Jury Duty in Georgia: Pay, Exemptions, Excuses and What to Expect (2026)

Georgia draws its jurors at random from a master list that the Council of Superior Court Clerks builds every year from driver's license and voter records. If you're a U.S. citizen, at least 18, and live in the county, your name can come up. The clerk of court mails the summons.

The headline numbers: jurors get a daily expense allowance of $5 to $50 a day, with each county picking its own rate; most pay about $25. Your employer doesn't have to pay you, but it can't fire, discipline or penalize you for answering a jury summons, and if it does you can sue for your actual damages and attorney's fees. Anyone 70 or older may ask to be excused. A juror who skips service can be punished for contempt of court, which in superior and state court means a fine of up to $1,000, up to 20 days in jail, or both.

The rules are in Chapter 12 of Title 15 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, rebuilt by the Jury Composition Reform Act of 2011, with job protection in § 34-1-3. The official Code is published online by a commercial vendor under its own terms of use, so this page cites each section to the act of the General Assembly that wrote its current text, linked to the Legislature's own copy. Everything below is current as of November 2026.

Georgia jury duty at a glance

Who can serve

Georgia keeps the test simple. You must be a U.S. citizen: the Jury Composition Reform Act says that "no person shall be qualified to serve as a juror under this chapter unless that person is a citizen of the United States" (§ 15-12-4(b)). The state's own guide adds that you must be at least 18, live in the county that sent the summons, and know English well enough to understand and discuss the case (Georgia.gov).

Who can't serve. You aren't eligible if you:

• have a felony conviction and your civil rights haven't been restored;
• have been judicially declared mentally incompetent; or
• aren't a U.S. citizen.

The state agencies that feed the jury list are told to flag people in each of those groups (§ 15-12-40.1). DeKalb County's court reminds jurors that release from prison or parole doesn't restore the right to serve; you apply to the State Board of Pardons and Paroles. If you finished probation under Georgia's First Offender Act, you're eligible (DeKalb Superior Court).

Where names come from. Since July 1, 2012, every county draws jurors from a county master jury list compiled by the Council of Superior Court Clerks of Georgia. The Department of Driver Services sends the names of adult Georgia residents with a driver's license or ID card, and the Secretary of State sends the list of registered voters. Under § 15-12-40.1(d), "The council shall disseminate, in electronic format, a county master jury list to the respective clerk once each calendar year" (SB 95, 2017). The clerk then chooses names at random. Walton County's clerk explains that the jury software picks numbers at random and won't let anyone choose a particular person (Walton County Clerk of Courts).

Exemptions and excuses

Georgia has no blanket exemptions for jobs. As DeKalb County puts it, "No one is exempt and/or deferred from jury service because of their job" (DeKalb Superior Court). Instead, § 15-12-1.1 lists people the court must excuse or defer when they ask, plus a general good-cause excuse.

Age 70 or older. Since July 1, 2014, the request goes to the clerk:

Any person who is 70 years of age or older shall be entitled to request that the clerk excuse such person from jury service in the county.

(§ 15-12-1.1(b)) The request must be in writing, with an affidavit giving your name, age and anything else the clerk asks for, and the clerk must make the forms available. On that request the clerk inactivates you, which takes your name off the active list. Counties treat this as permanent: DeKalb says people 70 or older "shall be permanently excused upon request and presentation of an appropriate affidavit." Many counties print the affidavit on the back of the summons (Fayette County Clerk; Augusta-Richmond County). It's your choice: you may still serve.

