Jury Services
Dallas County Jury Services manages juror questionnaires, reporting instructions, postponement requests, exemptions, disqualifications, courthouse assignments, juror payments, and certificates of service. This article explains how to respond to a jury summons, how standby service differs from a regular reporting notice, what to bring to the courthouse, where jurors report, and how to avoid mistakes that can delay or invalidate jury service.
Jury Summons Response
A Dallas County jury summons contains the information needed to identify the prospective juror, complete the required questionnaire, and determine when and where to report. Read the entire summons, including the information printed on the back. Exemption, disqualification, medical, and postponement options may be described there.
Dallas County provides an official Jury Services website for county procedures and notices. The website supplements the summons and courthouse instructions. It does not replace directions from a judge, court bailiff, or Jury Services employee.
Online Juror Questionnaire
Prospective jurors may use the county’s official eResponse system to complete the juror questionnaire. The summons should be kept nearby while signing in because the online system requires identifying information printed on the notice.
Complete the questionnaire before the scheduled service date and, when possible, before arriving at the courthouse. The questionnaire provides information used to manage jury panels and may allow a prospective juror to request a different service date, claim an exemption, or report a disqualification.
Details to Keep Available
The jury summons received by mail.
The juror number printed on the top portion of the summons.
The Candidate ID number when requested by Jury Services.
The scheduled service date and assigned courthouse.
A current email address or mobile number for notices when using electronic response options.
Do not discard the summons after responding online. Jurors reporting in person should bring the top portion with them. The juror number is used during check-in, orientation, court assignment, and other parts of the process.
Regular and Standby Notices
A regular jury summons and a Standby Jury Summons do not have the same reporting procedure. A juror with a regular summons should follow the date, time, and location printed on that notice unless Dallas County sends different instructions or approves a request affecting service.
A person receiving a Standby Jury Summons must complete the online questionnaire before the scheduled date. Once the questionnaire is completed, the status becomes confirmed. That confirmation does not necessarily mean the person should immediately report to a courthouse.
Standby Reporting Rules
Dallas County contacts selected standby jurors approximately one or two days before they are needed. The assignment notice may be sent by email, text message, or both, using the contact information provided by the juror.
A standby juror should report only after receiving a message that provides a service time. If no assignment message arrives, the juror should not report to the court. Dallas County states that jurors who appear without being scheduled will not receive payment or attendance credit. A separate email or text notice is sent when the standby term is complete.
Postponements and Missed Dates
A postponement changes the date of jury service. It is different from an exemption or disqualification, which addresses eligibility or a qualifying reason not to serve. A request is not automatically granted merely because it has been submitted, so the juror should continue following the summons unless the county provides updated instructions.
Changing the Service Date
Potential jurors may submit an online postponement request using information printed on the summons. Dallas County also permits a written request to Jury Services. When a postponement is approved, the county mails another summons containing the rescheduled date.
Keep the original notice available while completing an online request. Errors in the juror number, service date, name, or other identifying information may prevent the request from being connected to the correct summons.
Unexpected Failure to Appear
Dallas County states that a juror who cannot appear because of circumstances beyond the person’s control will not automatically be arrested. The county provides a two-week grace period during which the person may send Jury Services a letter explaining the situation. The juror is then rescheduled and generally receives a new summons approximately two to three weeks before the new appearance date.
This procedure applies to an unexpected inability to appear. It should not be treated as a routine alternative to responding to the summons. When there is time before the scheduled date, the online postponement process or written request is the more appropriate method.
Weather and County Closures
If Dallas County government operations close because of inclement weather, the closing is announced through local radio and television stations. A jury summons for a date covered by the county closure is canceled. Jury Services also sends a notification by text, email, or both when contact information is available.
A juror affected by an official county closure does not need to reschedule that jury date. This differs from a personal transportation problem, which does not by itself exempt or disqualify someone from jury service.
Exemptions and Disqualifications
Exemptions and disqualifications are separate categories. An exemption generally applies when an otherwise eligible juror falls within a category permitted to decline service. A disqualification means the person does not meet a requirement for jury service or has a condition that prevents legal eligibility.
Claims can be submitted through the county’s online response process when that option applies. Supporting documents are required for certain medical or mental-health-related claims. The county’s official pages describe the recognized jury service exemptions and juror disqualifications.
Recognized Exemption Categories
A prospective juror may claim an exemption when one of the following county-listed circumstances applies:
The person is over 75 years of age.
The person has legal custody of a child under age 12 and serving would require leaving the child without adequate supervision.
The person attends high school or is enrolled in college full-time.
