City of Houston Municipal Courts Department

Municipal Courts Department

Jury Information: Disqualifications and Exemptions

CLAIMING A DISQUALIFICATION OR EXEMPTION:
You do not have to appear in person to claim a disqualification or exemption. Please see your options below for claiming a disqualification or exemption:

ONLINE: Using your Juror ID located on back of postcard under reporting information, access the following website: https://juror-txhouston.ejm.tylerapp.com/ and claim applicable Disqualiﬁcation/Exemption.
BY MAIL: If there is an EXEMPTION/DISQUALIFICATION that applies to you, please submit your written request to:

City of Houston Municipal Courts: Jury Service
1400 Lubbock St., Room 214
Houston, TX 77002

DISQUALIFICATIONS FOR JURY SERVICE (GOVERNMENT CODE §62.102):

You are under the age of 18
You do not reside within the City of Houston limits (A good indicator of City of Houston residency is voting in City of Houston Mayoral/City Council elections)
You are not a citizen of the United States (Persons claiming a disqualification or exemption based on the lack of citizenship or lack of residence in the county might no longer be eligible to vote in the county, as these claims are reported to the Voter Registrar (Government Code §62.0142)
You are not of sound mind or of good moral character
You have served as a petit juror for six days during the preceding three months in the county court, or during the preceding six months in the district court
You have been convicted of a misdemeanor theft
You have been convicted of a felony
You are under indictment or other legal accusation of misdemeanor theft or a felony

EXEMPTIONS FROM JURY SERVICE (GOVERNMENT CODE §62.106):

Please Note: You are not required to claim an Exemption. Your jury service is appreciated if you elect to serve.

You are seventy-five (75) years of age or older
You have legal custody of a child/ children younger than 12 years of age and your jury service requires leaving the child/children without adequate supervision
You are a student of a public or private secondary school
You are enrolled and attend an institution of higher education
You are an officer or employee of the Senate, the House of Representatives, or any department, commission, board, office, or other agency in the legislative branch of State government
You are the primary caretaker of a person who is unable to care for himself/herself
You have served as a petit juror in the Municipal courts, County courts or District courts in the preceding 24 months
You are a member of the United States military forces serving on active duty and deployed outside the limits of the City of Houston

PERSON SUMMONED IS DECEASED:
If you are claiming an exemption for someone who is deceased, please see the options below for notifying the Municipal Courts. Upon receipt, we will remove the person summoned from our jury database. We apologize for any inconvenience.

MAIL: Please submit your written request to:
City of Houston Municipal Courts: Jury Service
1400 Lubbock St., Room 214
Houston, Texas 77002
EMAIL: Please submit your written request to: Please submit your request to: presidingjudge@houstontx.gov

FAILURE TO ANSWER SUMMONS AND PENALTIES
A person summoned for jury service who does not comply with the summons as required by law or who knowingly provides false information in a request for an exemption or to be excused from jury service is subject to a contempt action punishable by a fine of not less than $100 nor more than $1,000. (Govt Code/Section 62.0141). Additionally, a juror lawfully notified shall be fined not less than $100 nor more than $500 if the juror: (1) fails to attend court in obedience to the notice without reasonable excuse; or (2) files a false claim of exemption from jury service (Govt Code, Section 62.111).

RIGHT TO REEMPLOYMENT (CIVIL PRACTICE AND REMEDIES CODE, SECTION 122.001):
An employer may not discharge, threaten to discharge, intimidate, or coerce any permanent employee because the employee serves as a juror, or for the employee's attendance or scheduled attendance in connection with the service, in any court in the United States. An employee who is discharged, threatened with discharge, intimidated, or coerced in violation of this section is entitled to return to the same employment that the employee held when summoned for jury service if the employee, as soon as practical after release from jury service, gives the employer actual notice that the employee intends to return.