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

New Jersey's Superior Court summons jurors county by county. Each county's Assignment Judge draws names at random from a single list that merges registered voters, licensed drivers, state income tax filers and homestead rebate or credit filers. If you're picked, you'll get a summons in the mail at least 30 days ahead and be asked to fill out a qualification questionnaire, usually online.

The key numbers are in Title 2B of the New Jersey Statutes and in N.J.S.A. 22A:1-1.1. Jurors earn $5 a day, and $40 a day once a trial runs past three consecutive days. Private employers don't have to pay you, but no employer may penalize you for serving, and you have 90 days to sue one that does. Government employers must keep paying full-time workers. Skipping a summons can cost a fine of up to $500 or a finding of contempt.

This page covers New Jersey state court jury duty as of November 2026. A summons from the federal court in New Jersey follows federal law instead.

New Jersey jury duty at a glance

Who can serve

Section 2B:20-1 lists six requirements. Every person summoned must be 18 or older, able to read and understand English, a U.S. citizen and a resident of the county that summoned them. Two more rule people out: an indictable conviction, and a mental or physical disability that would prevent proper service. The courts provide accommodations under the Americans with Disabilities Act, so a disability alone doesn't end the question.

Criminal convictions changed in January 2026. The statute still says a juror "shall not have been convicted of any indictable offense under the laws of this State, another state, or the United States." But on January 11, 2026, Governor Murphy signed Executive Order 411, using the clemency power to restore jury eligibility to people disqualified only by a New Jersey indictable conviction, if:

• the conviction happened on or before January 10, 2026;
• they've finished every non-monetary part of the sentence, including prison, probation and parole; and
• the conviction wasn't for impeachment or treason.

The order applies to trial juries and grand juries. It doesn't cover federal or out-of-state convictions, which still disqualify, and lawyers can still challenge a juror for cause based on a criminal record. The Judiciary's guidance adds that convictions only in municipal court, pending charges, and a completed pretrial intervention program don't disqualify you, while someone currently in pretrial intervention is disqualified. Unpaid fines don't affect eligibility under the order.

If you no longer live in the county or the state, still complete the questionnaire and answer the residency question. That updates your record and heads off enforcement for not responding.

Exemptions and excuses

New Jersey has almost no automatic exemptions. Instead, a short statutory list of excuses is the only way out, and only the county's Assignment Judge or a designee can grant one (§ 2B:20-9). Section 2B:20-10 begins:

2B:20-10. An excuse from jury service shall be granted only if: a. The prospective juror is 75 years of age or older; b. The prospective juror has served as a juror within the last three years in the county to which the juror is being summoned;

The full list:

• Age 75 or older. Send your date of birth to the jury management office.
• Recent service. You served on a petit, grand or state grand jury in the same county in the last three years. Federal service and service in another state don't count.
• Severe hardship that isn't likely to change within the next year. The statute names six kinds: 1. A medical inability to serve, verified by a licensed physician. 2. A severe financial hardship that would compromise your ability to support yourself or your dependents. The judge weighs your household's income sources, whether you'll be reimbursed and how long service will last. 3. A personal obligation to care for a sick, elderly or infirm dependent or a minor child, with no other care available without severe financial hardship. 4. Highly specialized technical health care services, if no replacement can reasonably be found. 5. A health care worker directly caring for a person with a mental or physical disability, whose presence is essential to that person's treatment. 6. A full-time grammar school or high school teacher, during the school term, if no replacement can reasonably be found. The judge considers how many teachers the school has lost to jury duty and the special role of special education teachers.
• Nursing mothers. Since April 22, 2025, the caregiving excuse covers "a child who is one year of age or younger where the prospective juror is the child's mother and is nursing or expressing milk for the child."
• Volunteer firefighters, fire patrol members, and volunteer first aid or rescue squad members.

Military. A separate law exempts every officer and enlisted member of New Jersey's organized militia during their service (N.J.S.A. 38A:4-6). The courts also excuse people on active duty in the U.S. armed forces, including the National Guard, who send orders, a commanding officer's letter or an active-duty ID.

Not on the list. There's no excuse for students, for most occupations, or for an employer who won't pay you. The Judiciary says nonpayment alone isn't a reason, though it can be part of a financial hardship claim.

How to ask. Complete the qualification questionnaire first, then submit the request in the juror portal or in the excusal section of the paper form. The judge can demand proof (§ 2B:20-9(b)), and the Judiciary has certification forms for financial hardship, medical excuses, childcare and nursing mothers. If a request is denied, the judge may defer your service instead.