Excuses the court must grant on request (§ 15-12-1.1(a)(2)-(5), (c)):

• Full-time students. The statute covers "any person who is a full-time student at a college, university, vocational school, or other postsecondary school" who asks while enrolled and taking classes or exams. DeKalb wants a Verification of Enrollment from your registrar showing that your service date falls within your term.
• Parents of young children. A primary caregiver "having active care and custody of a child six years of age or younger" who signs the court's affidavit saying no other child care is reasonably available. DeKalb reads this narrowly: you must not work outside the home, and a spouse counts as available child care.
• Unpaid caregivers. The primary unpaid caregiver for someone over six who can't care for himself or herself and can't be left alone, with no reasonable alternative. You need the affidavit plus a statement from a physician or other medical provider about the person's condition.
• Home-school teachers. The primary teacher in a home study program who has no reasonable alternative for the children. DeKalb asks for the Department of Education declaration of intent with the affidavit.
• Military. A service member on ordered military duty, or the spouse of one, who presents a valid military ID and signs the court's affidavit. Ordered duty means duty that takes the member at least 50 miles from home, and the member must be on federal orders of 90 days or longer.

Disability and other good cause. Under § 15-12-1.1(a)(1), a judge, or a person the chief judge appoints under written guidelines, may defer or excuse anyone who will be doing work necessary to public health, safety or good order, or who shows other good cause. Except for people who are permanently mentally or physically disabled, those excuses become deferrals to a set later date. Counties excuse a permanent disability for good on a doctor's affidavit (§ 15-12-1.1(a)(1); Gwinnett County).

Breastfeeding. Georgia has no breastfeeding excuse in the statute. DeKalb asks mothers of newborns, or who are exclusively breastfeeding, to have a doctor or pediatrician fill out the medical affidavit on the summons (DeKalb Superior Court).

How to ask. Follow your summons. Most Georgia courts want a notarized affidavit with proof attached, sent before your date: Gwinnett asks for it at least seven days ahead, and Augusta-Richmond at least five. DeKalb notarizes juror affidavits free (Gwinnett County; Augusta-Richmond County). Vacations and work conflicts aren't grounds for an exemption, though Fayette County may grant a one-time deferral for them (Fayette County Clerk).

Postponing jury duty

The statute builds postponement into the excuse process. Apart from permanent disability, the order that sets up a county's excuse guidelines must defer excused jurors "to a date and time certain within that term or the next succeeding term or shall be deferred as set forth in the court order" (§ 15-12-1.1(a)(1)).

Each county runs its own process. Gwinnett, for example:

1. Allows one postponement.
2. Wants the request at least seven days before your service date, by email or phone.
3. Moves you to a date no later than 90 days from the original one.
4. Leaves the decision to the court.

(Gwinnett County) DeKalb will reschedule teachers and over-the-road truck drivers who have a real conflict, but it won't push all teachers to summer (DeKalb Superior Court).

Juror pay

Section 15-12-7(a)(2) sets the range:

An expense allowance for trial or grand jurors in the superior courts of such counties for the next succeeding year not to be less than $5.00 nor to exceed $50.00 per diem.

(§ 15-12-7(a)(2)) What that means:

• $5 to $50 a day, by county. The state sets the floor and ceiling and each county fixes its rate. The state's guide says "Most counties pay around $25" (Georgia.gov).
• Some county rates. Walton, Fayette, Burke, Jones and Augusta-Richmond counties pay $25.00 a day. DeKalb pays $15.00 for the first day and $25.00 for each additional day, and $50.00 a day to grand jurors (Walton; Fayette; Burke; Jones; Augusta-Richmond; DeKalb).
• State court jurors get the same allowance as superior court jurors in their county.
• Paid even if not picked. Under § 15-12-9, people who answer a summons "shall receive the expense allowance for the day of their appearance even if they are not sworn as jurors" (§ 15-12-9).
• No separate mileage. We found no statewide mileage payment; the daily allowance is meant to cover your costs.
• How you're paid. DeKalb mails an expense check 12 to 14 days after service; Augusta-Richmond mails a check with a work excuse; Fayette issues a debit card.

Your job is protected

Georgia's protection sits in the labor title, O.C.G.A. § 34-1-3, which no act passed from 2011 through 2026 has changed. It makes it unlawful for an employer to discharge, discipline or otherwise penalize an employee who is absent from work for "the purpose of attending a judicial proceeding in response to a subpoena, summons for jury duty, or other court order or process which requires" the employee to attend, as the Attorney General summarized it in Official Opinion 95-13 (Ga. Att'y Gen. Op. 95-13). Threatening such action is unlawful too. Subsection (b) gives you a lawsuit:

Any employer or agent of such employer who violates subsection (a) of this Code section shall be liable to the injured employee for all actual damages thereby suffered by the employee and for reasonable attorney's fees incurred by the employee in asserting a successful claim under this Code section.

