Back to Jury Service

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.

Title 28, United States Code, Section 1864(b) states that persons who are requested to appear for Federal Jury Service and fail to appear may then be ordered to show cause why they should not be held in contempt of court for not complying with the court's letter of notification to report for jury duty. Persons who fail to appear or to show cause for not appearing may be fined not more than $1,000.00, imprisoned not more than 3 days, ordered to perform community service, or any combination thereof.

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 of 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-minute emergency that cannot be handled through the mail.