New Hampshire Jury Duty Laws: Pay, Exemptions and Employer Rules

New Hampshire state-court jury service is governed by RSA chapter 500-A, with the qualifications in RSA 500-A:7-a. The state pays jurors $10 for each half day of attendance plus 20 cents a mile when they travel from another town (RSA 500-A:15), which the Judicial Branch describes as $10 for a half day and $20 for a full day.

An employer may not fire, threaten or coerce you because of jury service, and a fired employee has one year to sue (RSA 500-A:14). A person 70 or older may tell the court before it convenes that they do not wish to serve, but the age rule is not automatic (RSA 500-A:9, II).

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 New Hampshire state courts, mainly the Superior Court, handled statewide through the Judicial Branch's Jury Center. A summons from the U.S. District Court for the District of New Hampshire follows federal law, summarized on our jury duty laws by state hub.

Do you have to go? The short answer

Yes, unless you are not qualified, a specific statutory exception applies, or a judge excuses you or moves your service to another month. RSA 500-A:9 begins: "No qualified prospective juror is exempt from jury service, except under the following circumstances," and lists only a few.

Everything else goes through a judge's discretion, requested through the statewide eResponse portal. 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 New Hampshire

Under RSA 500-A:7-a, a juror must:

• be 18 or older on or before the first day of reporting;
• be a U.S. citizen and a resident of the county of jury service;
• be able to read, speak and understand English;
• not have a physical or mental disability "which would bar effective jury service"; and
• not have been "convicted of any felony unless the conviction has been annulled."

The section states no minimum length of residence. The master jury list is drawn from voter lists and Division of Motor Vehicles records of license and ID holders 18 and older (RSA 500-A:1). No New Hampshire citizen may be excluded from jury service because of race, color, religion, sex, gender identity, national origin or economic status (RSA 500-A:4).

If a selected juror attending court is found by the court to be mentally or physically unfit to serve, the juror is discharged (RSA 500-A:10). The Judicial Branch says a person with a permanent medical condition who needs accommodations can request them in eResponse at least 7 days before the appearance date.

Felony convictions and annulment

New Hampshire's jury statute bars anyone with a felony conviction unless the conviction has been annulled. The bar does not end on its own when a sentence is finished; the route back is annulment of the record under RSA 651:5.

In general, a person may petition for annulment once all terms of the sentence are complete and a waiting period without a new conviction has passed, and the court grants it only if it "will assist in the petitioner's rehabilitation and will be consistent with the public welfare." Some convictions, including violent crimes, cannot be annulled. Part of the annulment statute has a revised version taking effect January 1, 2027, so check the current text or ask a New Hampshire lawyer about your own record.

Exemptions, excuses and deferrals in New Hampshire

Age 70 and older: you have to ask

Under RSA 500-A:9, II, "If any person at the age of 70 years or more is selected as a juror he or she may, at his or her discretion, inform the court prior to the convening of court that he or she does not wish to act as a juror. He or she shall then be discharged, and another juror may be drawn in his or her place."

The rule applies at 70, not only over 70, and nothing happens automatically. The Judicial Branch lists it as an excusal reason that you request through eResponse. The statute does not say whether the discharge covers only one summons or future ones, and RSA 500-A sets no maximum age.

Military and State Guard members

Under RSA 111:22, "Every officer and enlisted man of the state guard shall, during his service therein, be exempt from jury duty." The New Hampshire State Guard is a separate body from the National Guard, and we did not find a jury exemption for National Guard members in the sources reviewed for this page.

The Judicial Branch lists "actively serving in the military" as a reason you may ask to be excused through eResponse; we did not find a statute or court rule behind that listing, so treat it as court practice. 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).

Hardship excuses

Under RSA 500-A:11, a qualified person "may be excused from jury service by the court only upon a showing of undue hardship, extreme inconvenience, public necessity or for any other cause that the court deems appropriate." The excusal lasts as long as the court decides, and the person "shall report again for jury service, as directed by the court."

The statute names no categories for caregivers, students, first responders, attorneys, clergy or distance, so those requests fall under this general standard. A judge rules on each request.

