You are here

Juror Qualification Questionnaire FAQs

QUESTION 1: How do I know that eJUROR is secure?

ANSWER: The court follows current best practices for database and server security, maintained by highly skilled court staff, and supported by a dedicated national network security group.


 
QUESTION 2: If I submit my form online, will I get confirmation that it was received?

ANSWER: On the final page of the electronic form, review your answers and click the Confirm button. After clicking Confirm, a confirmation message will be displayed. Please do not exit out of the Questionnaire until you click the Confirm button. If you provide an email address, you will receive email confirmation that your form was submitted successfully.


 
QUESTION 3: What if I want to fill out a paper form?

ANSWER: If you prefer to have the court send you a paper copy of the Juror Qualification Questionnaire you don’t need to do anything. The court will automatically mail paper Questionnaires to anyone who does not complete the online form by the response deadline.


 
QUESTION 4: I’m getting a message that my name and participant number don’t match my DOB. What do I do?

ANSWER: Confirm that you are entering the date of birth correctly. If the correct information is being rejected by eJUROR, call the Jury Administration Office at (315) 234-8520. Leave your name, participant number, date of birth, and phone number so that we can modify our records. We will call you back to let you know when you can try logging in again.


 
QUESTION 5: I’ve been locked out of eJUROR because I tried to log in too many times. What do I do now?

ANSWER: Close the eJUROR application and your web browser completely. Reopen your browser and try logging back into eJUROR. This should reset the program and allow you to continue. If the problem persists, contact the Jury Office at (315) 234-8520 for help. During regular business hours, you may also request to speak to a live representative in our chat feature.


 
QUESTION 6: I’m getting a message that my participant number is not valid. What do I do?

ANSWER: This message indicates that you are on the wrong eJUROR website. Check the heading on the eJUROR login page. The Northern District of New York should be listed at the top of the login page. If you don’t see the Northern District of New York on the page, exit out and go to our website: www.nynd.uscourts.gov to select the eJUROR tool from our site. You may also scan the QR code on your mailing.


 
QUESTION 7: What if I have an excuse that isn’t covered?

ANSWER: If you are qualified and receive a summons, you will have an opportunity to request to be excused at the time of summoning. Our Jury Plan covers a range of acceptable summons excuse categories. If one of these categories applies to you at the time of summoning, you can apply for an excuse at that time. Completing the questionnaire only determines your eligibility for federal jury service. It does not necessarily mean that you will be required to serve as a juror.


 
QUESTION 8: This form is for my parent who is in a nursing home. Do I still need to fill out the form?

ANSWER: YES! Every form MUST be responded to. You can note any physical disabilities on the form.


QUESTION 9: What if the recipient of the Questionnaire is deceased?

ANSWER: The court utilizes a deceased data processing tool to remove deceased records from the database, however, this tool does not eliminate all deceased records. If you receive a questionnaire on behalf of a deceased person, a response is still required. Please log into eJUROR using the deceased’s name, participant number and date of birth. On the Welcome screen, indicate that you are filling out the form on behalf of the deceased. Enter your name, address, and reason in the response box. Mark that the addressee is deceased. Enter the date of death and click “confirm.” You may now log out of eJUROR. If you prefer to send an email to notify the court of the recipient’s decease, you may send it to: jury@nynd.uscourts.gov.


 
QUESTION 10: There are two people at this address with the same name. How do I tell who this form is for?

ANSWER: Try logging into eJUROR with each person’s credentials. Only the intended recipient’s DOB will provide access. You may also call the court at (315) 234-8520 to confirm the DOB associated with the form.


 
QUESTION 11: The form is for my son/daughter, but they’re away at college right now. What do I do?

ANSWER: You can complete the questionnaire on your child’s behalf or provide your child with their participant number so that they can log in and complete it. If they receive a summons prior to graduation, they can apply for a postponement at the time of summoning.


 
QUESTION 12: What if I’ve already served jury duty?

ANSWER: Prior jury service does not disqualify you as a potential juror. You will have an opportunity to make the court aware of any prior jury duty at the time you are summoned. The exemption period in FEDERAL court is two years.


 
QUESTION 13: What counties are included in the Northern District of New York?

ANSWER: The NDNY includes thirty-two counties: Albany, Broome, Cayuga, Chenango, Clinton, Columbia, Cortland, Delaware, Essex, Franklin, Fulton, Greene, Hamilton, Herkimer, Jefferson, Lewis, Madison, Montgomery, Oneida, Onondaga, Oswego, Otsego, Rensselaer, Saratoga, Schenectady, Schoharie, St. Lawrence, Tioga, Tompkins, Ulster, Warren and Washington.


 
QUESTION 14: What if my name or address has changed?

ANSWER: If your name has changed, log into eJUROR with the name printed on your mailing. When you get to the Personal Information page, please make any necessary changes to your name and/or address. If you have moved permanently outside the district, update your address, selecting “none of the above” from the county menu.


