Texas Jury Duty Laws: Pay, Exemptions and Employer Rules (2026)

Texas sets the rules for state-court jury service in Chapters 61 and 62 of the Government Code, starting with the qualifications list in Tex. Gov't Code § 62.102. Jurors receive at least $20 for the first day and at least $58 for each later day, with each county setting its own amount at or above those minimums (§ 61.001).

An employer may not fire a permanent employee for serving, though Texas law does not require a private employer to pay you while you serve (Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code ch. 122); state employees keep their salary (Tex. Gov't Code § 659.005). People 75 or older may claim an exemption, and can make it permanent, but it is not automatic.

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

Jurisdiction scope: This page covers petit (trial) jury service in Texas state courts: district, county and justice courts, with a note on municipal courts. A summons from a federal court (a U.S. District Court sitting in Texas) follows federal law, summarized on our jury duty laws by state hub. Grand jury rules are not covered here.

Who can serve on a jury in Texas

Under Tex. Gov't Code § 62.102(a), you are qualified to serve on a Texas trial jury only if you:

• are at least 18
• are a U.S. citizen
• live in Texas and in the county where you are summoned
• are qualified to vote in that county
• are of sound mind and good moral character
• can read and write
• have not been convicted of misdemeanor theft or a felony
• are not under indictment or other legal accusation for misdemeanor theft or a felony
• have not served as a petit juror for six days during the preceding three months in county court, or the preceding six months in district court

You need to be qualified to vote, but you do not need to be registered: "failure to register to vote does not disqualify a person from jury service" (§ 62.1031). Counties draw names from voter registration lists and from Department of Public Safety lists of driver license and ID card holders (§ 62.001).

Two of the requirements can bend in small counties. A court may suspend the reading-and-writing requirement if it cannot find enough literate jurors in the county, and may suspend the recent-service rule where sparse population makes it seriously inconvenient to enforce (§ 62.103). In a county of fewer than 1,000 people, a resident of a neighboring county in the same judicial district may serve (§ 62.102(b)).

Criminal records and jury service

Under § 62.115(b), a person convicted of misdemeanor theft or a felony "shall be permanently disqualified from serving as a juror." The statute lists only three ways out. A person is exempt from this disqualification if they:

• were placed on deferred adjudication and received a dismissal and discharge under Code of Criminal Procedure art. 42A.111
• were placed on community supervision that was terminated early under art. 42A.701
• were pardoned or had their civil rights restored

The Texas Judicial Branch notes that completing deferred adjudication is not a disqualifying conviction. Being under a pending felony or misdemeanor theft charge is a separate, temporary disqualification under § 62.102(a)(9).

Blindness, deafness and disability

Blindness and deafness do not disqualify anyone by themselves. A legally blind person is disqualified from a civil case, and a deaf or hard of hearing person from any case, only if the court finds the condition makes them unfit to serve in that particular case (§ 62.104). Deaf or hard of hearing jurors must be reasonably accommodated under the Americans with Disabilities Act, and the county pays for an interpreter in district, county and justice courts (§ 62.1041).

A person may also be disqualified from a particular case for being a witness, having an interest in the case, being related within the third degree to a party, being biased, or having served on an earlier trial of the same case (§ 62.105).

Jury duty exemptions in Texas

Texas lists specific exemptions in § 62.106(a). An exemption is something you claim, not something the court applies for you. The Texas Judicial Branch puts it this way: "You are not required to claim an exemption from jury service." To see which categories might apply to you, try our jury duty exemption checker.

How to claim an exemption

You do not have to go to the courthouse to claim a § 62.106 exemption. Under § 62.107, you can:

• file a signed statement of the ground for your exemption with the clerk of the court before the date you are summoned to appear, or
• file a sworn statement claiming the exemption with the sheriff, voter registrar, or district or county clerk of your county; your name then stays out of the next year's jury wheel

Some summonses let you claim an exemption by signing and returning a statement. A summons that lets you claim a disqualification or exemption by signing and returning a statement must warn that claiming non-citizenship means losing voter eligibility if you do not provide proof of citizenship, and that claiming non-residence might end your eligibility to vote in the county (§ 62.0142).

