The following individuals may be exempt from jury service:

  • Persons incapable of serving because of physical or mental illness or infirmity;
  • Persons exempted from jury service at the discretion of the district court;
  • Persons who have served as members of a petit jury panel or a grand jury in either the courts of the United States or the State of New Mexico, within the preceding thirty-six (36) months, at the juror’s option;
  • Persons exempted from jury duty by a district court judge upon satisfactory evidence presented by him or her;
  • Persons who are not a citizen of the United States;
  • Persons who are under 18 years of age;
  • Persons who are not residents of Doña Ana County;
  • Persons who are currently on probation or parole for a felony

Request for Excusal

If you have an extreme mental, physical or financial hardship, please fill out ALL related sections of the Juror Qualification and Questionnaire Forms. Please specify your reasons for requesting an excusal in a written letter to the judge and attach it to your forms. All medical reasons must have a doctor’s note on his/her letterhead or prescription pad. Return the completed packet to the Jury Division within five (5) days. You are not excused until you have received such notification from the Court.

A prospective juror may be excused if he/she:

  • Has a physical or mental disability that would prevent him/her from serving. The prospective juror is required to provide a doctor’s note (on the doctor’s letterhead or prescription pad) attesting to the disability.
  • Must provide actual and necessary care for another and alternate arrangements are not feasible. A doctor’s note (on the doctor’s letterhead or prescription pad) is required attesting to the situation.
  • Will suffer an extreme financial burden if required to serve that would substantially prevent him/her from paying necessary daily living expenses. A detailed letter describing these circumstances is required.
  • Is serving on active duty with the military and is not stationed in the county. A letter from the prospective juror’s superior officer so stating is required.

Permanent Exemption From Service (Age)

New Mexico statutes allow for the permanent excusal of individuals age 75 or over that have received a jury summons. If you fall into this category and would like to be permanently excused, the law requires that you complete an affidavit attesting your age. This document MUST be notarized.

View/print the Age Affidavit Form

After you complete the form and have it notarized, return it with your Juror Qualification Form by mail to:

Third Judicial District Court
Attention: Jury Division
201 W. Picacho Ave.
Las Cruces, NM 88005

Postponements

The Court realizes that prospective jurors may have been summoned at an inconvenient time and is willing to defer service to a more convenient time in most instances. Jurors may request a one-time postponement by completing the appropriate section of the Juror Qualification and Questionnaire Forms, and returning them to the Jury Division by fax or mail along with a request for postponement in writing. Please note: New Mexico law does not allow a second postponement unless it is an extreme emergency that was not anticipated when the first postponement was granted.

Emergencies

If illness or other emergency requires that you be delayed or absent, telephone the jury division at 575-523-8289, 575-528-8308, or 575-523-8294, as soon as possible. Leaving a message the night before or the morning of a jury trial indicating that you have a doctor’s appointment or that you cannot come in is not acceptable.