If you have a disability and receive a jury summons, the court must provide reasonable ADA accommodations for jury duty at no cost to you, as long as you ask. Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act covers every state and local court, and the Jury Selection and Service Act sets the same expectation in federal court: a person who can serve with an accommodation is qualified to serve. What matters in practice is knowing what to request, how to request it, and what to do if the court says no.
What Courts Must Provide
Title II treats state and local courts as public entities, so they must make jury service accessible from the moment a summons arrives through checking in, sitting through trial, and deliberating. That means providing auxiliary aids and services where necessary to give you an equal opportunity to participate.1eCFR. 28 CFR Part 35 – Nondiscrimination on the Basis of Disability in State and Local Government Services – Section: 35.160
You do not pay. The regulations specifically prohibit surcharges on a person with a disability to cover the cost of auxiliary aids, accessible facilities, or any other measure the ADA requires.2eCFR. 28 CFR Part 35 – Nondiscrimination on the Basis of Disability in State and Local Government Services – Section: 35.130(f) Interpreters, assistive listening equipment, and physical modifications to the jury box are the court’s responsibility.
The only ceiling on that obligation is what the regulations call an undue financial and administrative burden. When a court claims that limit, the head of the court system must personally decide in writing and explain why, and the court still has to offer an alternative that comes as close to full participation as possible.3eCFR. 28 CFR 35.164 – Duties This defense is rarely invoked for jury accommodations because the cost of an interpreter or device is modest against a court’s budget.
Federal district courts apply the same principles alongside the juror qualification statute. Under the Jury Selection and Service Act, you are qualified unless you are “incapable, by reason of mental or physical infirmity, to render satisfactory jury service.”4Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 28 USC 1865 – Qualifications for Jury Service Incapable is the word that does the work. Someone who can serve with an accommodation is not incapable, and the presiding judge decides whether the accommodations offered by the court meet that threshold.
Accommodations You Can Request
Courts are expected to tailor accommodations to your functional needs rather than apply a single template. The categories below cover what most jurors ask for.
Communication and Sensory
If you are deaf or hard of hearing, courts routinely provide qualified sign language interpreters trained in legal terminology. If you do not use sign language, you can request an assistive listening device, amplified sound equipment, or Communication Access Real-Time Translation (CART), which displays a live transcript of everything said in the courtroom. Jurors who are blind or have low vision can receive court documents in Braille, large print, or electronic formats compatible with screen readers.
Physical Access
Inside the building, accommodations include ramps, wider jury box openings, adjustable seating, and accessible restrooms near the jury assembly area. If a particular courtroom has architectural barriers that cannot be quickly removed, the court may relocate proceedings to an accessible facility.
Neurodivergence and Mental Health
Accommodations are not limited to physical or sensory disabilities. Jurors with anxiety disorders, PTSD, autism, ADHD, or other conditions that affect concentration and sensory processing can request adjustments: more frequent breaks during testimony, access to a quiet room during recesses, permission to use low-profile fidget tools or sensory aids like light-filtering glasses, and smaller or less crowded waiting areas during jury selection. Describe your specific functional needs rather than relying on a diagnostic label; that gives the court something concrete to work with.
Service Animals
Under the ADA, a service animal is a dog individually trained to perform tasks directly related to your disability. That includes guiding a person who is blind, alerting a person who is deaf, interrupting self-harm behaviors for someone with a psychiatric disability, and providing balance support.5eCFR. 28 CFR 35.104 – Definitions Emotional support animals that provide comfort through their presence alone do not qualify. A court can exclude a legitimate service animal only if the animal is out of control and the handler is not correcting the behavior, or if the animal is not housebroken.6ADA.gov. Frequently Asked Questions about Service Animals and the ADA Even then, you must still be allowed to serve without the animal present.
How to Request Your Accommodation
The quality of your request shapes the response. Courts are generally willing to help, but they need specific information and enough lead time.
What to Say
Start with the Juror Identification number from your summons. Describe the functional limitation, not just a diagnosis. “I have significant hearing loss in both ears and cannot follow spoken testimony without amplification” tells the court far more than a clinical label. Then name the specific accommodation: an assistive listening device, a sign language interpreter, a wheelchair-accessible jury box, extra breaks every 90 minutes. Precision helps the court prepare.