Accuracy matters. Knowingly giving false information in a request for an exemption or excuse can bring a contempt fine (§ 62.0141), and filing a false claim of exemption carries its own fine (§ 62.111).

Impairment and English-language exemptions

Under § 62.109, a district judge, or the district clerk if the local administrative district judge or county jury plan allows it, may exempt a person permanently or for a set period from service in all county and district courts in the county. The person needs a physical or mental impairment, or an inability to comprehend or communicate in English, that makes serving "impossible or very difficult."

The request is made by affidavit. For an impairment, a physician's statement must be attached, and a friend or relative may present the affidavit. An English-language affidavit must be sworn in person before the district clerk with a third-party statement that it was read to the person. The exemption can be rescinded by a signed request (§ 62.109(e)).

Hardship and other excuses

Situations not on the exemption list (a work conflict, distance, breastfeeding, a first-responder schedule) go through the court's general excuse power. Under § 62.110(a), a court "may hear any reasonable sworn excuse" and, if the excuse is sufficient, release the person entirely or until another day of the term. The statutes reviewed for this page contain no separate category for breastfeeding or first responders.

Money-based excuses face a high bar. The court "may not excuse a prospective juror for an economic reason unless each party of record is present and approves the release of the juror for that reason" (§ 62.110(c)). The Harris County District Clerk states that the law does not allow people to be excused because they are the sole owner of a business, or because their employer will not pay for jury service.

Is there an age limit for jury duty in Texas?

There is no age at which Texas stops summoning you automatically. Instead, a person 75 years of age or older may claim an exemption (§ 62.106(a)(1)). The statute changed from "over 75" to "75 years of age or older" effective September 1, 2025 (H.B. 2637), for people summoned on or after that date. Some official pages still use the older "over 75" wording.

The permanent 75-and-older exemption

Under § 62.108, a person 75 or older can claim a permanent exemption in either of two ways:

1. by filing with the district clerk of the county, by mail or in person, a signed statement affirming that the person is 75 or older and wants a permanent exemption on that ground, or
2. by including that declaration in the signed statement filed with the court clerk under § 62.107.

The person's name is then removed from the jury wheel. The exemption is not locked in: the person may rescind it at any time with a signed request to the district clerk, and claim it again later.

How much does jury duty pay in Texas?

Texas sets a floor and lets counties set the actual amount. Under § 61.001(a), a person who reports for jury service is reimbursed for travel and other expenses:

Harris County's page adds that pay after the first day is calculated by the State Comptroller based on available state funding.

The county commissioners court sets the daily amount in the annual budget, paid from the county jury fund, and may set different amounts for grand and petit jurors or by type of court (§ 61.001). The state reimburses counties $14 a day toward the first-day amount and $52 a day for later days (§ 61.0015(a)). Ask your county's jury office for its current rate.

A few other pay rules:

• A particular case: a judge may increase the amount in a particular case if the parties agree, with the parties sharing the difference (§ 61.001).
• Municipal court: jurors in a city's municipal court receive no reimbursement under this statute, though the city may provide it (§ 61.001).
• Donating your pay: every juror must be given the chance to donate all or part of the daily reimbursement to the listed funds, such as the crime victims compensation fund, the county child welfare board, a family-violence shelter, or a veterans treatment court program or veterans county service office (§ 61.003(a)).
• Cash the check: a reimbursement check not presented within 90 days is forfeited and void (§ 61.001(f)).

The Texas Judicial Branch adds that a county may choose to offer extras such as free public transportation, mileage or transportation reimbursement, free parking, child care facilities or free meals, and that your local court will tell you what it offers.

Does your employer have to pay you for jury duty in Texas?

Not if you work for a private employer. The Texas Judicial Branch states: "Your employer is not required to pay you for any time that you missed from work due to jury service. However, your employer cannot fire you while you are fulfilling your civic duty." None of the sections of Chapter 122 of the Civil Practice and Remedies Code requires wage continuation.

State employees are different. Under Tex. Gov't Code § 659.005(a), "a deduction may not be made from the salary or wages of a state employee because the employee is called for jury service," including a deduction for any fee or compensation the employee receives for the jury service.

