The juror qualification questionnaire, explained

Before a court can put you on a jury panel, it has to confirm you're legally qualified. That's the job of the qualification questionnaire. Sometimes it arrives with the summons, sometimes a few weeks before, and more and more it's online.

Why it matters

Courts draw names from lists such as voter rolls and driver's license records. Those lists include people who have moved, aren't citizens, are under 18, or are otherwise not eligible. The questionnaire filters them out before anyone makes a trip to the courthouse. It's also where you claim an exemption or ask to be excused.

Where to complete it

• Federal: the U.S. Courts say summoned jurors should visit the website of the district court that selected them and complete the questionnaire through that court's eJuror system.
• State: your summons will say. Alabama, for example, runs a statewide online juror qualification system where people who have been summoned register. Other states use county portals or paper forms. Our state directory links to each state's official page.

What it usually asks

For federal service, the questions track the legal qualifications listed by the U.S. Courts: citizenship, age, residence in the district for a year, English ability, any disqualifying condition, pending felony charges, and past felony convictions. You may also be asked for contact details, your occupation, and whether you belong to an exempt or excusable group. State forms are similar and may add questions about recent jury service.

Some courts also send a separate case-specific questionnaire to people selected for a particular trial. That one asks about your background and views that might affect a specific case.

Answer honestly

The questionnaire is an official court document, and false answers can have legal consequences. If a question doesn't fit your situation neatly, explain in the space provided or call the jury office. Honest answers that disqualify you are exactly what the process is for.

Privacy

Real questionnaires come from the court, through the address on your summons or the court's official website. The U.S. Courts warn that scammers impersonate courts to collect personal data by phone and email. If a "questionnaire" arrives by an unexpected email or text, check it with the court directly. See jury duty scams.

After you submit

If you're qualified, you'll get reporting instructions or a summons for a date. If you asked to postpone or be excused, wait for confirmation, and assume you're still expected until you hear back. Colorado's jury page, for example, provides an online disqualification request and a separate postponement request. See how to postpone jury duty.

How the questionnaire fits into the process

In federal court, the questionnaire is the step between being randomly drawn and being summoned. Names are drawn at random from the district's "jury wheel," a database of residents in which each county is represented in proportion to its number of registered voters. People drawn from the wheel receive the questionnaire. Their answers determine whether they're legally qualified. Qualified people may later be summoned to report for selection if the court's trial schedule needs them. Many state courts combine the questionnaire with the summons itself.

The federal qualification questions, decoded

The questions track the legal requirements. To be qualified for federal jury service, you must:

• be a U.S. citizen;
• be at least 18;
• have lived primarily in the judicial district for at least one year;
• be able to read, write, understand and speak English adequately;
• have no disqualifying mental or physical condition that can't be addressed with an accommodation;
• not currently face a felony charge punishable by more than one year; and
• never have been convicted of a felony, unless your civil rights were legally restored or never lost in the place of conviction.

The questionnaire will also ask about the three groups barred from federal service (active-duty military, paid police and firefighters, and full-time public officers) and give you a chance to ask for an excuse if your district offers them, such as being over 70.

Tips for filling it out

1. Use the official link or form only. Type the address printed on the paper form rather than following a link from a text or email.
2. Have your juror ID and PIN ready. They're printed on the form.
3. Answer the disability question precisely. "Needs an accommodation" isn't the same as "can't serve." Many conditions can be accommodated with breaks, seating or hearing devices, so describe what you need.
4. Explain unusual residency. Students, people who recently moved, and seasonal residents should give dates.
5. Keep a copy or screenshot of your confirmation.

What courts will never ask

Federal courts say they don't require anyone to provide sensitive information by phone call or email. The official questionnaire won't ask for bank account or credit card numbers, and won't demand payment. See jury duty scams.

If you don't return it

Courts follow up on questionnaires that aren't returned. Federal law allows the court to order you to appear and explain why, and a person who fails to show good cause for not complying with a summons can be fined, briefly jailed, or ordered to do community service (28 U.S.C. § 1866(g)). It's far easier to fill it out now.

Frequently asked questions

Does returning the questionnaire mean I'll be summoned? No. Many qualified people are never called.

What if my situation changes after I submit? Contact the jury office, for example if you move out of the district or become a full-time public officer.

Key takeaways

• The questionnaire decides whether you're legally qualified. It isn't a summons to report.
• Answer every question truthfully, including questions about felony records and residence.
• Ask for any excuse your district offers, such as age over 70, on the form itself.
• Use only the official website or paper form, and never give payment information.
• Keep your confirmation and contact the jury office if your circumstances change. Our step-by-step summons guide covers what comes next.