Some courts ask for a letter from a healthcare provider confirming the need. That letter should explain how the disability affects your capacity to perform juror tasks without the requested aid. It does not need to include your full medical history.
When and Where to Send It
Required notice periods vary by jurisdiction, typically ranging from five to fourteen days before your service date. Submit as early as you can. Specialized services like CART providers and certified legal interpreters can be difficult to schedule on short notice.
Most courts accept requests through an online juror portal, by fax, or by mail addressed to the court’s ADA Coordinator. Many print accommodation instructions on the summons itself or maintain an accessibility page online. Every public entity with 50 or more employees must designate an ADA Coordinator, and that person is your point of contact throughout the process.7eCFR. 28 CFR 35.107 – Designation of Responsible Employee and Adoption of Grievance Procedures
Who Sees Your Information
Your request and any medical documentation are not shared with other jurors, attorneys, or the public. Courts treat this information as confidential, and it does not become part of the trial record. The ADA Coordinator and relevant staff handle the details on a need-to-know basis, and the judge is informed only to the extent necessary to ensure the accommodation is in place.
At the Courthouse and in the Jury Room
On your first day, report to the jury assembly room and tell staff about your pre-approved accommodation. Court personnel should confirm the equipment is set up and working before jury selection begins. Interpreters are typically positioned where you can see both the witness and the interpreter without turning your head, and CART displays are placed within your direct line of sight.
Voir dire is where accommodations sometimes face a first test. A judge can excuse a prospective juror “for cause” if there is a legitimate reason to believe the person cannot perform juror duties, but having a disability is not itself a valid reason. The American Bar Association recommends that the judge hold a sidebar with the prospective juror to understand how the disability might affect service and whether an accommodation resolves the concern. If you believe you were struck from a jury because of your disability, that can still form the basis of an ADA complaint, though the law on peremptory strikes based on disability remains unsettled nationwide.
If an accommodation stops working or proves inadequate during testimony, tell the bailiff or the judge’s clerk right away. Judges will pause proceedings to fix the problem rather than risk a mistrial over a juror who cannot follow the evidence. This is exactly what the system is built to handle.
Deliberations are ordinarily secret, with only sworn jurors in the room. When a juror needs a sign language interpreter or CART provider, that person enters the deliberation room bound by strict confidentiality. Federal court interpreters take an oath to protect the confidentiality of all privileged information and are prohibited from publicly discussing any matter in which they participated.8United States Courts. Federal Court Interpreter Orientation Manual The interpreter’s role is limited to facilitating communication. They do not participate, offer opinions, or interact with jurors beyond translating.
If the Court Denies Your Request
A denial is not the end of the road. Courts with 50 or more employees must maintain a formal grievance procedure for resolving ADA complaints.7eCFR. 28 CFR 35.107 – Designation of Responsible Employee and Adoption of Grievance Procedures The court should give you a written explanation. Read it carefully. If it cites undue burden, the decision must have been made by the head of the court or their designee, must include written reasons, and must offer an alternative accommodation that comes as close to full participation as possible.3eCFR. 28 CFR 35.164 – Duties
The internal grievance process through the ADA Coordinator is usually the first step. If that does not resolve it, you can file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Justice, Civil Rights Division, either through the DOJ’s online civil rights portal or by mailing a letter to the Civil Rights Division at 950 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20530.9ADA.gov. File a Complaint The deadline is strict: 180 days from the date of the alleged discrimination.10ADA.gov. Americans with Disabilities Act Title II Regulations DOJ review can take up to three months given complaint volume. If you have not heard back after that, check the status by calling the ADA Information Line at 800-514-0301.
For Title II violations by state and local courts, the DOJ can file a federal lawsuit seeking compensatory damages, injunctive relief, and court orders requiring the court to change its practices.11ADA.gov. ADA Update: A Primer for State and Local Governments Courts that refuse to accommodate disabled jurors face real legal exposure, and the DOJ runs a dedicated enforcement program for these cases.