The person is an officer or employee of the legislative branch of state government.
The person is the primary caretaker of someone who is an invalid.
The person was impaneled as a petit juror within the previous six months on a jury of six or 12 people in Dallas County at the George Allen or Frank Crowley court buildings.
The person has a medical condition that prevents jury service.
The child-custody exemption does not apply merely because a juror has a child under 12. Dallas County states that it does not apply when the child is in day care or when the person normally works outside the home during regular business hours. Part-time employment and unusual circumstances may be reviewed individually.
The caretaker exemption does not apply to health care workers or to people who maintain employment and check on an elderly or invalid person each day. The individual must meet the county’s primary-caretaker standard.
Age-Based Exemption Options
A person over age 75 may claim the exemption once or request it on a permanent basis. Dallas County may attempt to remove the name from future jury lists, but the county does not guarantee that another summons will never be issued.
The county can remove a person’s name from the voter-registration list sent to the Secretary of State for the jury wheel. It cannot remove the name from the Texas Department of Public Safety list. Because the jury wheel draws from more than one source, another summons may still be generated.
Medical Documentation
A medical exemption requires a statement from a doctor explaining the condition and why it prevents the person from serving. For a permanent condition, Dallas County recommends keeping the original doctor’s letter and sending a copy to Jury Services. A copy may be submitted again if another summons is received later.
A person claiming a lack of sound mind as a disqualification must also provide a doctor’s letter describing the illness and explaining why it prevents jury service.
Disqualification Categories
Dallas County identifies the following circumstances as disqualifications:
The person is younger than 18.
The person does not live in Dallas County.
The person is not a United States citizen.
The person is not of sound mind.
The person cannot read and write.
The person has served as a petit juror for more than five days in district court during the last six months or in county court during the last three months.
The person has been convicted of a felony.
The person is under legal accusation of theft or any felony.
Claiming that the person does not live in Dallas County or is not a United States citizen may cause the person’s Dallas County voter registration to be deleted. These selections should therefore be made only when accurate.
A person who cannot read and write must still report on the scheduled date and present the disqualification to the judge. Jury Services staff cannot excuse the person on that basis before the court appearance.
Dallas County notes that most first and second driving-while-intoxicated convictions are misdemeanors rather than felonies. Felony charges are generally heard in district court, while misdemeanor charges are heard in county court. A person who completed deferred adjudication probation for a felony charge may be able to serve, subject to case-by-case evaluation.
Business inconvenience, lost income, or other economic reasons are not recognized by Dallas County as exemptions or excuses from jury service. A prospective juror who does not find an applicable exemption or disqualification generally must appear and raise the situation with the judge assigned to the case.
Preparing for Courthouse Arrival
The summons identifies the assigned reporting location. Dallas County uses central jury rooms at the Frank Crowley Criminal Courts Building and the George Allen Courts Building. Jurors should not assume that the building used for a prior summons will be the correct location for a new one.
Reporting Time and Check-In
Jurors are required to be in the Central Jury Room by 8:00 a.m. when reporting at either courthouse, unless the summons or a county message provides another assignment time. Dallas County recommends arriving approximately 45 minutes early because all visitors must pass through courthouse security screening.
Before arriving, complete the Juror Affidavit Questionnaire online when possible. Bring the top portion of the summons and know the juror number printed on it. Jury Services staff can help locate the number if the juror is uncertain.
The county’s juror arrival and assignment instructions explain what happens in the Central Jury Room and after a juror is sent to a courtroom.
Clothing Requirements
Appropriate clothing is required. Dallas County does not permit shorts or tank tops for jury service. The county advises jurors to dress as they would for church or a job interview. A person arriving in improper attire may be rescheduled rather than allowed to serve that day.
Waiting Periods
Jury service may involve extended periods in the Central Jury Room or in a hallway outside a courtroom. Jurors may bring reading material for use while waiting, provided the item can pass courthouse security.
Waiting does not mean the juror is unnecessary. The availability of a jury panel can encourage parties to settle a case or resolve legal matters without proceeding to trial. Because the number of settlements, pleas, postponements, and trials cannot be predicted precisely, the county must have enough jurors available to serve multiple courts.
Nursing Mother Rooms
Both main jury locations provide accommodations for nursing mothers. At the George Allen building, the Mother’s Room is on the basement level in the public hallway across from the cafeteria, behind the elevator bank. The door is unlocked and can be locked from inside.
At the Frank Crowley building, the Mother’s Room is on the first-floor public hallway between the escalator and the cafeteria. Jury Services staff can provide jurors with the door code.
