You may request to be deferred from jury service. A deferral is a temporary postponement due to work or school schedules or a temporary medical condition. When you make your request for deferral, please provide alternative dates when you can serve. The Court will make every effort to accommodate your request, but occassionally,deferral is not possible. If your deferral request is granted, you will not be permanently excused from jury service, your name will remain as an eligible juror, and you will be contacted in the future. 
 The following guidelines apply to deferrals:

1. Deferral requests must be made in writing. Requests for any reason should be made as soon as possible, and, in any event, at least five days before the reporting date.
2. Requests for deferral due to planned vacations should include submission of a copy of airline or hotel reservations, or other evidence of a confirmed vacation. Please provide specific dates you cannot serve and dates that you can serve.
3. Requests for deferral due to school schedules should include a copy of your current academic schedule which includes your name, dates and times of classes.
4. Requests for deferral due to work schedules must be made by the prospective juror not an employer.
5. You must complete and return the bottom portion of the summons with your other documents or a printed questionnaire that was mailed to you, even if you completed the online version of the questionnaire.

For your convenience, you may use the Deferral Request Form but are welcome to submit a typed or handwritten request letter.
You may also call our jury information line at 1-800-246-7607 to hear information and specific instructions regarding some of the most common deferral categories.
If you are deferred or the starting date of yor term is postponed, you will receive notice from the court that your request has been approved. You can also call the automated jury information system at 1-800-659-1132 to check on the status of a request. Please have your nine digit participant number available for entry. Your participant number is located at the top on your summons beside your name.
Please allow five business days after the court has received your request for a response. If you have not received a response at least five days prior to your scheduled reporting date, you may call the jury department to check on the status of your request. Do not assume you have been deferred merely because you have mailed a letter requesting to be deferred.
If you have not received written notification from the Court approving your request prior to when you are scheduled to call for reporting instructions, you are required by federal law to comply with the summons by calling to receive reporting instructions and reporting, if so directed.