Deferring to another month

The Judicial Branch says that if the month you were summoned for "is particularly inconvenient for you, you can request to have your service deferred to another month." Its examples include being out of state at school, being a legislator while the General Court is in session, having a case pending in the county, a temporary medical condition, and undue hardship or extreme inconvenience such as travel plans or work commitments.

You complete the questionnaire first and then request the deferral; a judge rules and the Jury Center notifies you. We did not find a statewide limit on how many deferrals you may ask for. Only you can make the request: the Judicial Branch says an employer cannot ask for an employee to be excused or deferred.

How much does jury duty pay in New Hampshire?

RSA 500-A:15 says: "The jurors' fees shall be $10 for each half day's attendance before a superior court; for each mile's travel to and from the place where the juror serves, mileage shall be paid at the rate of $.20 per mile, mileage to be allowed for each day's attendance when the juror is required to leave the town or city in which he resides." The state, not the county, pays, and the section was last amended in 1991.

A "half day" means attendance at either the forenoon or the afternoon session, and the clerk decides whether you attended. The clerk may count travel time toward attendance if you must travel more than 50 miles one way by the most direct route (RSA 500-A:15, II-III). The statute has no higher rate for long trials.

The Judicial Branch says lunch is on your own, except that lunch is provided during deliberations. You may waive the juror fee, the mileage, or both by telling the court when you check in on your first day.

New Hampshire employer rules for jury duty

Job protection

Under RSA 500-A:14, I, "An employer shall not deprive an employee of his employment, or threaten or coerce him regarding his employment because the employee receives and responds to a summons, serves as a juror, or attends court for prospective jury service."

The section has no minimum employer size, no full-time limit and no requirement that you give your employer notice. It does not address shift scheduling after court or whether you must use vacation or sick time.

Remedies and the one-year deadline

An employer who violates the protection "may be found in contempt of court" (RSA 500-A:14, II). If an employer fires you in violation of it, you "may, within one year of the discharge, bring a civil action for: (a) Recovery of wages lost as a result of the violation; and (b) An order requiring his reinstatement" (RSA 500-A:14, III).

Damages cannot exceed lost wages, and a prevailing employee is awarded a reasonable attorney's fee. The civil action in the statute is for discharge; threats or coercion short of firing carry the contempt remedy. If you were fired, talk to a New Hampshire employment lawyer promptly. For how this fits with other limits on firing, see our page on New Hampshire at-will employment laws.

Does your employer have to pay you?

New Hampshire's jury statute does not require private employers to keep paying your wages during jury service; you receive the state juror fee instead. We did not research other New Hampshire labor rules, so check your employment contract, union agreement or handbook.

For State of New Hampshire classified employees, the state personnel rules grant "civil leave without loss of pay or annual leave" when performing jury duty, but only when the time conflicts with the normal work schedule, and the employee surrenders jury fees to the state other than mileage for use of the employee's own vehicle (N.H. Code Admin. R. Per 1208.01, readopted effective December 1, 2025, official text). School and local government employees should check their own leave rules.

What happens if you miss jury duty in New Hampshire

The process starts with paperwork. The juror qualification form is due within 10 days after you receive it (RSA 500-A:6, II). If you do not return it, the clerk directs you to appear at the court to complete it (RSA 500-A:7).

If you do not appear as the clerk directs under RSA 500-A:7, the court can order you to show cause. Under RSA 500-A:20, a person who does not appear and "does not show cause for his failure to appear when ordered to do so by the court" is guilty of a misdemeanor. So is a person who "Willfully misrepresents a material fact on a juror qualification form with the purpose of avoiding or securing service as a juror."

A juror who has been selected and notified and who, "without sufficient cause, neglects to attend court" may also be found in contempt of court (RSA 500-A:19). Neither section sets its own fine or jail term. Under RSA 625:9, IV(c), a misdemeanor with no stated class is presumed to be a class B misdemeanor (a fine of up to $1,200 under RSA 651:2, IV(a), and no jail) unless an exception in that paragraph applies, such as the state giving notice that it seeks class A penalties or the charge being filed directly in superior court. If you missed your date, contact the Jury Center right away.

