If you’ve been summoned for Onondaga County jury duty, you report to the courthouse at 505 South State Street in Syracuse and serve under New York’s “one day or one trial” rule.1New York Courts. Onondaga County Jury The Commissioner of Jurors draws the pool from voter rolls, licensed driver records, and state income tax mailing lists.2New York Courts. Part 128 Uniform Rules for the Jury System Responding to the summons is not optional. Ignoring it can bring a civil penalty of up to $250.
Who Is Eligible To Serve
New York requires four things: U.S. citizenship, residency in Onondaga County, an age of at least 18, and the ability to understand and communicate in English. A felony conviction permanently disqualifies you, whatever the offense and whenever it happened.3New York State Senate. New York Judiciary Law 510 – Qualifications
There is no upper age limit. Older jurors with health or mobility concerns can contact the Commissioner of Jurors to discuss an excusal or an accommodation.4New York Courts. Juror Questions and Answers FAQs If you’ve moved out of the county since the summons arrived, you no longer qualify; tell the Commissioner rather than simply not appearing.
How To Postpone or Get Excused
Every summoned juror gets one free postponement. You can reschedule to any date between two and six months out, and the request has to be in at least a week before your original reporting date.4New York Courts. Juror Questions and Answers FAQs File it online or by calling 800-449-2819. Pick the date that works and the court will assign the closest available slot.5Cornell Law Institute. 22 NYCRR 128.6-a – Postponement and Excusal From Jury Service
A full excusal is different, and the Commissioner of Jurors decides those case by case. For a medical excusal, you need a signed statement from a licensed health care provider giving a diagnosis, a prognosis for how long the condition will last, and a conclusion that you cannot perform jury service.5Cornell Law Institute. 22 NYCRR 128.6-a – Postponement and Excusal From Jury Service Financial hardship requests need documentation showing serious economic impact that rescheduling wouldn’t fix.
Disability Accommodations
For an accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act, email the Commissioner of Jurors at onondagajury@nycourts.gov with “ADA Accommodation Request” in the subject line, and do it a few days before your reporting date so the court can arrange things.6New York Courts. Onondaga County – 505 S State Street Accommodations include wheelchair access, assistive listening devices, and similar modifications. An accommodation is not the same as an excusal; the court tries to make service workable before letting you off.
What Happens If You Ignore the Summons
Skipping jury duty is not quiet. If you fail to return the qualification questionnaire or don’t show up after being summoned, the Commissioner of Jurors can open a noncompliance proceeding. The civil penalty runs up to $250, and you’ll receive a notice of noncompliance by first-class mail or personal service.4New York Courts. Juror Questions and Answers FAQs That notice gives you a chance to admit the noncompliance or request a hearing. Ignoring it lets the court enter a default judgment for the penalty and order you to report on a specific future date. Ignoring that follow-up order can add criminal and civil penalties on top. The fine is enforceable as a money judgment.
Reporting Day at 505 South State Street
Your summons comes with a Juror Qualification Questionnaire that has to go back to the Commissioner of Jurors by the deadline printed on it. The Juror Index Number on your summons is the identifier for everything after that: online status checks, the automated phone system, and check-in at the courthouse.4New York Courts. Juror Questions and Answers FAQs
The evening before you’re due, use the call-in system or online portal to confirm whether you actually need to appear. Court calendars shift and your group may be told to stand by. Checking the night before saves an unnecessary trip downtown.
At the courthouse everyone passes through metal detectors and a security screening run by court officers. Bring your summons and a valid photo ID. Cell phones must be off inside courtrooms. The morning usually opens with an orientation video on how trials work and what jurors do.
How Long You’ll Serve
Under the one-day-or-one-trial rule, jurors who aren’t picked for a panel are typically done after one or two days. You may be asked to stay on call for up to five days without being at the courthouse the whole time.7New York Courts. How Long Is Jury Service If you are seated on a trial, you serve for that trial and then you’re finished.
Once your service is complete, you can’t be called again for at least six years. If it lasted more than ten days, that exemption stretches to eight years.4New York Courts. Juror Questions and Answers FAQs
Pay and Job Protection
New York pays jurors $72 per day for each day you physically attend court, set by Judiciary Law ยง 521. On trials that run past 30 days, the court can authorize an extra $6 per day.8New York Courts. Are Jurors Paid9New York State Senate. New York Judiciary Law 521 – Fees and Travel Expenses
Your employer cannot fire, penalize, or threaten you for missing work to serve, as long as you give notice before your term begins. Violating that protection is criminal contempt of court.10New York State Senate. New York Judiciary Law 519 – Right of Juror To Be Absent From Employment
How the $72 daily fee reaches you depends on the size of your employer:
- If your employer has more than 10 employees, they must pay at least the first $72 of your daily wages for your first three days of service. When your regular daily wages meet or exceed $72, the court does not send a separate payment for those days; when they fall below, the court pays the difference.9New York State Senate. New York Judiciary Law 521 – Fees and Travel Expenses
- If your employer has 10 or fewer employees, they can withhold your wages during service, and the court pays the $72 daily fee to you directly.10New York State Senate. New York Judiciary Law 519 – Right of Juror To Be Absent From Employment
New York does not reimburse state court jurors for mileage or parking. If you drive, budget for parking near the courthouse; daily rates in the lots around South State Street run roughly $4 to $10.
Grand Jury Service
A grand jury summons is a different commitment. Instead of hearing a single case, a grand jury reviews evidence on multiple cases to decide whether charges move forward. In Onondaga County these terms can last from two weeks to a month or more, with grand jurors reporting on a recurring schedule.4New York Courts. Juror Questions and Answers FAQs The same $72 daily fee and the same employment protections apply for the entire term.