 
QUESTION 15: I have a physical or mental disability that renders me unable to serve (COPD, blind, dementia, Alzheimer's, depression, anxiety, bipolar, back injury, hearing impaired, heart problems, etc). Do I still need to fill out the form?

ANSWER: Completion of the Juror Qualification Questionnaire is required by law. Every person MUST complete the form in its entirety. If you are not able to complete the form yourself, you may ask someone to complete the form on your behalf. Question #8 addresses physical and mental disabilities, and Question #14 addresses age and all other excuse categories. If you are seeking a medical excuse, you will need to fully explain your medical condition in the Remarks section.


 
QUESTION 16: Do I need to supply a doctor’s note in support of my medical condition?

ANSWER: If you’re currently working, a doctor’s note is required to support your excuse. You may upload your doctor’s note through the eJUROR tool. If your disability renders you unable to work, you can explain your disability on the Juror Qualification Questionnaire (a doctor’s note is optional).


 
QUESTION 17: What if I’m not a citizen?

ANSWER: Question #1 on the form addresses this issue.


 
QUESTION 18: What if I don’t speak English?

ANSWER: Question #4 on the form addresses language barriers.


 
QUESTION 19: What if I have a felony on my record?

ANSWER: See Question #5 & 6 on the form. If you have a felony conviction and would like to serve, you must submit a Certificate of Relief of Disabilities with your Juror Qualification Questionnaire.


 
QUESTION 20: What if I’m over 70?

ANSWER: If you have reached age 70, you have the option to excuse yourself from federal jury service. To excuse yourself, complete the Juror Qualification Form in its entirety and fill in bubble #1 on Question 14.


 
QUESTION 21: I don’t have childcare for my kids. Do I still have to serve?

ANSWER: If you stay home full-time and don’t have childcare during normal business hours, you may request excuse by filling in bubble number #4 on question #14 on the Juror Qualification Questionnaire. If you are working and have childcare established during normal business hours, you do not qualify for excuse. Please explain fully in the Remarks box.


 
QUESTION 22: I’m an LPN. Can I be excused from jury duty?

ANSWER: No, LPN’s are not a recognized class for exemption. Only full-time Registered Nurses are eligible for excuse at the Northern District of New York.


 
QUESTION 23: What are the legal excuse categories for jury service in the Northern District of New York?

ANSWER: The following excuse categories are offered by the Northern District of New York. If any of these apply to you, you may fill in the corresponding bubble on Question #14 that applies to your request. Please remember to fully explain your reason for requesting excuse in the Remarks section.

  1. Over 70 Years of Age
  2. Volunteer safety personnel for a public agency (fire, rescue, or ambulance).
  3. Active care and custody of a child under age 12 whose health and safety would be jeopardized by your service (no childcare available).
  4. Essential to the care of an aged or infirm person (full-time, unpaid caregiver).
  5. Sole proprietor of a business.
  6. Actively practicing (full-time) as an attorney, physician, dentist, registered nurse (RN), or a member of the clergy.

 


 
QUESTION 24: I’m a police officer. Can I serve as a federal juror?

ANSWER: No, police officers (including state corrections officers) are exempt from service in the federal court.


 
QUESTION 25: I don’t live in Syracuse. Why am I getting a postcard from a court in Syracuse?

ANSWER: The Northern District of New York (NDNY) includes thirty-two counties: Albany, Broome, Cayuga, Chenango, Clinton, Columbia, Cortland, Delaware, Essex, Franklin, Fulton, Greene, Hamilton, Herkimer, Jefferson, Lewis, Madison, Montgomery, Oneida, Onondaga, Oswego, Otsego, Rensselaer, Saratoga, Schenectady, Schoharie, St. Lawrence, Tioga, Tompkins, Ulster, Warren and Washington. We have FIVE reporting locations: Albany, Binghamton, Syracuse, Utica and Plattsburgh. If you are summoned at a later date, your reporting location will depend on the county you live in.


 
QUESTION 26: I missed the response deadline for my Juror Qualification Questionnaire Postcard. Is it too late to fill out my form online?

ANSWER: No, it’s not too late. The online option is always available, even after the response deadline. If the response deadline passes, you may receive a paper Qualification Questionnaire in the mail, but you only need to complete ONE response. If you choose to respond online, you may disregard the paper form.


 
QUESTION 27: What is the link to eJuror?

ANSWER: The link to the eJuror application is https://ejuror2.uscourts.gov/ejuror-nynd/TransportRoom?servlet=login. You will need your nine (9) digit participant number, located above your name on the front of the JQQ postcard.


 
QUESTION 28: The response deadline has passed. When will I receive my paper questionnaire in the mail?

ANSWER: Qualification Questionnaire postcards were mailed on February 28, 2025, with a response deadline of March 14, 2025. We are in the process of printing paper questionnaires, which we expect to mail by mid-April. If you haven’t yet completed your questionnaire, you can still complete it online at any time. For those who complete the online form after March 31, 2025, a paper questionnaire will also be mailed to you, but you do NOT need to complete both. If you submit your online form after March 31, 2025, you may disregard the paper questionnaire that arrives in the mail.