How old is too old? You can be exempt from jury duty for simply just being past this age
No one wants to get an envelope that reads, “official jury summons,” in the mail. Luckily, if you’re age 75 or older, you can request an exemption — a legal reason to be excused without having to report to a judge.
“As a juror, you are in a position of responsibility. You will need to be fair, impartial, and be willing to make decisions that are not based on your personal feelings and biases,” according to the Texas Judicial Branch.
The age cutoff is for that very reason: jurors must be of sound mind and good moral character to sit in. Psychologists have studied that at a certain point, your brain starts to shrink. According to a study done by Ruth Peters, by age 70, the decreasing size of your brain picks up more rapidly.
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→ How old is too old? You can be exempt from jury duty for simply just being past this age
Once you turn 18, you are eligible to participate in jury duty. If you don’t show up, you will receive a hefty fine between $100 and $1,000 in your mailbox. If you do show, you will be compensated for your time. In Texas you can earn between $6 and $50 a day, depending on the case.
While it is very rare to get excused, Texas Judicial Branch does lay out a list of exemptions. You can apply for an exemption if you:
Are over 75 years of age (You may also request a permanent age 75 exemption.)
Have legal custody of a child younger than 12 years of age and your service on the jury requires leaving the child without adequate supervision
Are a student of a public or private secondary school
Are a person enrolled and in actual attendance at an institution of higher education
Are an officer or an employee of the senate, house of representatives, or any department, commission, board, office, or other agency in the legislative branch of government
Are the primary caretaker of a person who is unable to care for himself or herself (This exemption does not apply to health care workers)
Have been summoned for service in a county with a population of at least 250,000 and you have served as a petit juror in the county during the three year period preceding the date you are to appear for jury service (This does not apply if the jury wheel has been reconstituted since your service as a petit juror)
You are a member of the United States Military Forces serving on active duty and deployed to a location away from your home station and out of your county of residence
If you qualify for one of these excuses you will need to consult the judge to determine your participation. Tarrant County has made this process somewhat user-friendly by offering these services online.
On their website, there is a tab for “being excused from serving.” From there, it will direct you to directions and a website where you can fill out your forms.
If online isn’t your thing, you can also request exemptions by mail, phone, fax, email, or in person.