Whether an employer may require you to use vacation or sick leave for jury duty is not addressed in the sources reviewed for this page; check your employer's policy.

Job protection

Texas law bars an employer from terminating a permanent employee because the employee serves as a juror. The Legislature's official text of § 122.001 currently shows two versions, both enacted in 2019 and both in effect since September 1, 2019. One says an employer "may not discharge, threaten to discharge, intimidate, or coerce any permanent employee" for jury service or attendance in any court in the United States; the other says a private employer "may not terminate the employment of a permanent employee because the employee serves as a juror or grand juror."

The statute sets no minimum employer size. The jury summons itself must include the employer-duty information from Chapter 122 (§ 62.0131(b)).

What you must do to keep your job

Chapter 122 does not require you to give your employer advance notice of your summons. Its condition comes afterward: an employee fired in violation of the law is entitled to return to the same job held when summoned if the employee, "as soon as practical after release from jury service, gives the employer actual notice that the employee intends to return" (§ 122.001(b)). Telling your employer about the summons early is still a practical step.

Remedies if you are fired

Under § 122.002, a person injured by a violation is entitled to:

• reinstatement to the former position
• damages of not less than one year's and not more than five years' compensation, at the rate paid when summoned
• reasonable attorney's fees approved by the court

The deadline is strict. A damages action "must be brought not later than the second anniversary of the date on which the person served as a juror or grand juror" (§ 122.002(c)).

A violation is also a Class B misdemeanor (§ 122.0021), and the court may punish it as contempt (§ 122.0022). An employer has a defense if its circumstances changed while the employee served so that reemployment was impossible or unreasonable (§ 122.003).

What happens if you ignore a Texas jury summons

Texas has two penalty statutes for jurors who do not show up:

A contempt fine requires a court action. The statutes do not lay out the steps a court follows before imposing it, and they do not say whether a fine ends the obligation to serve. Tarrant County Jury Services says courts do not let a person pay a fine in lieu of jury service, and that service is still rescheduled after a fine. The written summons must warn you about the contempt action you face for not complying (§ 62.0131(b)).

False disqualification claims are tracked. Clerks send monthly lists of people disqualified for convictions to the prosecuting attorney to check whether anyone falsely claimed a conviction-based disqualification (§ 62.115(d)). Under § 62.113, people disqualified as non-citizens are reported monthly to the voter registrar, the secretary of state and the county or district attorney, who investigates whether an election-law offense was committed.

When you report, you must complete a juror questionnaire (or submit it online in counties with an electronic plan). The information is confidential except to the judge, court staff, and the litigants and their lawyers in your case, and, in some circumstances, the voter registrar (§ 62.0132).

Postponing jury duty in Texas

A postponement is the simplest lawful option if the date is the problem. Under § 62.0143, you may ask the court clerk, in person, in writing or by phone before your summons date, to postpone your first appearance.

The clerk must grant it if:

1. you have not had a postponement in that county during the past year, and
2. you and the clerk set a substitute date no later than six months after your original date.

A second postponement is allowed only for "an extreme emergency that could not have been anticipated," such as a death in your family, a sudden serious illness, or a natural disaster or national emergency you are personally involved in, with a new date within six months (§ 62.0143(c)).

Some of the largest counties follow a different rule. In a county of 1.4 million or more with at least two cities of 300,000 or more (§ 62.0144), and in counties with a council of judges and a designated jury duty court (§ 62.0147), the first postponement is granted if you have had none since the jury wheel was last reconstituted, and later postponements may be approved for a legitimate reason.

How long jury duty lasts in Texas

Texas has no statewide one-day-or-one-trial rule, and the length of service varies by county. The Texas Judicial Branch says jury selection may take a day or part of a day and jury duty generally lasts about one week, but "usually more than two-thirds" of summoned jurors are not selected, so their duty ends once selection is finished.

District court juries have 12 members (§ 62.201) and county and justice court juries have six (§ 62.301). Texas courts may not summon jurors to appear on the date of the general election for state and county officers (§ 62.0125).

How often you can be called depends on your county. Six days of service in the preceding three months (county court) or six months (district court) disqualifies you (§ 62.102(a)(10)). In the larger counties you may also claim the 24-month or three-year recent-service exemptions in the table above.

