How to get excused from jury duty in San Diego County, California
The excusal routes San Diego County, California actually recognizes — what each one needs, who decides, and where it goes.
San Diego decides excuses on its own form, not from a letter. The county publishes one channel for every reason: respond through the Juror Portal at jwebsol.sdcourt.ca.gov, or complete the REQUEST FOR EXCUSE section printed on your summons, sign and date it, and mail it back in the enclosed envelope. Excuse requests are not taken by phone. Two things the court states plainly and most people miss: your request has to be clear about why a postponement to a later date will not solve the problem, and you are only notified if your request is refused. There is no statutory exemption by occupation.
Your routes in San Diego County, California
Age 70 or olderUsually automatic
California recognizes age 70+ as an automatic excuse in most counties — no letter or argument required.
See the full detail →Financial hardshipHandled on the county’s own form
Decided from San Diego’s own excuse form — and whether your employer pays you for jury service is one of the things the form asks.
San Diego Superior Court Jury Services — confirmed by phone, 28 August 2026. San Diego takes financial hardship on its own form and nowhere else. The form asks for your employer’s name and telephone number, how many days of jury duty pay your employer provides, and your description of the hardship. Jury Services confirmed by phone that where an employer does not pay for jury service, you say so on the form, and that is the basis on which people are excused. The court’s own published test for any excuse is that the request must make clear why a postponement to a later date will not solve the problem — so say why moving the date would not help. There is nothing to attach and nothing we could write that the form does not already ask you for.
See the full detail →Caregiver or medical conditionSame form, decided case by case
San Diego uses the one excuse form for every reason, medical and caregiver included — there is no separate medical route and no letter to attach.
Superior Court of San Diego County — Excuses page, read 28 August 2026. The county’s instruction is one sentence long and covers everything: “If you are seeking to be excused for any reason, you may do so online… or you may complete the REQUEST FOR EXCUSE section on the Summons and mail it to the court.” There is no published medical category, no listed documentation and no attachment step. Requests are considered on an individual basis, so the court may come back and ask for a physician’s note — but it does not ask for one up front, and sending an unrequested letter is not the process. Describe the condition or the care you provide in the form’s own words, and say why a later date would not solve it.
See the full detail →Contact the court
Superior Court of San Diego County, Jury ServicesJury line: (619) 844-2800
10 a.m.–3:30 p.m. Monday to Thursday, 10 a.m.–12 p.m. Friday. The line will not take an excuse request — it goes on the form.
10 a.m.–3:30 p.m. Monday to Thursday, 10 a.m.–12 p.m. Friday. The line will not take an excuse request — it goes on the form.
Other counties
JuryFree prepares documents and guidance from the facts you provide. It is not a law firm and does not give legal advice or guarantee any outcome. Court rules and deadlines vary by county and change over time — confirm with the court before you rely on anything here. Questions: [email protected].