Courthouse Security Screening
Everyone entering a county courthouse should expect a security checkpoint. Dallas County advises jurors to allow enough time for screening and to review the county’s courthouse entry procedures before the service date.
Weapons, explosives, incendiary devices, cameras, and recorders are prohibited. Items that appear harmless may also be denied when they can be used as weapons, trigger an alarm, appear altered, or create another security concern.
Examples of Prohibited Items
Firearms, BB guns, pellet guns, and improvised firearms.
Knives of any kind.
Stun guns and Tasers.
Pepper spray, Mace, and other defensive sprays.
Clubs, batons, nightsticks, hatchets, and similar defense items.
Explosives, fireworks, blasting caps, and toy caps.
Brass, steel, wooden, or spiked knuckles.
Hoax weapons or objects that appear to be prohibited weapons.
Aerosol cans and other chemical-dispensing devices.
Flammable liquids and alcoholic beverages.
Fashion chains attached to wallets, keys, or similar items.
The county’s official prohibited-items list is not all-inclusive. Security officers make the final decision about what may enter the building.
A prohibited item may be detained for an investigation or possible prosecution. At the screener’s discretion, a visitor may be permitted to return the item to a vehicle or abandon it voluntarily. An abandoned item may not be recoverable or returned.
Court Assignment Process
Jurors receive an orientation before panels are assigned to courts. The orientation includes an oath and information about jury duties and responsibilities. After orientation, Jury Services begins sending panels to the courts that need prospective jurors.
Locating the Assigned Court
Juror numbers, courtroom assignments, and corresponding floors are posted in the Central Jury Room. A juror should verify the complete assignment before leaving for the courtroom. Anyone uncertain about an assignment should ask Jury Services staff rather than relying on another juror’s instructions.
Some courtroom hearings and legal matters must occur outside the presence of the jury panel. Jurors may therefore wait outside the courtroom before the selection process begins.
Jury Selection and Reassignment
District courts generally call panels of approximately 30 to 60 people to select 12 jurors. County courts and justice of the peace courts generally request panels of approximately 12 to 24 people to select six jurors.
Not everyone sent to a courtroom will be selected for the final jury. Prospective jurors may be excused during jury selection, while others who are not chosen may be returned to the Central Jury Room and considered for another court panel.
A case can settle, be postponed, or end in a plea agreement after a panel has been assigned. When that happens, jurors may be returned to the Central Jury Room for another possible assignment. Dallas County operates under a One Day/One Trial system, but the actual length of service depends on the assignment and instructions received from the court.
Emergencies During Service
A juror assigned to a trial should report an emergency to the judge or court bailiff. A juror who is still in the Central Jury Room should notify Jury Services staff. Jurors should not leave an assignment without first informing the appropriate courthouse official.
Parking and Public Transit
Jurors may use Dallas County parking garages at a reduced rate of $3. The garages accept cash and credit cards. There is no free courthouse parking for jurors.
The parking validation ticket is printed on the front of the summons near the Dallas Area Rapid Transit information. A juror using a county garage should present both the validation ticket and the garage parking ticket to the attendant when leaving. Dallas County provides additional instructions on its jury parking information page.
On the second and later days of jury service, Dallas County parking tickets can be validated in the Jury Services Office between 8:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m.
Bus and Rail Transportation
Dallas Area Rapid Transit provides complimentary round-trip transportation for the first day of jury service only. Transportation difficulties do not create an exemption or disqualification, so jurors should review their route and allow additional travel time before the reporting date.
Juror Pay and Certificates
Dallas County pays both petit jurors and grand jurors $20 for the first day of jury service and $58 for each subsequent day. Payment is mailed after jury duty is complete unless the juror chooses to donate the compensation.
The county advises jurors to allow approximately 10 days to two weeks for payment to arrive. Official reimbursement and proof-of-service details appear on the county’s juror payments and certificates page.
Donating Jury Pay
Jurors may donate their compensation to programs serving at-risk youth in the Dallas County Juvenile Department or foster-care system. A juror who wants to change a donation selection should contact Jury Services staff.
Certificates for Employers
A Certificate of Service documents attendance for employment purposes. On the first day of service, a juror needing a certificate before 4:30 p.m. may request one from the Jury Services Office. After 4:30 p.m. on the first day, or on later service days, the juror should request proof from the bailiff of the court in which the person served.
Employers are not required by Dallas County’s jury information to pay regular wages during jury service, although many employers do. State law prohibits terminating or threatening to terminate an employee because the employee serves on a jury.
