Pennsylvania Consolidated & Unconsolidated Statutes
Chapter 45 - Juries and Jurors
Section 4503 - Exemptions from jury duty


(a) General rule.--No person shall be exempt or excused from jury duty except the following:
(1) Persons in active service of the armed forces of the United States or of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
(2) Persons who have served within three years next preceding on any jury except a person who served as a juror for fewer than three days in any one year in which case the exemption period shall be one year.
(3) Persons demonstrating to the court undue hardship or extreme inconvenience may be excused permanently or for such period as the court determines is necessary, and if excused for a limited period shall, at the end of the period, be assigned to the next jury array.
(4) Spouses, children, siblings, parents, grandparents and grandchildren of victims of criminal homicide under 18 Pa.C.S. § 2501 (relating to criminal homicide).
(5) Persons who have previously served for a term of 18 months on a Statewide investigating grand jury, including any extensions thereof, who opt not to serve.
(6) Persons 75 years of age or older who request to be excused.
(7) Judges and magisterial district judges of the Commonwealth and judges of the United States as defined in 28 U.S.C. § 451 (relating to definitions).
(8) Breastfeeding women who request to be excused.
(b) Challenges.--This subchapter shall not affect the existing practice with respect to peremptory challenges and challenges for cause.
(Dec. 20, 1982, P.L.1409, No.326, eff. 60 days; Oct. 17, 2002, P.L.886, No.128, eff. 60 days; June 13, 2012, P.L.636, No.63, eff. 60 days; Oct. 30, 2015, P.L.215, No.54, eff. 60 days)

2015 Amendment. Act 54 added subsec. (a)(6), (7) and (8).
2012 Amendment. Act 63 added subsec. (a)(5).
Cross References. Section 4503 is referred to in sections 4521, 4523, 4584 of this title.

Structure Pennsylvania Consolidated & Unconsolidated Statutes

Pennsylvania Consolidated & Unconsolidated Statutes

Title 42 - JUDICIARY AND JUDICIAL PROCEDURE

Chapter 45 - Juries and Jurors

Extra - Chapter Notes

Section 4501 - Declaration of policy

Section 4502 - Qualifications of jurors

Section 4503 - Exemptions from jury duty

Section 4521 - Selection of prospective jurors

Section 4521.1 - Statewide jury information system

Section 4522 - List of qualified jurors

Section 4523 - List of disqualified jurors

Section 4524 - Selection of jurors for service

Section 4525 - Equipment used for selection of jurors

Section 4526 - Challenging compliance with selection procedures

Section 4527 - Effect of verdict on jury selection errors

Section 4531 - Issuance of court orders for jurors

Section 4532 - Summoning persons to serve as jurors

Section 4541 - Short title of subchapter

Section 4542 - Definitions

Section 4543 - Convening county investigating grand jury

Section 4544 - Convening multicounty investigating grand jury

Section 4545 - Composition of investigating grand jury

Section 4546 - Term of investigating grand jury

Section 4547 - Additional investigating grand juries

Section 4548 - Powers of investigating grand jury

Section 4549 - Investigating grand jury proceedings

Section 4550 - Submission of investigations by attorney for the Commonwealth to investigating grand jury

Section 4551 - Investigating grand jury presentments

Section 4552 - Investigating grand jury reports

Section 4553 - Expenses of investigating grand juries and trials resulting therefrom

Section 4561 - Compensation of and travel allowance for jurors

Section 4562 - Juror's right to refuse inquiries

Section 4563 - Protection of employment of petit and grand jurors

Section 4563.1 - Protection of employment of grand jurors (Deleted by amendment)

Section 4564 - Alternate jurors

Section 4565 - Challenging certain petit jurors where political subdivision is a party

Section 4581 - Interfering with selection of jurors

Section 4582 - Tampering with names of jurors

Section 4583 - Tampering with jurors

Section 4583.1 - Aggravated jury tampering

Section 4584 - Failure of juror to appear