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

Wisconsin picks its jurors at random, mainly from the Department of Transportation's list of people with a driver's license or state ID. If you're a U.S. citizen, 18 or older, live in the county, understand English, and have no felony conviction without your civil rights restored, you qualify. The clerk of circuit court in your county mails the questionnaire and the summons and runs the jury system day to day.

Wisconsin has no exemptions. A court can excuse you only if you can't do the job of a juror, or defer your service for hardship. Counties set juror pay, but it must be at least $16 a day, plus mileage. Your employer doesn't have to pay you, but it must give you leave and can't fire or discipline you for serving. Ignoring a summons can bring a contempt sanction of up to $500.

The rules are in chapter 756 of the Wisconsin Statutes. Many of them come from Wisconsin Supreme Court orders rather than legislative acts, which is why their history lines cite "Sup. Ct. Order No." Everything below is current as of November 2026.

Wisconsin jury duty at a glance

Who can serve

Section 756.02 sets one short list of qualifications:

756.02 Juror qualifications. Every resident of the area served by a circuit court who is at least 18 years of age, a U.S. citizen and able to understand the English language is qualified to serve as a juror in that circuit unless that resident has been convicted of a felony and has not had his or her civil rights restored.

Where names come from. Each year the Director of State Courts builds a master list from the Department of Transportation's records of licensed drivers and state ID holders. The director may add voter lists, state income tax filers, child support payors and payees, people receiving unemployment compensation, and holders of Department of Natural Resources licenses (§ 756.04(2)). Keep your address current with the DMV, since that's where your summons will go.

The questionnaire. The clerk mails a juror qualification form, often with the summons, and you must return it within 10 days. Many counties let you fill it out online. Your answers are confidential: they're released only on a court order for good cause, though the lawyers and parties in your trial can see them for that case (§ 756.04(6), (11)).

No exclusion for who you are. No qualified person may be excluded from jury service because of sex, race, color, sexual orientation, disability, religion, national origin, marital or family status, lawful source of income, age, ancestry or a physical condition (§ 756.001(3)).

Exemptions and excuses

Wisconsin did away with exemptions in 1997, when a Supreme Court order replaced the old list with today's excuse-and-deferral system. No job, and no age, gets you out by right. Dane County's jury page says it plainly: "There are no exceptions for self-employed persons or stay at home parents."

An excuse requires that you can't serve. Section 756.03(1) reads:

The court to which a person is summoned for jury service may excuse the person from jury service if the court determines that the person cannot fulfill the responsibilities of a juror. The court shall not consider any structural limitations of a facility when making that determination.

That last sentence matters for people with disabilities: a courthouse that isn't accessible isn't a reason to send you home. The court system's policy is that no one will be refused participation because of a disability or an inaccessible building; tell the clerk of circuit court if you need an accommodation (Wisconsin Court System).

Hardship usually means a later date, not no date. For undue hardship, extreme inconvenience, or serious obstruction or delay of justice, the court may defer your service to a later date it sets (§ 756.03(2)). The court system's general information page adds that the court may defer or excuse in those cases and may ask you to document the reason.

Who decides. The judge in charge of the county's jury system can let the clerk of circuit court grant excuses and deferrals, limit the grounds the clerk may use, and require documentation (§ 756.03(3)). That's why the details differ by county. Two examples:

• Medical. Dane County asks for a note from your treating physician by the Monday before your summoned week. Waukesha County wants a physician's statement of the condition and the prognosis for recovery, at least 10 days before service (Dane County; Waukesha County).
• Age. State law has no age opt-out, but some counties make room for it in practice. Waukesha County, for example, lets people 75 and older who believe they can't serve, or couldn't without difficulty, write "Opt Out" on the questionnaire.
• Caregivers, students and nursing mothers. Dane County lets students postpone to their next school break, offers accommodations to nursing mothers, and lets anyone with a hardship that doesn't qualify for an excuse raise it with the judge during jury selection.

Most counties won't consider an excuse until you've returned your questionnaire. In the courtroom, the lawyers and the judge can still remove jurors for cause or by peremptory challenge (Wis. Stat. § 805.08).

Postponing jury duty

There's no automatic right to postpone in Wisconsin. A deferral is up to the court or, if authorized, the clerk, and the court picks the new date (§ 756.03(2)). Counties set their own procedures, and many accept requests online through the court system's juror postponement request page.

