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Jury duty in District of Columbia: 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.
Estimate the $57 daily fee paid by DC Superior Court, see how the five-day employer rule and the small-business exemption apply, and check excuses.
What jury duty in District of Columbia will pay you
You receive for 3 days
$600
| Court fee | $171 |
| Employer, by law | $429 for 3 days |
| A normal 3 days of work | $600 |
| Income lost | $0 |
| Age rule | 70 and over, may ask to be excused |
District of Columbia: The statute sets $30 a day plus up to $2 travel but lets the Board of Judges raise it; the court now pays $57 a day to jurors whose job does not pay them. Petit jurors who are summoned but do not serve on a jury are not paid the fee. Before tax. Full-time employees working in DC are entitled to their usual pay (less the juror fee) for up to 5 days of service; employers with 10 or fewer employees are exempt.
All jury rules in District of ColumbiaThe District of Columbia pays $57 a day to jurors whose job does not pay them, a figure set by the Board of Judges above the $30 written in D.C. Code § 15-718. Jurors who keep receiving their salary get a $7 daily travel stipend instead, and there is no mileage. Petit jurors who are summoned but never serve on a jury do not receive the fee. For service of 5 days or less, full-time employees working in DC are entitled to their usual pay minus the juror fee, but employers with 10 or fewer employees are exempt (§ 15-718(c), § 11-1913). Anyone 70 or older may ask to be excused under the Superior Court jury plan. Petit jurors serve one day unless picked for a trial; grand jurors serve 25 workdays. Service is limited to once per 24 months. One postponement for any reason is available through eJuror, email, phone or live chat. A no-show without good cause risks up to $300 and 7 days in jail (§ 11-1907(b)).
Statutes and court pages read by Radif Partners on October 29, 2026 · Method and sources
The DC employer rule: five days, minus the fee
DC is unusual in tying the employer's duty to the juror fee. A full-time employee working in the District who serves 5 days or less is entitled to usual compensation less the fee received, so the employer tops up rather than paying twice. Firms with 10 or fewer employees are not required to pay at all. Because a salaried juror receives only the $7 travel stipend from the court, the deduction is small in practice for those still on payroll. Beyond five days, or at a small employer, the $57 court fee becomes the main income, which is why the calculator starts from that rate.
Postponing or being excused from DC jury service
Superior Court allows one deferral for any reason, with no explanation needed. You can request it through eJuror, by email to jurorhelp@dcsc.gov, by phone at (202) 879-4604 or by live chat. Excuses cover people who are not District residents, are under 18, have a serious illness or disability, are caring for a child under 2.5 years, are 70 or older, have served in the last 2 years, or would face extreme hardship. Petit service often ends the same day: once voir dire is done and every panel is filled, jurors not chosen are finished. Grand jury service, at 25 workdays, is the longer commitment.
The rules in District of Columbia, law by law
| Rule | What the law or court says | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Juror pay | $57 a day | D.C. Code § 15-718 |
| Mileage | No mileage; jurors still paid their salary get a $7 travel stipend per day | D.C. Code § 15-718 |
| Employer must keep paying | Full-time employees working in DC are entitled to their usual pay (less the juror fee) for up to 5 days of service; employers with 10 or fewer employees are exempt. | D.C. Code § 15-718(c); D.C. Code § 11-1913 |
| Job protected | Yes | D.C. Code § 15-718(c); D.C. Code § 11-1913 |
| Age | 70 and over: may ask to be excused | D.C. Superior Court jury plan |
| Length of service | Petit jurors: one day unless picked for a trial (service ends for the day once panels are filled); grand jurors: 25 workdays. | dccourts.gov |
| Before another summons | 24 months | code.dccouncil.gov |
| Postponing | One postponement for any reason, via eJuror, email (jurorhelp@dcsc.gov), phone (202) 879-4604 or live chat. | dccourts.gov |
| Not showing up | A no-show who cannot show good cause may be held in contempt: up to $300 fine, 7 days in jail, or both. | D.C. Code § 11-1907(b) |
Excuses and postponement in District of Columbia
Ask through eJuror, by email or by phone to the Juror Office. One postponement for any reason, via eJuror, email (jurorhelp@dcsc.gov), phone (202) 879-4604 or live chat.
Can I be excused or postpone?
District of Columbia
No ground named: ask to postpone
| Age rule | 70+, on request |
Ask through eJuror, by email or by phone to the Juror Office. One postponement for any reason, via eJuror, email (jurorhelp@dcsc.gov), phone (202) 879-4604 or live chat.
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: dccourts.gov. Answer your summons and file any request there or as your summons says.