Here’s how often you can get called for federal jury duty in SC and the valid ways to skip it

Patrick McCreless
·3 min read
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It is the duty of American citizens to participate in the federal judicial system by serving on a jury when called upon to do so.

Many of us have seen it at some point in TV shows and movies — 12 people selected to hear evidence and determine the fate of the accused.

However, how often can South Carolina residents be selected for jury duty in the federal court system? And what ways can a person reasonably get out of jury duty if necessary?

Here’s what to know about federal court jury duty, according to U.S. District Court District of South Carolina.

How often can you be called for federal jury duty in SC?

Names are randomly selected from voter registration lists every two to four years. Even if you serve on a jury and are excused by the court, your name remains on the voter files, meaning you could potentially be selected as a possible juror again.

Jury selection

The South Carolina Election Commission compiles voter registration lists that the District of South Carolina uses to create a pool of potential jurors. Names are drawn from that pool randomly by a computer and each county is represented in accordance with the population.

If you are selected for a jury, it’s not guaranteed that you’ll serve in your home county, given that a computer picks jurors at random. The District of South Carolina is divided into four large jury areas which may require significant travel to a courthouse.

What are valid exemptions from federal jury duty in SC?

  • People who have served as a grand or petit juror in federal court within the past two years

  • People over 70 years old

  • Those who have active care and custody of a child or children under 10 years old whose health and or safety would be jeopardized by an absence for jury duty

  • Someone who is essential to the care of aged or infirm people

  • Anyone whose services are so essential to the operation of business, commercial or agricultural enterprise that it would need to close if that person were to serve on a jury

  • Any voluntary safety personnel, such as people who serve without compensation as firefighters or members of a rescue squad or ambulance crew for a “public agency”

  • A doctor’s excuse, however, the excuse must be specific enough to determine if there is a permanent or temporary medical problem, given that jurors are eligible to be summoned over two to four-year period

What about other SC courts?

The times a person can be summoned for jury duty in lower county courts can vary compared to federal court.

For instance, in Richland County, residents have the choice to serve or not serve on a jury in county court if they have served within the past three years.

In Charleston County, residents picked for jury service in the Courts of General Sessions and Common Pleas are exempted from further service for three years. However in a Magistrate’s Court, a Charleston County resident is exempted from selection for additional jury service for a period of three months.

Meanwhile, municipal courts select independently of county courts and may also have different rules for jury selection and service.