Lee County Clerk of Court, FL
Home MenuJURY DUTY FAQS
- Jury duty is one day or one trial. If you are assigned to a trial that ends the day of your summons, your jury service is over. You will not need to appear on the following day. If the trial continues longer than the day you are summoned for, you will need to fulfill your civic duty until the end of that trial.
- If you receive a summons to report for jury service and you are a limited English speaker, you will still need to report to the courthouse as instructed by your jury summons. Jury staff does not have the authority to excuse you from your jury service. In the courtroom, the judge will inquire whether any jurors have issues understanding the English language and the judge will determine whether you can be excused from your jury service. If you are summoned in the future and a judge has previously excused you from jury service due to limited English understanding, you will still need to report for jury service. A judge must make a determination each time a juror is summoned whether they can be excused based on language issues.
- To ensure the right to trial by jury, jurors are randomly selected from a list supplied by the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. The database is updated annually with any changes or new residents and provided to the Clerk. (Section 40.221 Florida Statutes)
What do I need to do if I misplaced my jury summons and do not remember my report number and service date?
You may call 239-533-2929 or email jury@leeclerk.org to request your reporting information. You will need to provide your full name as it appears on your driver license or identification card and your date of birth.- You must:
- Be over the age of 18 years
- Be a citizen of the United States
- Be a legal resident of the State of Florida and Lee County
- Possess a valid driver license or identification card issued by the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles
- Not have been convicted of a felony crime under the laws of the State of Florida, the United States, or any other country, without having been restored to your civil rights by amnesty or pardon.
- Not have any prosecution pending against you in any court
- Not have any mental or physical handicap that could render you incapable of serving as a juror.
- Once in the courtroom, the judge will inform jurors how long the trial is anticipated to last. They may excuse those jurors who will suffer an extreme hardship if the trial lasts longer than one day.
- Business attire is most appropriate, but casual wear is acceptable. The courts require that you do not wear shorts. Also, the courtrooms tend to be cool, so you may want to bring a sweater.
- Yes, you may bring your electronic devices. However, please be aware that all electronic devices will be removed from all members of a jury panel before jury deliberations begin and/or any other stage of a trial as directed by the presiding judge.
- Jurors must be screened at the security checks at the entrance of the Justice Center. Prohibited items include: outside beverages, tape recorders, pocket knives, scissors and mace as well as any other type of dangerous or hazardous materials or property. Court security will NOT hold or return items to you. For complete information, please refer to the Courthouse Security section of the Court Administration website.
Visit the online Request for Excusal or Postponement and select the Request Schedule Change option. The ability to postpone your service is available only one time using the online form. You may also submit your request to jury@leeclerk.org or mail your completed Request for Excusal/Postponement form attached to your summons. All requests must be received by our office at least three business days prior to the date you are summoned to serve.
When requesting a postponement, you will need to choose a date you CAN serve and provide the reason for postponing. The date must be greater than six weeks but cannot exceed six months from your originally scheduled date.- If you completed the Request Schedule Change form on the online form, you may return to the Request for Excusal or Postponement immediately and view your new reporting date. A new summons with a new report number will be mailed to your address five weeks prior to your new service date. If you submitted your request by mail, you will receive postal notification.
- As a matter of convenience, the Court will allow for a one-time postponement. You can defer your service up to six months out by visiting the court’s jury webpage and selecting a deferral date.
How can I obtain a service certificate as proof of serving jury duty for my records and/or for my employer?
Visit the Request for Excusal, Postponement or Service Certificate website. Enter your juror information, then select the Service Certificate tab from the dashboard. Click on the Generate Service Certificate in PDF to print or email the certificate.Florida Statute 40.013 lists the valid reasons below for juror excusal:
- Expectant mother
- 70 years old or older
- Parent not employed full time with child under 6 years old
- Full-time high school or college student, ages 18-21 years old
- Physically unable to serve
- Served as juror in Lee County within the last 12 months
- Sole unpaid caregiver of a person who is incapable of caring for himself/herself because of physical and/or mental illness
- Full-time law enforcement officer
- Convicted of a felony and civil rights have not been restored
- Currently under prosecution for a crime
- Currently on probation/parole
- Not a legal resident of Lee County
- Not a citizen of the United States
- Visit the online Request for Excusal or Postponement, and select the Request for Excusal option. There you will find a list of reasons for excusal. If your reason is listed, complete the form and submit. You may also submit your request to jury@leeclerk.org or mail your completed Request for Excusal/Postponement form attached to your summons. If you do not qualify for one of the statutory reasons, you must get approval from the judge by submitting your request to jury@leeclerk.org. The Jury Department must receive all requests at least three days prior to your date of service.
- If you submitted your request online, you may return to Request for Excusal or Postponement after two business days. If approved, your status will show "Ended," which means you are excused and no further action is required. If your status is "Summoned," your request for excusal was denied and you must report on the date indicated. If you submitted your request by fax or mail, you will receive postcard notification.
Section 40.23 of the Florida Statutes states that “failure to attend as a juror upon being duly summoned may result in a fine not to exceed $100.” In addition to the fine, you may also face contempt proceedings which could result in the imposition of community service or other sanctions, including jail time.
If you failed to report for juror service, please contact the Jury Department via email at Jury@leeclerk.org as soon as possible. Provided you reschedule your service and report on that date, you will not receive a fine or other sanctions.
- It is suggested that, if possible, jurors utilize the LeeTran bus service to downtown Fort Myers. Please contact LeeTran to determine the bus service and schedule that serves your community. Bus service and schedule information can be obtained by calling 239-533-8726 or by accessing the LeeTran’s website . You may also request a one-time postponement of your jury service in order to give you more time to make transportation arrangements. For expedited processing, requests may be submitted online through our Juror Website or you may call the Lee County Clerk during business hours at (239) 533-2929. Postponement requests MUST be received at least three (3) business days prior to the service date.