States
Jury duty in New Mexico: 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 New Mexico juror pay, which runs by the hour at $12, add mileage beyond 40 miles, and check the narrow list of excuses the courts accept.
What jury duty in New Mexico will pay you
You receive for 3 days
$0
| Court fee | not specified |
| Employer, by law | No duty to keep paying wages under this law |
| A normal 3 days of work | $600 |
| Income lost | $600 |
| Age rule | 75 and over, may ask to be excused |
New Mexico: New Mexico pays jurors by the hour, not by the day: $12.00 per hour, set by New Mexico Supreme Court order. Before tax. No duty to pay wages; but an employer may not make an employee use annual, vacation or sick leave for jury service. A violation is a petty misdemeanor.
All jury rules in New MexicoNew Mexico is one of the few states that pays jurors by the hour rather than by the day: $12.00 per hour, set by a New Mexico Supreme Court order under NMSA 1978 § 38-5-15. Employers owe no wages for the time, but under NMSA §§ 38-5-18 and 38-5-19 they cannot make you spend annual, vacation or sick leave, and doing so is a petty misdemeanor. People 75 or older may ask for a permanent exemption, filing one request with the district court and one with the magistrate court of their county (§ 38-5-2). Each court sets the length of service, shown on the summons. You generally cannot be required to serve in a New Mexico state court more than once every 3 years, with proof of actual service. One postponement can be requested through the online Jury Questionnaire. Willfully failing to appear is punishable under § 38-5-10 and can bring jail, a fine or both; the maximums were not stated in what we read.
Statutes and court pages read by Radif Partners on October 29, 2026 · Method and sources
Hourly juror pay in New Mexico
Because New Mexico counts hours, your total depends on how long the court keeps you each day rather than on a flat daily figure. At $12.00 an hour, a full day in the courthouse is worth far more than a short morning of check-in. Travel is reimbursed separately at $0.70 a mile, round trip, but only for the miles above 40, so jurors who live close to the courthouse get no mileage. Keep your own note of arrival and release times to compare against what you are paid.
Postponing or being excused in New Mexico
The online Jury Questionnaire is where a New Mexico juror asks to move the date. One postponement can be requested there; a second is allowed only for an unforeseen extreme emergency. Until you are told the request was granted, you must still appear. Full excusal is granted only in very limited circumstances, in writing and with documents: age 75 or older on request, a medical condition or disability backed by a signed statement from a healthcare provider, or service within the past 3 years. The courts state that moral or religious beliefs are not a ground for excusal, so a request on that basis alone will not be accepted.
The rules in New Mexico, law by law
| Rule | What the law or court says | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Juror pay | not specified by the state | NMSA 1978 § 38-5-15; N.M. Supreme Court order |
| Mileage | $0.70 per mile, round trip, for mileage over 40 miles | NMSA 1978 § 38-5-15; N.M. Supreme Court order |
| Employer must keep paying | No | NMSA 1978 §§ 38-5-18, 38-5-19 |
| Job protected | Yes | NMSA 1978 §§ 38-5-18, 38-5-19 |
| Age | 75 and over: may ask to be excused | NMSA 1978 § 38-5-2 |
| Length of service | Set by each court; the summons or local jury office gives the length. | jury.nmcourts.gov |
| Before another summons | 36 months | jury.nmcourts.gov |
| Postponing | One postponement can be requested through the online Jury Questionnaire; a second is allowed only for an unforeseen extreme emergency. You must appear unless told it was granted. | jury.nmcourts.gov |
| Not showing up | Willfully failing to appear can be punished under NMSA § 38-5-10; failure to appear and contempt are criminal charges that can bring jail, a fine or both. | NMSA 1978 § 38-5-10 |
Excuses and postponement in New Mexico
Excusal is granted only in very limited circumstances, in writing with documents; a medical excuse needs a signed statement from a healthcare provider. Moral or religious beliefs are not a ground. One postponement can be requested through the online Jury Questionnaire; a second is allowed only for an unforeseen extreme emergency. You must appear unless told it was granted.
Can I be excused or postpone?
New Mexico
No ground named: ask to postpone
| Age rule | 75+, on request |
Excusal is granted only in very limited circumstances, in writing with documents; a medical excuse needs a signed statement from a healthcare provider. Moral or religious beliefs are not a ground. One postponement can be requested through the online Jury Questionnaire; a second is allowed only for an unforeseen extreme emergency. You must appear unless told it was granted.
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: jury.nmcourts.gov. Answer your summons and file any request there or as your summons says.