If you miss jury duty, the usual outcome is a warning or a second notice first, but repeated no-shows can lead to fines, a contempt-of-court finding, and in rare cases a warrant or jail time. The exact penalty depends on your state and whether the court thinks you ignored the summons on purpose.

What usually happens

  • First miss: many courts send a failure-to-appear notice or another summons instead of punishing you right away.
  • If you keep ignoring it: the court may order you to appear and explain yourself, which can lead to contempt of court.
  • Possible penalties: fines, additional summonses, and in more serious cases a bench warrant or jail time.

What you should do

  • Contact the court clerk as soon as possible. Courts are often more forgiving if you act quickly and explain the mistake.
  • Ask about rescheduling or excusal options. Some courts may let you move the date if you have a valid reason.
  • Do not ignore follow-up notices. That is what usually turns a missed date into a bigger legal problem.

Simple rule of thumb

If you genuinely missed it by accident, fix it fast. If you keep skipping notices, the court can treat it much more seriously.

If you want, I can also give you a state-specific answer for where you live.