Doctor's Note to Be Excused from Jury Duty

How medical excusals from jury duty usually work

Jury duty in the US is mostly run at the state and local level, not federally, so the exact process depends on the court that summoned you. Federal courts follow a general framework: under 28 U.S.C. § 1866, a court, or a clerk supervised by the court, can excuse a juror who shows undue hardship or extreme inconvenience for as long as the court decides is necessary, after which that person is usually summoned again or returned to the pool for future selection. U.S. Courts describes this as discretionary and not something you can appeal. Most courts, federal or otherwise, handle a medical excusal through a written request to the clerk, often a form or letter with supporting documentation like a doctor’s note, rather than a personal appearance. Some jurisdictions distinguish between a full excusal from service and a deferral, where you’re simply moved to a later date; a note documenting a temporary condition is more likely to support a deferral, while a longer-term or ongoing condition is more likely to be relevant to a full excusal, though the court still makes that call.

What the note can and can’t do

The note documents that you reported a medical reason affecting your ability to serve on the date you were summoned and were advised accordingly. It’s not a sworn statement, an affidavit, or a court-completed form, and it doesn’t decide anything on its own. The court reviews what you submit and decides whether to excuse you, postpone your service to a later date, or ask for more information. That decision is entirely the court’s, not the doctor’s.

Practical tips

Read your summons closely; it will usually say who to contact, what format they want (mail, an online portal, or in person), and the deadline for requesting an excusal. Missing that deadline can mean the request isn’t considered, or that you’re expected to appear regardless. Keep a copy of whatever you submit and the date you sent it. The note doesn’t need to state a specific diagnosis, since a description of the limitation and its expected duration is usually what’s relevant to the court’s decision. If your circumstances change and the excusal period ends, expect another summons or automatic reentry into the jury pool. It’s also worth calling the number on your summons directly if anything is unclear; jury office staff generally field these questions daily and can tell you exactly what their court expects, rather than guessing based on another jurisdiction’s process.

Privacy

If the court wants to confirm the note is genuine, verifying it directly with the clinician generally requires your authorization. Under HIPAA, a provider generally can’t share your health information with a court, or anyone else, without your consent, though there are limited situations, such as a valid court order or subpoena, where the law permits or requires disclosure without it.