CIVIC ENGAGEMENT
RESOURCES
The safety of our community members is our top priority. Please remember that these are supplemental resources and we highly recommend that you reach out to an attorney should you have any questions particular to your case.
FAQS FOR NON-CITIZENS WHO RECEIVE A JUROR QUALIFICATION FORM IN NEW YORK CITY
Are non-citizens eligible to serve as jurors in New York State?
No. You must be a United States citizen to be eligible to serve as a juror in New York State.
Why have I received a jury questionnaire?
Potential jurors are pulled from various sources, including the Department of Motor Vehicles, the Department of Labor, the Social Security Administration, the Board of Elections, and records of people receiving unemployment benefits. So if you’ve ever gotten a driver’s license or received a W2, your county’s Division of Jurors might contact you. The purpose of the Juror Qualification Questionnaire is to determine if you are eligible to serve on a jury.
If I receive a jury questionnaire, do I have to do anything?
Yes; failure to respond to a jury questionnaire could result in fines or other penalties. You should respond by visiting the court in person and showing the clerk your passport, or by mailing in the form with a copy of your passport. If you do not answer the questionnaire correctly or do not provide proof that you are a non-citizen, you will receive a summons ordering you to appear at court.
I already told the Division of Jurors that I was not eligible for jury duty; why am I receiving another questionnaire?
The Division of Jurors resends jury questionnaires every four years in the event that the ineligible juror has received U.S. citizenship.
If I go into the Division of Jurors in person, will they make a copy of my passport or other identifying information?
No; if you visit the Division of Jurors in person, their practice is to verify that you are not a U.S. citizen and return your identification to you without making a copy.
If I mail in a copy of my passport or other identifying information, will the Division of Jurors keep that on file?
No; the Division of Jurors’ practice is to only mark off that you are not a U.S. citizen in their internal database. It is their practice to discard the copy of your passport or other identification.