States
Jury duty in Connecticut: pay, employer rules and excuses
Independent site, not a court. Answer your summons and ask for an excuse only through the court that summoned you.
Check how Connecticut's five employer-paid days give way to a $50 state fee, see the age 75 opt-out, and test an excuse under § 51-217.
What jury duty in Connecticut will pay you
You receive for 7 days
$1,100
| Court fee | $100 |
| Employer, by law | $1,000 for 5 days |
| A normal 7 days of work | $1,400 |
| Income lost | $300 |
| Age rule | 75 and over, may ask to be excused |
Connecticut: Days 1-5: full-time employees get regular wages from their employer; part-time and unemployed jurors are reimbursed out-of-pocket expenses ($20 to $50/day). From day 6, the state pays every juror $50/day. Day rates used: $0, $50. Before tax. Employers must pay full-time employees (30+ hours/week) their regular wages for the first 5 days of jury service; no employer-size threshold.
All jury rules in ConnecticutConnecticut puts the first five days of jury service on employers. Under Conn. Gen. Stat. §§ 51-247 and 51-247a, a full-time employee (30 or more hours a week) must receive regular wages for those days, whatever the size of the business, and cannot be fired or coerced for serving. Part-time and unemployed jurors are instead reimbursed out-of-pocket expenses of $20 to $50 a day, which includes mileage at 20 cents a mile round trip. Starting on day six, the state covers $50 a day for everyone. People 75 or older may choose not to serve (§ 51-217(a)(8)). The term is one day, or the length of the trial if you are impaneled, and after appearing you are excused for 3 jury years (each running September 1 to August 31). Deferral to a date within 10 months can be done online. A no-show faces a civil penalty whose amount the Chief Court Administrator sets, which the court may waive; § 51-237 provides no jail term.
Statutes and court pages read by Radif Partners on October 29, 2026 · Method and sources
Connecticut's sixth-day switch from wages to $50
Most Connecticut trials never reach day six, so the employer wage rule is what matters for most jurors. Regular wages are owed for the first five days, or part of them, to every full-time employee, and the statute sets no minimum company size. Day six is when the source of pay changes: the state then pays $50 for each day of service, and your employer's legal duty to pay ends, though its own policy may continue it. Part-time and unemployed jurors do not get wages from anyone during the first five days, so the reimbursement of $20 to $50 a day for out-of-pocket costs is their only money until the state fee starts.
Deferring or asking to be excused in Connecticut
The Judicial Branch lets you defer online to any date within 10 months of the original summons. A second deferral, or one requested within two weeks of the date, means calling Jury Administration at 1-800-842-8175. Excusal requests go through the eResponse portal, by email or by phone, and § 51-217 lists the grounds: extreme hardship, a physical or mental disability with a health care provider letter, childcare hardship, active-duty military service, not speaking and understanding English, service in a state or federal court within 3 jury years, or living outside Connecticut. Students are expected to defer to a school break.
The rules in Connecticut, law by law
| Rule | What the law or court says | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Juror pay | $0 day 1-5, then $50 a day | Conn. Gen. Stat. § 51-247 |
| Mileage | 20 cents per mile round trip, counted within the out-of-pocket reimbursement for part-time/unemployed jurors during the first 5 days | Conn. Gen. Stat. § 51-247 |
| Employer must keep paying | Employers must pay full-time employees (30+ hours/week) their regular wages for the first 5 days of jury service; no employer-size threshold. | Conn. Gen. Stat. §§ 51-247, 51-247a |
| Job protected | Yes | Conn. Gen. Stat. §§ 51-247, 51-247a |
| Age | 75 and over: may ask to be excused | Conn. Gen. Stat. § 51-217(a)(8) |
| Length of service | One day, or the length of the trial if impaneled. | cga.ct.gov |
| Before another summons | 36 months | jud.ct.gov |
| Postponing | Postpone online (Defer Your Jury Service page) to a date within 10 months of the original date; a second deferral or one within 2 weeks of the date requires calling Jury Administration (1-800-842-8175). | jud.ct.gov |
| Not showing up | Failing to appear exposes the juror to a civil penalty whose amount is set by the Chief Court Administrator; the court may waive it. No jail term in the statute. | Conn. Gen. Stat. § 51-237 |
Excuses and postponement in Connecticut
Request an excusal through the eResponse online portal, by email or by calling Jury Administration; students are expected to defer to a school break. Postpone online (Defer Your Jury Service page) to a date within 10 months of the original date; a second deferral or one within 2 weeks of the date requires calling Jury Administration (1-800-842-8175).
Can I be excused or postpone?
Connecticut
No ground named: ask to postpone
| Age rule | 75+, on request |
Request an excusal through the eResponse online portal, by email or by calling Jury Administration; students are expected to defer to a school break. Postpone online (Defer Your Jury Service page) to a date within 10 months of the original date; a second deferral or one within 2 weeks of the date requires calling Jury Administration (1-800-842-8175).
A request is decided by the court, often with proof (a doctor's note, a school schedule). Ignoring a summons is not an excuse.
Official juror page: jud.ct.gov. Answer your summons and file any request there or as your summons says.