Postponing jury duty

The Assignment Judge may defer your service "to another time within the next twelve months" when you ask, or when an excuse request is denied (§ 2B:20-11).

In practice you can reschedule once. Finish the questionnaire, then open a Juror Service Request in the My Jury Service portal, pick a month and an open date, and give a reason. You can also call or email your county's jury management office with your 10-digit Participant ID. Accepted reasons include medical issues, transportation, travel, college, emergencies and work conflicts. If the court asks for documents, they must arrive at least five days before your summons date, or the request is denied and you must report. Teachers who can't find a substitute can ask to reschedule instead of being excused.

Juror pay

Juror pay is set by statute and is the same in every county. N.J.S.A. 22A:1-1.1 says:

a. Every person serving as a juror in New Jersey courts, whether as a grand or petit juror, shall receive, for each day's attendance at such courts, the sum of $5. b. In addition to the amounts received pursuant to subsection a. of this section, each person serving as a juror, other than a person compensated pursuant to N.J.S.2B:20-16, shall be paid $35 for each consecutive day of attendance in excess of three days.

So a trial juror earns $5 a day for the first three days and $40 a day ($5 plus $35) from the fourth consecutive day. Weekends, state holidays and days the trial is in recess don't break the streak; they simply aren't counted. The Judiciary says grand jurors are paid $5 a day. The rates have been the same since 2001.

• No mileage. The statute provides no travel allowance. Parking depends on the courthouse; Bergen County, for example, lets jurors park free in the garage next to its courthouse.
• Payment. The Assignment Judge decides how jurors are paid and must give each juror a statement of days served and fees owed. Payroll runs each Friday.
• Orientation is unpaid. Every juror must watch an on-demand orientation video before reporting. You aren't paid for that time.
• Unemployment benefits. Jury service doesn't make you ineligible. Under N.J.S.A. 43:21-4(c)(5), a claimant isn't treated as unavailable for work "solely by reason of the individual's attendance before a court in response to a summons for service on a jury."

Your job is protected

Section 2B:20-17(a) protects every employee, with no small-business exception:

a. An employer shall not penalize an employee with respect to employment, or threaten or otherwise coerce an employee with respect to that employment, because the employee is required to attend court for jury service.

If your employer breaks the law:

• It is guilty of a disorderly persons offense (§ 2B:20-17(b)).
• You can sue for the economic damages you suffered and for an order reinstating you. If you win, the court awards a reasonable attorney's fee.
• The deadline is 90 days. The suit must be filed within 90 days of the violation or the end of your jury service, whichever is later (§ 2B:20-17(c)).

Pay. New Jersey has no law requiring private employers to pay you during jury service. Check your employer's policy or union contract. Government workers are different: anyone employed full-time by the State or a county, town or other political subdivision must be excused from work and receive "the person's usual compensation for each day the person is present for jury service in lieu of any payment for juror service" (§ 2B:20-16). That covers state, federal and other states' courts. If you're one of them, tell the jury office when you report, and return any juror check sent by mistake.

Proof of service. If you completed the questionnaire online, you can print an attendance letter from the juror portal. Otherwise, ask your county's jury management office.

What happens if you don't show up

A summons is a court order, and so is the questionnaire. Section 2B:20-14(b) says:

b. Persons summoned as jurors who, without reasonable excuse, either fail to appear for jury service or refuse to serve, shall be liable for a fine not to exceed $500, payable to the county in which the person was summoned, or may be punished for contempt of court.

The same penalty applies to anyone who ignores the qualification questionnaire without a reasonable excuse (§ 2B:20-14(a)). The Assignment Judge can have the sheriff mail you notice of the fine, with 30 days to pay. If you don't, the sheriff can collect the fine and costs by levying on your personal property (§ 2B:20-15).

If you're sick on your date, don't come in; call your county's jury management office to reschedule.

Your first day

Before the day. Complete the questionnaire at least four days before your summons date, and watch the required on-demand orientation video. Log in to the portal with the 10-digit Participant ID on your summons and the 5-digit ZIP code it lists; an account already exists, so don't create a new one.

The night before. Check your county's reporting page after 5 p.m. the evening before. Many jurors also get the instructions by email or text. In Bergen County the email usually arrives the Friday before.

What to bring. Your summons or juror paperwork, your parking ticket if the court validates it, and something to read or a laptop for the wait.

Security, phones and devices. Everyone goes through a metal detector, and bags are X-rayed. Weapons, pepper spray and sharp objects such as scissors aren't allowed. Phones must be off in the courtroom, and you may not take photos or record anything.

