What Happens If You Don’t Show Up to Jury Duty?

Ah, the dreaded call to sworn duty. For many, judges, the service can be simply described in one word: inconvenience.

Taking time off from work or school to head up to the market to spend hours in wait times that can rival those at the DMV (and God help you if you’re selected), it’s no wonder jury-duty is not what most people expect.

So what happens if you ignore the judge’s summons and don’t appear? Before you send that message, here’s what you need to know.

Hissing Office

There are consequences for not responding to your court summons, but they vary from state to state and county to county. They’re almost always on the thin side though, usually anywhere from $100 to $1,000.

If you were not excused from duty and did not provide sworn duty, know this: it is a violation of public law. A fine does not prevent you from being recalled in the future. Like paying taxes, jury duty is mandated.

You can be found in contempt of court, which can lead to a few days in jail or a community term. Again, it varies depending on where you live.

Jurors were chosen at random according to Los Angeles Superior Court. Contrary to popular belief, not being a registered voter is not a free oath or bypass. With the old registration documents, the names are randomly removed from the driver’s license and identification from the Department of Motor Vehicles as well.