How long jury duty lasts in New Hampshire

Under RSA 500-A:8, a person summoned to a petit or grand jury "shall not be required to serve a term longer than 30 days." A juror sitting on a trial or grand jury hearing in progress must serve until it is completed.

The Judicial Branch says most trials last less than a week, describes the limit as "not more than 30 days (6, five day weeks) unless you are serving on an on-going trial," and says grand jurors generally serve one to three full days each month. After you actually attend court as a juror, your name is not placed on the master jury list again "for at least 3 years" (RSA 500-A:16).

How to respond to a New Hampshire jury summons

1. Complete the questionnaire online through eResponse, the statewide juror portal linked from the Judicial Branch Jurors page. You need the ten-digit candidate ID and the PIN from your summons. The Judicial Branch notes the session times out after about 25 minutes.
2. After the questionnaire, request a disqualification, deferral or excusal in eResponse if one applies. A judge rules, and the Jury Center notifies you.
3. Call the Jury Center at 1-855-212-1234 (9 a.m. to 2 p.m., press 4 and ask for the Jury Center) with questions, or the automated line at 1-855-207-8888 with your candidate number and ZIP code. County pages on the Judicial Branch site list reporting dates.

Watch for jury duty scams

The New Hampshire Attorney General warned in November 2020 about scammers spoofing the Supreme Court's phone number: "The New Hampshire Supreme Court will never call potential jurors about missed jury service. The New Hampshire Judiciary will similarly never request payment over the phone for failure to appear for jury service." The alert says to confirm any Judicial Branch communication through the Information Center at 1-855-212-1234.

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

Disclaimer: This page is general legal information about New Hampshire state-court jury service, not legal advice. The court decides every excusal and deferral request. Information verified October 7, 2026. For questions about your summons, contact the Jury Center; for an employment dispute, consult a lawyer licensed in New Hampshire.

Related pages

• Jury duty laws by state
• New Hampshire at-will employment laws
• New Hampshire court records and annulment
• New Hampshire scam and fraud laws
• Massachusetts jury duty laws
• Maine jury duty laws

Last updated: October 7, 2026.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does jury duty pay in New Hampshire?

The state pays $10 for each half day of attendance (RSA 500-A:15), which the Judicial Branch describes as $10 for a half day and $20 for a full day. Mileage is 20 cents a mile round trip if you live outside the courthouse town or city.

Can I get out of jury duty in New Hampshire if I am over 70?

If you are 70 or older and selected, you may tell the court before it convenes that you do not wish to serve, and you will be discharged (RSA 500-A:9, II). You have to ask; it is not automatic, and the Judicial Branch handles the request through eResponse.

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

New Hampshire's jury statute does not require private employers to pay wages during jury service. State classified employees get civil leave without loss of pay under the personnel rules and turn over the juror fee, keeping own-vehicle mileage.

Can I be fired for jury duty in New Hampshire?

No. RSA 500-A:14 bars an employer from firing, threatening or coercing you because of a summons or service. A fired employee may sue within one year for lost wages and reinstatement, with attorney's fees if successful.

Can a felon serve on a jury in New Hampshire?

Not unless the conviction has been annulled (RSA 500-A:7-a, V). Annulment is a court process under RSA 651:5 with waiting periods, and some convictions cannot be annulled.

How long is jury duty in New Hampshire?

You cannot be required to serve a term longer than 30 days unless you are on a trial or grand jury hearing still in progress (RSA 500-A:8). The Judicial Branch says most trials last less than a week.

How often can you be called for jury duty in New Hampshire?

Once you actually attend court as a juror, your name is kept off the master jury list for at least 3 years (RSA 500-A:16).

What happens if I miss jury duty in New Hampshire?

A selected juror who neglects to attend without sufficient cause may be held in contempt (RSA 500-A:19). A prospective juror who does not appear as the clerk directs under RSA 500-A:7, for example to complete an unreturned qualification form, and then fails to show cause when ordered commits a misdemeanor (RSA 500-A:20).

Can I postpone jury duty in New Hampshire?

Yes, you can ask through eResponse to defer service to another month if the month is particularly inconvenient, for example because of school, a temporary medical condition or work commitments. A judge rules on the request.