States
Jury duty in Georgia: 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.
Model a Georgia juror allowance at the rate your county sets, between $5 and $50 a day, and check the age 70 and caregiver exemptions before you respond.
What jury duty in Georgia will pay you
You receive for 3 days
$15
| Court fee (state minimum) | $15 |
| Employer, by law | No duty to keep paying wages under this law |
| A normal 3 days of work | $600 |
| Income lost | $585 |
| Age rule | 70 and over, may ask to be excused |
Georgia: Each county sets a daily expense allowance between $5 and $50 (most pay about $25), paid from the first day including jury selection. Before tax. Employers must give time off for jury duty, but it may be unpaid.
All jury rules in GeorgiaGeorgia leaves juror pay to its counties. Under O.C.G.A. § 15-12-7 each county sets a daily expense allowance between $5 and $50, and most pay around $25; the $5 used by the calculator is only the statewide minimum, so enter your county's figure. The allowance is paid from the first day, including jury selection. Employers must give time off for jury duty under O.C.G.A. § 34-1-3, but that time may be unpaid. People 70 or older may claim an exemption and can sign an affidavit to be removed from the jury list permanently (§ 15-12-1.1(b)); contact the court before the appearance date. The length of service is also local: if you are not selected you are released, though some counties summon jurors for a week. Anyone who served on a jury in the last 12 months is not eligible. Deferrals are handled by the county clerk of superior court. Failing to respond may lead to a fine or contempt, but no statewide amount appeared on an official page we read.
Statutes and court pages read by Radif Partners on October 29, 2026 · Method and sources
Georgia sets most jury procedures county by county. Term, postponement and excuses below come from one county clerk (Fayette County); your county may differ.
Georgia's county-by-county jury allowance
Because each county picks its own daily allowance within the $5 to $50 range, two Georgians on the same five-day schedule could receive $25 or $250 depending on where they were summoned. The state's own guidance says most counties pay about $25. Your summons or the clerk of superior court in your county will state the exact rate. With no wage duty for employers, that allowance may be your only pay for the days in court, so ask your employer early whether its policy covers jury leave. No official site displayed the Georgia Code text itself, so the figures here come from the state's official jury duty page and the Fayette County clerk.
Claiming a Georgia exemption by affidavit
Georgia exemptions are claimed, not automatic. Fayette County, for example, uses the Affidavit for Exemption printed on the back of the summons, which must be notarized and sent with documentation. The grounds in O.C.G.A. §§ 15-12-1 and 15-12-1.1 include age 70 or older, full-time students, active military members and their spouses, the primary teacher in a home study program, the primary caregiver of a child age 6 or younger, the primary unpaid caregiver of a person unable to care for themselves, a permanent disability backed by a doctor's affidavit, and not living in the county. The same county grants a one-time deferral, with documentation, through that affidavit.
The rules in Georgia, law by law
| Rule | What the law or court says | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Juror pay | $5 a day (minimum) | O.C.G.A. § 15-12-7 |
| Mileage | not specified by the state | O.C.G.A. § 15-12-7 |
| Employer must keep paying | No | O.C.G.A. § 34-1-3 |
| Job protected | Yes | O.C.G.A. § 34-1-3 |
| Age | 70 and over: may ask to be excused | O.C.G.A. § 15-12-1.1(b) |
| Length of service | Set by each county: if not selected you are released and the summons is complete; some counties summon for a week (e.g. Fayette County). | fayetteclerk.com |
| Before another summons | 12 months | georgia.gov |
| Postponing | Handled by the county clerk of superior court; e.g. Fayette County grants a one-time deferral via the notarized affidavit on the back of the summons, with documentation. | fayetteclerk.com |
| Not showing up | Failing to respond may lead to a fine or other penalties (contempt of court); no statewide amount found on an official page. | georgia.gov |
Excuses and postponement in Georgia
Contact the court before your appearance date; counties use a notarized affidavit for exemption with supporting documents. Handled by the county clerk of superior court; e.g. Fayette County grants a one-time deferral via the notarized affidavit on the back of the summons, with documentation.
Can I be excused or postpone?
Georgia
No ground named: ask to postpone
| Age rule | 70+, on request |
Contact the court before your appearance date; counties use a notarized affidavit for exemption with supporting documents. Handled by the county clerk of superior court; e.g. Fayette County grants a one-time deferral via the notarized affidavit on the back of the summons, with documentation.
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: georgia.gov. Answer your summons and file any request there or as your summons says.