(Text of current § 34-1-3(b) as reprinted, unchanged, in HB 1457 (2022), a bill that did not pass.) What follows from that:

1. Tell your employer. Your employer may require reasonable notice that you'll be absent or late for court.
2. No firing, discipline or threats. The protection covers anyone answering a jury summons, subpoena or other court order. The Attorney General's opinion says it also covers Georgia employees summoned to jury duty in another state.
3. Your employer needn't pay you. As the state's guide puts it, "Employers in Georgia are required to grant employees time off, though it may be unpaid, to serve jury duty" (Georgia.gov). DeKalb's court goes further for salaried workers, telling jurors that salaried employees must be paid their regular salary while on jury duty, reduced only by the juror stipend, and shouldn't be charged leave (DeKalb Superior Court).
4. Remedies. You can sue for actual damages and reasonable attorney's fees. The Attorney General's opinion adds that a violation can also be punished as contempt when a Georgia court issued the summons, though the section creates no separate crime.
5. Exception. The section doesn't protect an employee who is charged with a crime.
6. Proof. DeKalb and Walton jury offices give proof of service on request.

What happens if you don't show up

Section 15-12-10 makes a no-show contempt of court. If you're summoned and neglect or refuse to appear, or leave without the court's permission:

such neglect, refusal, or absence may, after notice and hearing, be punished as contempt of court.

(§ 15-12-10) The punishment comes from the court's general contempt power. Superior courts may punish contempt "by fines not exceeding" $1,000.00 and "by imprisonment not exceeding 20 days, or both," and state courts have the same limits (§§ 15-6-8(5), 15-7-4(a)(5); SB 66, 2013).

In practice a court usually starts with a show-cause hearing. Jones County's clerk says a missed jury date rarely leads to arrest; the judge may order no-shows to a hearing, and those who skip that can be held in contempt (Jones County Clerk). If you missed your date, DeKalb asks you to contact Jury Management right away to reschedule (DeKalb).

Your first day

Each county's clerk runs its own jury, so follow your summons. County pages describe a typical day:

• Answer the questionnaire. DeKalb requires its online eJuror questionnaire before your service date (DeKalb FAQs).
• Check in the night before. Gwinnett jurors check the eJuror site or call 770-822-7170 from 7 to 11 p.m. the weekend before their week and each night after; DeKalb's reporting line opens at 5:30 p.m. the night before (Gwinnett County; DeKalb FAQs).
• What to bring. Your summons and a driver's license or state ID, plus glasses or hearing devices and something to read. Expect security screening; knives, knitting needles and glass are out.
• What to wear. Business or business casual. No shorts, tank tops, flip-flops or offensive shirts, and DeKalb bars police, military and firefighter uniforms. Courtrooms can be cold, so bring a layer.
• Phones. Allowed in the jury assembly room, off in the courtroom.
• How long. DeKalb and Walton use one day or one trial: if you're not put on a case, you're done at day's end; if you're seated, you serve until the trial ends. Days can run past 5:00 p.m. Fayette says service usually lasts a week (DeKalb; Fayette).
• Orientation. Staff check you in, show an orientation video, and give the juror oath. You may hear a civil or criminal case.
• Proof for your employer. Ask the jury office for proof of service.

Grand jury service

A Georgia grand jury has 16 to 23 members, and Fayette County seats three alternates (Fayette County Clerk; DeKalb District Attorney). Grand jurors must be citizens 18 or older who have lived in the county at least six months. You can't serve if you hold elected state or local office or held one in the past two years (§ 15-12-60, HB 665, 2012). Terms vary: DeKalb's grand jury serves two months, usually meeting twice a week, while Walton's serves six months, usually meeting once a month. Grand jurors get the same county expense allowance range ($50.00 a day in DeKalb).

