If you work in jury administration, you’ve heard these calls:
“I filled out the questionnaire. Do I still need to come in?”
“I never got a summons, but the website told me to respond.”
“Am I in trouble if I don’t report?”
This confusion is one of the top drivers of inbound calls to jury offices—and it’s completely preventable.
The problem isn’t jurors.
It’s language.
Courts use two different steps in the jury process—the questionnaire and the summons—but many jurors don’t understand the difference. When those steps aren’t explained in plain language, people panic, call, or fail to appear.
This article breaks down:
The difference between a questionnaire and a summons
Why jurors get confused
How to explain it clearly
Copy-and-paste language you can use today
How technology can help prevent confusion before it starts
If you take nothing else from this article, take this:
The questionnaire decides if someone is eligible to serve.
The summons tells them when and where to report.
That’s it.
Most courts never say this directly—and that’s where confusion starts.
A jury questionnaire is not an order to report.
It is:
A screening step
A way to confirm eligibility
A request for basic information
In plain terms, the questionnaire answers one question:
“Can this person serve as a juror if needed?”
Common juror assumptions:
“I filled this out, so I’m already summoned.”
“If I don’t respond, I’ll get in trouble.”
“I need to show up now.”
None of those are true.
A jury summons is the official instruction to report for jury service.
It tells the juror:
If they are needed
When to report
Where to go
How to check their status
In plain terms, the summons answers:
“You are needed. Here’s what to do next.”
No summons = no reporting requirement.
Jurors are not experts in court processes. They are busy people reading official-looking documents quickly.
Confusion usually comes from:
Similar wording on questionnaires and summonses
Portals that show “jury service” without context
Legal language instead of plain language
Missing “what happens next” explanations
Automated systems that don’t explain the full timeline
From the juror’s perspective, it feels like one continuous process—even though it isn’t.
When jurors don’t understand the difference, courts see:
Increased phone calls and emails
Repeat explanations by staff
Frustrated jurors and frustrated employees
Missed reporting dates
Unnecessary fear of penalties
This is an avoidable workload.
Clear language = fewer calls.
“This questionnaire is not a summons.
Completing it does not mean you need to report for jury service.
If you are selected, you will receive a separate jury summons with instructions.”
“You have completed your jury questionnaire.
At this time, no action is required.
If you are selected for jury service, you will receive a summons with reporting details.”
“Thank you for completing your jury questionnaire.
This does not mean you are scheduled to serve.
You will only need to report if you receive a jury summons.”
“Right now, you’ve only completed the questionnaire.
That step checks eligibility.
If you are selected, you’ll receive a summons with a date and time.
Until then, you do not need to report.”
Short. Calm. Clear.
Modern jury management systems are designed to reduce this exact problem.
With Jury by ezJustice, courts can:
Separate questionnaire and summons workflows clearly
Display real-time status in plain language
Send automated confirmations that explain next steps
Use customizable portal messaging (your words, your rules)
Reduce calls with direct juror messaging with staff
When jurors can log in and immediately see:
“Questionnaire complete. No summons issued.”
—calls drop.
This isn’t about adding more work for staff.
It’s about removing unnecessary work.
If you want to cut inbound calls about jury confusion, check these today:
Does every questionnaire clearly say “This is not a summons”?
Does your portal explain what happens next?
Are confirmation text/emails written in plain language?
Do staff have a consistent phone script?
Does your system show juror status clearly?
Most juror confusion isn’t caused by people ignoring instructions.
It’s caused by instructions that assume too much knowledge.
When courts explain the difference between a questionnaire and a summons in plain language:
Jurors feel calmer
Staff spend less time on the phone
Compliance improves
Trust increases
Clear language isn’t just good communication.
It’s good court operations.