Ask early. The court system warns that some counties need a postponement request before the summons even arrives, and it suggests telling the court about a conflict as soon as you learn of your service (Wisconsin Court System). In Dane County, requests must be in writing to the Jury Clerk by the Monday of the week before your summoned date.

Juror pay

Each county board sets the daily fee, subject to a state floor. Section 756.25(1):

Every grand and petit juror summoned shall receive an amount, not less than $16, as fixed by the county board, for each day of attendance, and an amount equal to the mileage rate set under s. 20.916 (8) for each mile traveled each day in going and returning by the most usual route.

The details:

• Half days. A county board may pay by the half-day, at 50% of the daily rate; mileage isn't reduced (§ 756.25(2)).
• One day or one trial. In circuits that use a one-day/one-trial system, the county board may set a separate amount for the first day of attendance and the first day's travel (§ 756.25(3)).
• Only court days. You aren't paid for a day the court isn't in session unless the court orders it (§ 756.25(1)).
• Payment. When your service ends, the clerk of circuit court must promptly start the payment process (§ 756.25(4)).

What counties actually pay. The rate varies widely, so check your county's jury page. Dane County pays $20 for a day over four hours and $10.00 for up to four hours, plus a small daily travel allowance, and reimburses $5.00 toward parking on selection day (Dane County). Barron County raised its rate to $100 for a full day and $50 for a part day on September 1, 2025 (Wisconsin Court System).

Your job is protected

Section 756.255 covers every employer:

An employer shall grant an employee a leave of absence without loss of time in service for the period of jury service. For the purpose of determining seniority or pay advancement, the status of the employee shall be considered uninterrupted by the jury service. No employer may use absence due to jury service as a basis for discharging an employee or for any disciplinary action against the employee.

What that means:

• Leave is required. Your employer must let you serve, and your time away doesn't count against your seniority or raises.
• No firing or discipline because you were absent for jury duty.
• The remedy. An employer who fires or disciplines you in violation can be fined up to $200 and ordered to make full restitution, including reinstatement and back pay (§ 756.255).

Pay is up to your employer. The court system's employer page says state law "does not require employers to continue paying the salary of employees who are absent because of jury service." Many employers pay anyway, including state, federal and many local government agencies. If your employer keeps paying you, it may require you to turn over your juror fee, but not your mileage (Information for employers).

Dane County suggests telling your employer as soon as you're summoned, both that you might be chosen and that you'll certainly be out the morning of jury selection.

What happens if you don't show up

Failing to appear is contempt of court. Section 756.30 covers three kinds of noncompliance: willfully misstating a material fact on the qualification form, failing to return the form within 10 days, and failing to attend after being lawfully summoned without being excused. The sanction, from § 756.30(2m):

A circuit court may impose a sanction for violation of sub. (1m) in an amount not to exceed $500. The sanction may be imposed by the court after hearing on an order to show cause why the prospective juror should not be held in contempt for failure to comply with the obligation of jury service.

No costs, fees or surcharges are added, and the clerk keeps the money to offset juror costs. In practice, the court system says, a person who misses jury service may be summoned to explain why and may be fined, and some counties have local rules on failure to appear. If you've missed your date, call your clerk of circuit court's jury office right away.

Your first day

Every county runs its own system, so your summons and county jury page come first. What to expect:

• Check whether to report. Many counties use a call-in recording or the court system's juror status lookup, using the details printed on your summons. In Dane County, you call (608) 266-4105 after 4:00 PM on the Friday before your week; if your pool number isn't read, your duty is done for four years once your questionnaire is in.
• Expect waiting. The state handbook says that if you aren't picked for a panel, you're usually excused within one to two hours and may be asked to return another day, and most trials last one day (The Wisconsin Jury Handbook). Dane County says most of its trials last one or two days.
• Parking. Your county's instructions will cover it. In Dane County, jurors pay for their own parking on selection day, with a $5.00 reimbursement, and get a ramp pass if chosen for a trial; street meters aren't recommended.
• Bring something to do. Dane County provides free Wi-Fi and lets you bring a laptop, reading material, snacks and drinks.
• Illness or emergency. Call the jury office as early as you can. Dane County takes these calls after 8:00 AM on Mondays.
• Watch the orientation video on the court system's site before you go.
• Accommodations. Tell the clerk of circuit court, or the county's ADA coordinator, as soon as possible if you need one.

