FAQ Category: Jury Duty

See a brochure prepared by the Pennsylvania Interbranch Commission for Gender, Racial and Ethnic Fairness entitled: Jury Service in Pennsylvania’s State Courts for U.S. Citizens Who Speak English as a Second Language.

Casual attire should be worn as long as it is in keeping with the dignity of court proceedings. Ties are not required. Slacks, sport shirts, and casual dresses are all appropriate.

Please remember: Weapons are not permitted in any Court building. Smartphones, cellphones, cameras or electronic devices are permitted in the buildings but not in a Courtroom.

You may be required to appear in court and you could be held in contempt and fined. However, by making jury service as flexible as possible, we hope to avoid using this power.

You should bring your summons. You may also bring something to read during waiting periods.

Under Pennsylvania law, an employer is not required to pay persons during their period of jury service. However, an employer may not fire you or otherwise harm you for responding to a summons.

Yes. Jurors are paid $9.00 per day for the first three days of jury service and $25.00 per day for every day thereafter.

If a person serves for one or two days, they need not serve again for a period of one year. If service is for three or more days, the exemption period is three years.

You should contact the Court Administrator to request that you be excused from jury service.

To qualify for jury service an individual must be at least 18 years of age, a resident of the county, and able to read, write, speak and understand the English language. To qualify, an individual must not have a mental or physical infirmity that would render them incapable of efficient jury service or have been convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment for more than one year.