237, a summoned juror who fails to appear "shall be subject to a civil penalty, the amount of which shall be established by the Chief Court Administrator, but the court may excuse such juror from the payment thereof." The Attorney General enforces the penalty. The Judicial Branch tells jurors that missing the date "is a violation of state law and you may be ordered to pay a fine."

The statute does not set a dollar amount or a jail term, and we did not find the penalty amount on the Judicial Branch pages we opened. If you missed your date, contact Jury Administration right away to reschedule.

The juror confirmation form and confidential questionnaire are signed "under penalty of false statement" (§ 51-232(c)(1)). Under Connecticut's general false-statement law, intentionally making a false written statement on such a form to mislead a public servant is a class A misdemeanor (§ 53a-157b).

How long jury duty lasts in Connecticut

"The length of the term of service for jurors shall be one day," under § 51-238a, except that:

• if you are seated on a trial lasting more than one day, your term is the length of that trial;
• if your voir dire questioning starts but is not finished that day, your term runs until it is finished (or through the trial if you are selected); and
• the court may order a different number of days.

Under the three-year prior-service rule (§ 51-217a(a)), a person who appeared and was not excused is excused in each of the next three jury years unless the person asks to be summoned.

How to respond to a Connecticut jury summons

1. Read the mailed summons. The Judicial Branch says its "first initial contact ... is always a jury summons in the mail."
2. Respond through the statewide eResponse juror portal, linked from the Judicial Branch jury page. The portal handles the questionnaire, postponements and excusal requests.
3. Call Jury Administration at 1-800-842-8175, Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., for a second deferral, a date within two weeks, or any question about the summons.
4. Check your reporting status after 5:30 p.m. the evening before your date. The Judicial Branch says text alerts announce cancellations only.

Watch for jury duty scams

The Judicial Branch says its office "will not call or email summoned individuals unless they reach out to us first," and "would also not request payment or sensitive information if you failed to report for jury service." If someone calls demanding payment for a missed summons, hang up and verify by calling 1-800-842-8175.

Our guide to government impersonation scams explains how these schemes work, and our page on Connecticut scam and fraud laws covers where to report.

Recent bills that did not become law

A 2025 bill on juror compensation (HB 6968) would have changed pay and mileage, but it was referred to the Appropriations Committee on April 29, 2025 and went no further. It did not become law, so the $50 daily rate and 20-cents-a-mile figure above still apply.

Disclaimer: This page is general legal information about Connecticut state-court jury service, not legal advice. The court and the Jury Administrator decide every excusal and postponement request. Information verified October 7, 2026. For questions about your summons, contact Jury Administration at the number on it; for an employment dispute, consult a lawyer licensed in Connecticut.

Related pages

• Jury duty laws by state
• Connecticut at-will employment laws
• Connecticut final paycheck laws
• Connecticut court records
• Connecticut scam and fraud laws

Last updated: October 7, 2026.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does jury duty pay in Connecticut?

Full-time employees get their regular wages from their employer for the first five days; part-time, other temporary or casual, and unemployed jurors may get $20 to $50 a day in state expense reimbursement for those days. From day six, the state pays every juror $50 a day (Conn. Gen. Stat. § 51-247).

Does my employer have to pay me for jury duty in Connecticut?

If you are a full-time employee (normally 30 or more hours a week), yes: your employer must pay your regular wages for the first five days unless a court excuses it for extreme financial hardship (§§ 51-247, 51-247c). After day five, the state pays $50 a day.

Can I get out of jury duty in Connecticut if I am over 75?

Yes, if you ask. A person 75 or older who chooses not to serve is disqualified, and you can ask the Jury Administrator to stop summoning you (§ 51-217(a)(8), (c)(2)). It is not automatic.

Can I postpone jury duty in Connecticut?

Every juror has a right to one postponement of up to ten months (§ 51-232(b)). Further postponements are up to the Jury Administrator and cannot go past one year from the original summons date.

How often can you be called for jury duty in Connecticut?

You can be selected every jury year, but if you appeared and were not excused in any of the three preceding jury years, you are excused for the current one unless you ask to serve (§ 51-217a(a)).

Can I be fired for jury duty in Connecticut?

No. Section 51-247a bars an employer from firing, threatening or coercing you because of a summons or service. A fired employee may sue within 90 days for up to ten weeks of lost wages, reinstatement and attorney's fees.

What happens if I miss jury duty in Connecticut?

You may face a civil penalty in an amount set by the Chief Court Administrator, which the court can excuse (§ 51-237). Contact Jury Administration at 1-800-842-8175 as soon as possible to reschedule.

Can a felon serve on a jury in Connecticut?

Connecticut's jury statute disqualifies a person convicted of a felony within the past three years, a defendant in a pending felony case, or a person in the custody of the Commissioner of Correction (§ 51-217(a)(2)); a person on parole under § 54-125a remains in that custody (§ 54-125a(h)). After three years, the conviction alone is not a disqualification under that section.

Can green card holders serve on a jury in Connecticut?

Yes. Section 51-217(a) expressly includes individuals lawfully admitted for permanent residence who live in Connecticut, are 18 or older and appear on the juror list.