States
Jury duty in Hawaii: 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.
Calculate Hawaii's new $50 daily juror fee and 33 cent mileage, then check the exemptions and excuses, from age 80 to living more than 70 miles away.
What jury duty in Hawaii will pay you
You receive for 4 days
$200
| Court fee | $200 |
| Employer, by law | No duty to keep paying wages under this law |
| A normal 4 days of work | $800 |
| Income lost | $600 |
| Age rule | 80 and over, may ask to be excused |
Hawaii: Raised from $30 to $50 a day on July 1, 2026 (first increase since 1989). Jurors excused at their own request may get mileage only. Before tax. No Hawaii law requires employers to pay wages during jury service; some do voluntarily or under union contracts.
All jury rules in HawaiiHawaii raised its juror fee from $30 to $50 a day on July 1, 2026, the first increase since 1989, and adds round-trip mileage of 33 cents a mile from home to court. Jurors excused at their own request may receive mileage only. No Hawaii law requires an employer to keep paying wages, although some do so voluntarily or under union contracts; Haw. Rev. Stat. § 612-25 bars firing an employee because of jury duty. People 80 or older may claim an optional exemption on the juror questionnaire. Selection usually takes one day, and a juror who is chosen serves for the whole trial and deliberations, often three to four days. Only one deferral is allowed per summons, requested by writing or calling the court (in writing in the 2nd, 3rd and 5th circuits). The official text we read sets no rule on how soon you can be summoned again and no penalty for missing service, because the state statute site refused access when we checked on October 29, 2026.
Statutes and court pages read by Radif Partners on October 29, 2026 · Method and sources
Hawaii's 2026 juror fee increase
For more than three decades a Hawaii juror received $30 a day. Since July 1, 2026 the rate is $50, so a four-day trial now pays $200 in fees before mileage instead of $120. The mileage rate of 33 cents a mile applies to the round trip from home to court, which matters on islands where the courthouse can be a long drive away. If you ask to be excused and the court agrees, you may still receive mileage for the trip, but not the daily fee. Because employers are not required to pay wages, check whether your union contract or company policy covers jury leave.
Hawaii grounds for exemption or excuse
The Judiciary's list of grounds is broad: age 80 or older, elected officials during the legislative session, judges, practicing physicians and dentists, active military deployed out of state, police, fire and emergency medical personnel, people living more than 70 miles from the court, mothers breastfeeding a child aged two or under, serious personal hardship, caregiving with no substitute, and a disability or medical condition backed by a physician certificate. Some of these are optional exemptions, such as age 80, which you simply claim on the juror questionnaire. Any other excuse request must be written, signed and documented, then mailed, emailed or hand delivered to the court on the summons at least two weeks before the appearance date.
The rules in Hawaii, law by law
| Rule | What the law or court says | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Juror pay | $50 a day | courts.state.hi.us |
| Mileage | 33 cents per mile, round trip from home to court | courts.state.hi.us |
| Employer must keep paying | No | Haw. Rev. Stat. § 612-25 |
| Job protected | Yes | Haw. Rev. Stat. § 612-25 |
| Age | 80 and over: may ask to be excused | courts.state.hi.us |
| Length of service | Selection usually takes one day; if chosen you serve for the whole trial, often three to four days. | courts.state.hi.us |
| Before another summons | not specified by the state | |
| Postponing | Write to or call the court explaining the conflict (written request required in the 2nd, 3rd and 5th circuits); only one deferral per summons. | courts.state.hi.us |
| Not showing up | not specified by the state |
Excuses and postponement in Hawaii
Optional exemptions are claimed on the questionnaire. Other excuse requests must be in writing, signed, with supporting documents, and sent at least two weeks before the appearance date. Write to or call the court explaining the conflict (written request required in the 2nd, 3rd and 5th circuits); only one deferral per summons.
Can I be excused or postpone?
Hawaii
No ground named: ask to postpone
| Age rule | 80+, on request |
Optional exemptions are claimed on the questionnaire. Other excuse requests must be in writing, signed, with supporting documents, and sent at least two weeks before the appearance date. Write to or call the court explaining the conflict (written request required in the 2nd, 3rd and 5th circuits); only one deferral per summons.
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: courts.state.hi.us. Answer your summons and file any request there or as your summons says.