How to respond to a Texas jury summons

Each county runs its own jury office, and there is no single statewide portal. The Texas Judicial Branch says: "If you have questions about your jury duty, please contact the phone number or website on your jury summons. The Office of Court Administration cannot assist you with your individual jury summons."

Practical routes, depending on your county:

• Online: in counties that use the I-Jury online impaneling system, you may respond and report scheduling conflicts online, according to the Texas Judicial Branch.
• Exemption claims: return the signed statement on your summons, or file one with the court clerk before your date (§ 62.107).
• Postponements: contact the court clerk before your date (§ 62.0143). Dallas County, for example, takes postponement requests through an online form.
• Excuses: follow your county's process for a sworn excuse; Harris County takes excuse requests by email at jury@hcdistrictclerk.com.

Watch for jury duty scams

Texas county jury offices warn about callers posing as court staff. The Harris County District Clerk says the courts and Jury Assembly Room staff will never call or email asking for Social Security numbers, credit card numbers or banking information, and will never demand payment of a failure-to-appear fine over the phone, including on a green dot card. Tarrant County Jury Services says it would never contact you by phone to pay a fine for failing to appear, and Travis County says it will never ask for money, wire transfers or gift cards over the phone related to jury service.

A real contempt fine comes through a court action, not a phone call. Read more in our guide to government impersonation scams.

Disclaimer: This page provides general legal information about jury service in Texas state courts, not legal advice. The court that summoned you decides every excuse, postponement and penalty, and the county sets juror pay at or above the statutory minimum. Information verified October 7, 2026. For questions about your summons, contact the jury office listed on it; for an employment dispute, consult a lawyer licensed in Texas.

Related pages

• Jury duty laws by state
• Texas at-will employment laws
• Texas court records
• Texas scam and fraud laws

Last updated: October 7, 2026.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does jury duty pay in Texas?

Texas law guarantees at least $20 for the first day and at least $58 for each later day, and each county sets its own amount at or above those minimums (Tex. Gov't Code § 61.001). Harris County, for example, says it pays $30 for the first day and $58 for each later day, and adds that pay after the first day is calculated by the State Comptroller based on available state funding.

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

Not if you work for a private employer. The Texas Judicial Branch says employers are not required to pay for time missed due to jury service, but an employer may not fire a permanent employee for serving (Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code § 122.001). State employees, however, may not have their salary reduced because they are called for jury service (Tex. Gov't Code § 659.005).

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

A person 75 years of age or older may claim an exemption under Tex. Gov't Code § 62.106(a)(1), and may make it permanent by filing a signed statement with the district clerk under § 62.108. The exemption is not automatic; you have to claim it.

How do I postpone jury duty in Texas?

Contact the court clerk in person, in writing or by phone before your summons date. The clerk must grant a first postponement if you have had none in that county in the past year and you set a new date within six months (Tex. Gov't Code § 62.0143).

What happens if I miss jury duty in Texas?

A person who does not comply with a summons faces a contempt action with a fine of $100 to $1,000 (Tex. Gov't Code § 62.0141), and a separate statute sets a fine of $100 to $500 for failing to attend without a reasonable excuse (§ 62.111).

Can a felon serve on a jury in Texas?

Generally no. A felony or misdemeanor theft conviction permanently disqualifies a person unless they received a deferred adjudication dismissal and discharge, had community supervision terminated early, or were pardoned or had their civil rights restored (Tex. Gov't Code § 62.115(b)).

Can I be fired for jury duty in Texas?

Texas law bars an employer from firing a permanent employee for jury service. A fired juror can seek reinstatement, damages of one to five years' compensation and attorney's fees, but must sue within two years of the service (Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code § 122.002).

Can students get out of jury duty in Texas?

Yes, a high school student or a person enrolled in and actually attending a college or other institution of higher education may claim an exemption under Tex. Gov't Code § 62.106(a)(3)-(4).

Can a parent of young children be excused from jury duty in Texas?

A person with legal custody of a child younger than 12 may claim an exemption if serving would leave the child without adequate supervision (Tex. Gov't Code § 62.106(a)(2)).