Health and Service Notices
A person who has tested positive for COVID-19 or has been exposed to the virus within five days of the service date should not appear at the courthouse. Dallas County instructs that person to email Jury Services with the juror’s name and Candidate ID number. Jury Services will reschedule the date.
Jurors should also monitor the email address and mobile number submitted through the response system. Electronic notices are especially significant for standby assignments, weather-related closures, and confirmation that a standby term has ended.
Missed Jury Duty Scams
Dallas County warns residents about missed-jury-duty scams. A summons recipient should rely on the official notice, the county’s jury response system, and contact information published by Dallas County. Unexpected demands connected to an alleged failure to appear should be treated cautiously and verified through Jury Services.
Do not confuse a scam message with the county’s legitimate standby notifications. A valid standby message concerns the reporting assignment or completion of the standby term and follows an actual Dallas County summons and questionnaire response.
How Jurors Are Selected
The prospective juror list is created from Dallas County voter-registration records and Texas Department of Public Safety driver’s-license and identification-card records. The Secretary of State combines the records to create the county jury wheel.
Dallas County’s Jury Management System randomly selects the number of prospective jurors needed. Summonses are then printed with the selected individuals’ names and addresses and mailed using first-class postage.
Because selection is randomized, one person may receive a summons while another person does not. The county’s jury wheel contains a large number of names, and placement in the randomized list affects when an individual is selected.
County, City, and Federal Summonses
A person may receive separate jury summonses from a city, Dallas County, and the federal government. These are different governmental entities with separate jury systems. Service for one entity does not necessarily prevent another entity from sending its own summons under its eligibility period.
Jurors should therefore respond through the system named on the actual summons. The Dallas County eResponse system should be used for a Dallas County summons rather than for a municipal or federal court notice.
Common Juror Mistakes
Reporting for a standby summons without first receiving an assignment message.
Leaving the summons at home and arriving without the juror number.
Going to the wrong courthouse because of a previous jury assignment.
Assuming that an online request has been approved without receiving updated instructions.
Claiming an exemption that does not match the county’s stated requirements.
Submitting a medical claim without the required doctor’s statement.
Assuming that business inconvenience or lost income is an exemption.
Arriving too late to complete courthouse security screening before the reporting time.
Wearing shorts, a tank top, or other clothing that may result in rescheduling.
Bringing a knife, defensive spray, firearm, camera, recorder, or another prohibited item.
Expecting free parking rather than using the summons validation for the reduced rate.
Leaving the Central Jury Room or courtroom area without notifying staff, a bailiff, or the judge.
Using the Dallas County response system for a city or federal jury summons.
Jury Services Offices
Dallas County Jury Services — Frank Crowley Criminal Courts Building
133 N. Riverfront Blvd., LB 25
Dallas, Texas 75207
(214) 653-3593
Dallas County Jury Services — George Allen Courts Building
600 Commerce Street, Suite 150
Dallas, Texas 75202
(214) 653-3593
Jury Services FAQs
Why are juror reporting times not staggered?
Dallas County generally brings jurors together for a morning orientation because everyone must receive the same instructions before court assignments begin. Jurors take an oath and review information about courtroom responsibilities and the selection process. Repeating the full orientation throughout the day would make it harder to provide courts with properly prepared panels when needed. When an unexpected shortage occurs, standby jurors may be directed to report later and receive a separate orientation. Always follow the time printed on the summons or in an official assignment message rather than choosing a later arrival time.
Why does the questionnaire request personal details?
The Juror Affidavit Questionnaire collects background information that attorneys may use during jury selection, including employment, marital status, address, and other legally relevant details. Having this information before questioning begins can prevent delays and reduce the need to ask every prospective juror the same basic questions in open court. Complete the form accurately through the official Dallas County eResponse system. Answers should reflect current circumstances, even when information printed on the summons is outdated.
Could a Dallas County jury be sequestered overnight?
Overnight sequestration is extremely uncommon and is generally reserved for exceptional cases. Judges recognize the disruption it can cause and usually warn selected jurors in advance when sequestration appears possible. A prospective juror should not assume an overnight stay will occur simply because a trial may last several days. Once assigned to a courtroom, follow the judge’s instructions about daily dismissal times, outside communication, media exposure, and returning the next morning.
How many people are called for one jury?
The number called is larger than the number ultimately selected. District courts commonly request panels of about 30 to 60 prospective jurors to choose a 12-person jury. County courts and justice courts may request roughly 12 to 24 people to choose six jurors. Panel size accounts for legal challenges, excusals, and other selection needs. Jurors who are not selected may remain eligible for another assignment that day unless the judge excuses them.