How to Compose a Jury Duty Excuse Letter

A jury duty excuse letter states that a person cannot attend jury duty due to extenuating circumstances and will not be present even though they were asked to go. This letter asks for exemption from jury duty and explains why the situation in question requires special consideration. However, it is important to note that not every excuse will work. Many excuses are simply not seen as valid by the court system. Nevertheless, the letter should be right to the point.

Instructions:

1. The first step is to locate the phone number near the end of the jury duty summons letter, usually printed in bold. This phone number will provide the person in question with someone who can be talked to about jury duty.

2. After calling the number, it is important to ask for the person in charge of jury duty scheduling. This person will be able to listen to the reason why someone cannot make it to jury duty and determine whether or not that reason is valid. If the reason is valid, it is necessary to write a jury duty excuse letter. This letter needs to be mailed to the court and it needs to explain the situation in detail. The jury duty scheduler will provide the caller with a mailing address.

3. It is important to use standard business letter format. The opening paragraph should state the reason for writing the letter, which is to explain why the person in question will not be attending jury duty. The next paragraph should explain that reason in depth. It is important to always maintain a professional and courteous tone.

4. The closing of the letter should always offer apologies for not being able to attend. The letter should be signed by hand at the bottom. It should always be mailed by certified mail, which will ensure delivery.

Tips:

It is important to contact the courts in a timely fashion and not wait until the last minute to write the letter. If there is no response within two weeks, it is important to contact the court and see if the letter was received.

Every state has a unique process for handling exemption from jury duty. Some states require an appearance before the judge, where the person has to state why they can’t attend. This can also vary based on the county of residence of the person in question. It is important to contact the local court in order to find out the specific requirements for exemption from jury duty.