When you have completed your jury service, the Court will automatically mail a letter certifying your jury service to your home address. The letter will list only the days you were present in the courthouse and it should arrive within two weeks. (Please note your juror's check will not be enclosed in this letter.) Once you have served, you are exempt from jury service in any other court for at least the next four years. Keep the original letter as it is the only way to prove your jury service if you are notified or summoned by another court.

While no formal dress code exists, jurors are requested to dress in a manner respectful to the Court. The following are NOT permitted in the courtrooms: Hats, shorts, tank top, flip flops or beach attire.You will have to pass through a metal detector each time you enter the courthouse. Please leave excess metal and jewelry at home to speed your entry.

Federico Degeteau Federal Building and Clemente Ruiz Nazario Courthouse in Hato Rey

The Federico Degeteau Federal Building and Clemente Ruiz Nazario Courthouse is located at 150 Chardon Street in Hato Rey.  There is free parking for jurors in the lot adjacent to the courthouse.  Your driver's license and vehicle registration must be current in order to enter the parking lot and to receive reimbursement for travel expenses.  The entrance to the parking lot is located near the main entrance gate to the Federal Building, across the street from the Denny's Restaurant in Hato Rey.  It has a sign that reads “Visitors Parking.” You must show your jury duty notification letter to the guard on duty and he/she will tell you where you can park.

We suggest you arrive early because the number of available spaces is limited.  If the lot is full, you may use the private parking facility on Arterial Hostos Street,  across the Capital Center and ACAA buildings, for which you will be reimbursed.  Receipts are required for the reimbursement of parking costs.

Jose V. Toledo Courthouse in Old San Juan

The Jose V. Toledo U.S. District Courthouse is located at 300 Recinto Sur Street in Old San Juan.  The Court will reimburse parking costs for the Doña Fela or La Puntilla parking lots.  Receipts are required for the reimbursement of parking costs.

It is important that jurors report promptly when they are required to report. Absences may delay or even jeopardize trials. If jurors are faced with an emergency such as a sudden illness or a death in the family, they should follow the instructions that they were given by the Court. If they are unable to do so, they should telephone the Jury Administration staff.

Pursuant to Title 28, United States Code, Section 1863(b)(5), the United States District Court for the District of Puerto Rico approved an Amended Plan for the Random Selection of Grand and Petit Jurors Pursuant to the Jury Selection and Service Act, as amended, which specifies those groups of persons or occupational classes whose members shall, on individual request therefor, be excused from jury service.

The Jury Selection and Service Act, Title 28, United States Code, Section 1863(b)(5)(B), specifies that you are barred from jury service if you fall into one of the exemption categories. If you claim one of these exemption categories, please send that information in writing to the Jury Administration Office. You are exempt from jury service if you are:

• a member in active service of the Armed Forces of the United States
• a member of the fire or police departments of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, or any federal or local law enforcement agency
• a public official in the executive, legislative, or judicial branches of the governments of the United States or of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, or its political subdivisions, who is actively engaged in the performance of official duties on a full-time basis

There are certain categories of persons who, upon their specific written request, may be excused from service as a juror. If you claim to be excused because you fall under one of these categories and you wish to be excused, you must send a written request to the Jury Administration Office. Of course, if you wish to serve and meet the statutory qualifications, you are welcome to do so and need not contact the Court prior to the date specified in your notification letter. You may be excused from jury duty if you are:

• a person 70 years of age or older
• a minister of the Gospel or a member of a religious order of any denomination, actively so engaged on a full-time status
• an actively practicing attorney, physician or dentist
• a teacher in a private, parochial or public school or college, actively engaged in teaching, on a full-time status
• a person who has served as a grand or petit juror in federal court within the past two years
• a full-time student
• a person rendering professional nursing or medical services (including, but not limited to, registered or licensed nurses, student nurses, medical laboratory technicians, therapists, and students of the medical laboratory sciences)
• a person with the custody and care of a child under 10 years of age whose health and/or safety would be jeopardized by his/her absence for jury service, or a person who is essential to the care of elderly or infirm persons
• a volunteer safety personnel serving a public agency

Lack or transportation or Distance from your home to the Court is not a valid excuse for not serving as a juror, nor is having a full-time job.

If you have any other reason you think may preclude from performing jury duty, please inform it to the judge, when you report for jury duty. The judge will evaluate it and determine if you are still eligible to become a juror.

Excuses and exemptions may be requested by filling in the appropriate information on the Juror Qualification Questionnaire. All requests to be exempted or excused from serving as a juror must be in writing, complete with the supporting verifying information. The letter of request must be from the person who received the questionnaire, not an employer or physician, for example. Letters from employers or any other source will only be considered to support a request. Do no have employers or physicians call the Jury Administration Office.

No excuses will be taken over the telephone. The only time that you should call the Jury Administration staff regarding an excuse is when you have a last-minuteemergency that cannot be handled through the mail.

The Court's schedule sometimes changes at the last minute. Rather than have you sit in the jury room all day, we may change the date you must report for jury duty.  On the evening (or weekend) before your scheduled date to report for jury duty, you will  receive an outbound notification by an automatic calling system. The recording may instruct you to report to the courthouse on the date indicated in the notification letter, or it may delay your date to report.

Under Federal law, a person cannot be required to serve jury duty more often than once every two (2) years. Title 28, United States Code, Section 1866(e) . If you have served in the United States District Court or in the local court within the last two (2) years, and wish to be excused, please mail a copy of your official jury certificate, together with our questionnaire, in the return envelope.

Grand jurors serve on a grand jury to determine whether facts and accusations presented by the U.S. Attorney warrant an indictment in a criminal case. Petit Jurors serve on criminal or civil trials, determine issues of fact, apply the law as instructed by the Judge, and deliberate to reach a verdict. Petit jurors may be called to serve on both civil and criminal trials. Examples of civil cases are contract disputes, civil rights violations, etc. Criminal trials involve a party or parties who are alleged to have violated a federal law and who have been indicted by a grand jury.