Jury duty scams

Scammers call claiming you missed jury duty and demand money or personal data. Walton County's clerk warns that its staff and sheriff's deputies "will not call Jurors that have failed to report for Jury Duty service and ask for personal information such as social security number, birth date, bank account number, or credit card information." Callers there have demanded fines of $1500 to $2000 paid with prepaid cards (Walton County Clerk of Courts). In Georgia, contempt comes from a judge after notice and a hearing, never from a phone call. Hang up and call your clerk of superior court or sheriff (see also the federal courts' juror scam warning).

Recent and pending changes

Earlier milestones: the Jury Composition Reform Act of 2011 (HB 415, Act 50) replaced the old jury-box system with the statewide master list from July 1, 2012; 2014's HB 776 (Act 578) and HB 1078 (Act 668) moved the age-70 request to the clerk, tied repeat service to the yearly master list, and rewrote the pay paragraph; and SB 66 (2013) raised the contempt fine cap from $500 to $1,000. We found no 2024-2026 change to juror pay, excuses, employer protection or penalties as of November 2026.

Frequently asked questions

How much does jury duty pay in Georgia?

State law lets each county set a daily expense allowance between $5 and $50. Most counties pay about $25; DeKalb pays $15 the first day and $25 after that. You're paid for each day you report, even if you're never picked for a jury.

Can my employer fire me for jury duty in Georgia?

No. O.C.G.A. § 34-1-3 makes it unlawful to fire, discipline, penalize or threaten an employee for answering a jury summons, and you can sue for actual damages and attorney's fees. Your employer may require reasonable notice of your absence. Georgia law doesn't require private employers to pay you for the time off.

How do I get out of jury duty in Georgia?

If you're 70 or older, you can ask the clerk in writing, with an affidavit, to excuse you. Full-time students, primary caregivers of a child six or younger with no other child care, unpaid caregivers of a disabled person, home-school teachers, and service members on ordered duty and their spouses must be excused or deferred on request. Others need a judge to find good cause, and most such excuses become a postponement to a later date.

What happens if I miss jury duty in Georgia?

After notice and a hearing, the court can punish you for contempt. In superior and state court that means a fine of up to $1,000, up to 20 days in jail, or both. If you missed your date, call the jury office promptly to reschedule.

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

After you serve, you're not eligible again until the clerk receives the next county master jury list, which comes once a year. No one may serve more than four weeks on trial juries in a year unless still sitting on a case. Because names are drawn at random, some people are summoned often and others never.

Is there an age limit for jury duty in Georgia?

You must be at least 18. There's no upper limit, but anyone 70 or older may ask the clerk to excuse them, and Georgia counties treat that excusal as permanent. You can keep serving if you prefer.

Where these rules live

• O.C.G.A. §§ 15-12-1.1, 15-12-4(b), 15-12-9 — Excuses, citizenship, pay on appearance (HB 415, Jury Composition Reform Act of 2011)
• O.C.G.A. §§ 15-12-1.1(a)(1), 15-12-3, 15-12-7(a)(2), 15-12-10 — Good-cause excuses, four-week limit, pay range, contempt (HB 1078, 2014)
• O.C.G.A. §§ 15-12-1.1(b), 15-12-4(a) — Age-70 excusal, repeat service (HB 776, 2014)
• O.C.G.A. § 15-12-40.1 — Statewide and county master jury lists (SB 95, 2017)
• O.C.G.A. § 15-12-60 — Grand juror eligibility (HB 665, 2012)
• O.C.G.A. §§ 15-6-8(5), 15-7-4(a)(5) — Contempt fines and jail (SB 66, 2013)
• O.C.G.A. § 34-1-3 — Employee protection (Attorney General Opinion 95-13)
• Georgia.gov: How Do I Serve Jury Duty?
• DeKalb Superior Court: Jury Management
• Gwinnett County Courts: Jury Services
• O.C.G.A. § 9-11-47 — Jurors (on this site)
• Georgia Civil Practice Act (on this site)
• Divorce in Georgia
• Law schools in Georgia