What to wear. Dress appropriately for court. Shorts, t-shirts, uniforms and clothing with offensive words or symbols aren't allowed, and hats come off in the courtroom.

How long it lasts. You're on call for one day. If you're picked for a jury, you serve through jury selection and the whole trial. A typical trial jury has 12 members.

Accommodations. Ask for an ADA accommodation or a sign language interpreter through the Judiciary's ADA accommodation page before your date.

Grand jury service

Every county has at least one grand jury at all times (§ 2B:21-1). A grand jury has up to 23 members, and an indictment takes at least 12 (§§ 2B:21-2, 21-7). Police officers and prosecutors are excused from grand jury service. County grand jury panels serve terms of eight to 20 weeks depending on the county; the State Grand Jury in Trenton meets one day a week for 16 to 20 weeks. Grand jurors are paid $5 a day.

Jury duty scams

Scammers call, text, email or even show up claiming you missed jury duty and must pay to avoid arrest. The New Jersey Judiciary says it never asks for payment to avoid arrest, never uses apps such as PayPal, Venmo or Cash App, and never asks for bank or card numbers, a Social Security number or other identifiers. Real court messages may ask only for your date of birth and home address. If you're contacted, don't respond or click any link; call your county's jury management office and local police, and report it to the Federal Trade Commission. See the Judiciary's scam warning.

Recent and pending changes

In effect:

Pending, not law (as of November 2026, each in committee in the 2026–2027 session):

• Juror pay: Senate Bill 121 and Assembly Bill 717 would pay $40 a day from the first day. Assembly Bill 1133 would do the same and add other juror benefits.
• Age: Assembly Bill 3433 and Senate Bill 4668 would let people 70 or older be excused.
• Convictions: Assembly Bill 1666 and Senate Bill 4608 would end a past indictable conviction as an automatic disqualification in some cases. Senate Concurrent Resolution 92 urges the Governor to rescind Executive Order 411.
• New excuses: bills would add students in certain programs (A3593), people with a developmental disability (A103), judges (A1580), police (S99) and military members (S1069/A1956), and would let physician assistants and advanced practice nurses verify a medical excuse (A5098/S4303).
• Employer pay: Senate Bill 152 would require certain state contractors to pay employees their usual wages during jury service.

Frequently asked questions

How much does jury duty pay in New Jersey?

New Jersey pays $5 a day. If you sit on a trial that lasts more than three consecutive days, you earn an extra $35 a day, or $40 total, from the fourth day on. There's no mileage allowance, and grand jurors receive $5 a day.

Can my employer fire me for jury duty in New Jersey?

No. Under N.J.S.A. 2B:20-17, no employer of any size may penalize, threaten or coerce you because you have jury service. An employer that does commits a disorderly persons offense, and you can sue for lost pay and reinstatement within 90 days of the violation or the end of your service, whichever is later.

How do I get out of jury duty in New Jersey?

Only the grounds in N.J.S.A. 2B:20-10 count: being 75 or older, serving in the same county in the last three years, a severe hardship (medical, financial, caregiving, nursing a baby, some health care and teaching jobs), or volunteering for a fire company or first aid or rescue squad. Complete the questionnaire, then request the excuse in the juror portal with proof. If you just need a different date, ask for a deferral.

What happens if I miss jury duty in New Jersey?

The court can fine you up to $500 or hold you in contempt. The sheriff can mail you a notice of the fine and, if you don't pay within 30 days, collect it from your personal property. Call your county's jury management office right away to reschedule.

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

There's no limit on how often you can be summoned, because names are drawn at random each time. But if you served in the same county within the last three years, you can ask to be excused. Federal or out-of-state service doesn't count.

Is there an age limit for jury duty in New Jersey?

There's no upper age limit. Anyone 75 or older can ask to be excused, and the court must grant it. Bills to lower that age to 70 are pending in both houses.

Where these rules live

• N.J.S.A. 2B:20-1 — Qualifications of jurors
• N.J.S.A. 2B:20-10 — Grounds for excuse
• N.J.S.A. 2B:20-11 — Deferral of jury service
• N.J.S.A. 2B:20-14 — Failure to respond or appear
• N.J.S.A. 2B:20-16 — Public employees' pay
• N.J.S.A. 2B:20-17 — Employment protection
• N.J.S.A. 22A:1-1.1 — Juror fees (P.L.2001, c.38)
• P.L.2025, c.43 — Nursing mothers excuse
• Executive Order No. 411
• New Jersey Courts: Jurors
• New Jersey Rules of Court