Grand jury service

A Wisconsin grand jury forms only when a judge orders one in writing. When that happens, the clerk draws a secret list of 75 to 150 names from the county's prospective jurors, the judge examines them, and at least 17 qualified jurors are seated. Grand jurors serve 31 consecutive days unless more are needed to finish a proceeding, and the judge may discharge them at any time (Wis. Stat. § 968.40). They are paid under the same § 756.25 rules as trial jurors.

Jury duty scams

Scammers sometimes call posing as a sheriff's deputy, claim there's a warrant for missing jury duty, and demand money by phone or gift card. The Wisconsin Court System says:

The court would never ask for your personal financial information in regard to your jury service.

Dane County adds that its court and sheriff's office won't ask for money over the phone or take gift cards, and that "Notices for missed jury service will always be sent to you by mail." If you're not sure a call is real, hang up and call your county's clerk of circuit court. The federal courts keep a juror scam warning as well.

Recent and pending changes

• 2025 Wisconsin Act 26 (Senate Bill 5), enacted August 8, 2025, published August 9, 2025. Created a separate crime of battery or threat to jurors in § 940.202. It's a Class H felony to cause or threaten bodily harm to a current or former juror, or to a prospective juror who has received a summons, for a reason related to jury service, and the same applies to a juror's family member (Act 26).
• Barron County, September 1, 2025. Doubled juror pay to $100 a full day (a local change, not state law).
• 2023 Assembly Bill 411 / Senate Bill 405 (not enacted). Would have let people 70 or older choose to be excused for a year or permanently. AB 411 failed to pass on April 15, 2024, when the session ended (AB 411).

We found no bill pending in the 2025-2026 Legislature that would change juror pay, qualifications or excuses as of November 2026.

Frequently asked questions

How much does jury duty pay in Wisconsin?

At least $16 a day, plus mileage at the state rate, under Wis. Stat. § 756.25. Each county board sets its own rate above that floor, and many pay more: Dane County pays $20 for a full day, and Barron County pays $100. Counties may pay half days at half the rate.

Can my employer fire me for jury duty in Wisconsin?

No. Your employer must give you a leave of absence for jury service and can't fire or discipline you for it. An employer that does can be fined up to $200 and ordered to reinstate you with back pay. Your employer doesn't have to pay your wages while you serve, though many do.

How do I get out of jury duty in Wisconsin?

There are no exemptions. A court, or the clerk if authorized, may excuse you only if you can't fulfill a juror's responsibilities, usually for a documented medical reason. For hardship or serious inconvenience, expect a deferral to a later date instead. Follow your county's procedure, and return your questionnaire first.

What happens if I miss jury duty in Wisconsin?

The court can order you to appear and explain, and after a hearing it can hold you in contempt and impose a sanction of up to $500. The same applies if you don't return the qualification form within 10 days or lie on it. Contact your county jury office right away if you missed your date.

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

In most counties, no more than once in any four-year period, with no more than 31 consecutive days on call and five days in court unless your trial runs longer. Counties using one day or one trial can't call you again for a period their judges set, between two and four years.

Is there an age limit for jury duty in Wisconsin?

You must be 18. There's no upper age limit, and state law bars excluding anyone because of age; a 2023 bill to let people 70 and older opt out didn't pass. An older person who can't serve for health reasons can ask to be excused, and a few counties, such as Waukesha, accept an opt-out request from people 75 and older.

Where these rules live

• Wis. Stat. § 756.02 — Juror qualifications
• Wis. Stat. § 756.03 — Excuse; deferral
• Wis. Stat. § 756.04 — Juror lists and the qualification form
• Wis. Stat. § 756.25 — Juror fees and mileage
• Wis. Stat. § 756.255 — Leave of absence
• Wis. Stat. § 756.28 — Length of service
• Wis. Stat. § 756.30 — Penalties
• Wis. Stat. § 968.40 — Grand jury
• Wisconsin Court System: Services for jurors

For the rules that govern Wisconsin civil trials themselves, see the Wisconsin Rules of Civil Procedure. Another Wisconsin guide: Wisconsin law schools. To compare states, visit the jury duty hub.