What to wear to jury duty is business casual: slacks or a skirt with a blouse, collared shirt or sweater, closed shoes, and a layer for a chilly courtroom. Official juror pages from 39 U.S. courts, checked on November 2, 2026, back that up: 23 rule out shorts and 21 tank tops, 18 point to business casual or business attire, and just 2 explicitly allow jeans.
Is there a dress code for jury duty? What 39 courts tell jurors
Each court writes its own guidance, so this guide compares the official juror pages (the court’s own, its clerk’s or jury office’s, or the state court system’s) of 39 courts, chosen for reach rather than convenience: the trial courts for the 25 most populous counties in the Census Bureau’s 2024 estimates; the most populous county of Pennsylvania, Ohio, Georgia and North Carolina, the four top-10 states otherwise missing; and one federal district court in each of the 12 regional circuits, the one covering that circuit’s most populous county. Kings, Queens and New York counties share one row, checked against the statewide juror pages and each county’s own jury pages. “Not stated” means the pages checked say nothing about that item; no rule was inferred.
- Shorts: 23 courts rule them out, more than any other item.
- Tank tops: 21 rule them out, Tarrant County bars “inappropriate” ones, and Wake County’s page says many judges bar them.
- The standard: 14 name business casual, 4 more name business attire and 5 point to job-interview, church or business-meeting clothes. Philadelphia’s courts and the District of Utah accept casual clothes; Massachusetts and the Eastern District of North Carolina have no specific or formal code.
- Jeans: 32 courts do not mention them. San Bernardino County allows them, as does the Southern District of Texas if they have no holes or rips; 3 federal courts rule them out, and Minnesota’s federal court bars torn pairs.
- Flip-flops and hats: 5 courts name flip-flops, 2 more bar sandals or beach shoes, and 6 bar hats.
- Cold rooms: 15 warn about cold, air-conditioned or changeable courtrooms, and so does Queens County’s jury page.
- Silence: 4 say nothing about clothing on the pages checked: King County Superior Court, Wayne County’s Third Circuit Court, and the federal courts for Massachusetts and the District of Columbia. In the New York row, only Queens County’s jury page mentions dress, asking jurors to be respectful of the court and ready for changing temperatures.
Federal courts are not uniformly stricter. The Eastern District of Michigan’s banned list reaches as far as sneakers and T-shirts, while Utah’s federal court is fine with casual outfits.
Juror dress codes at 39 courts, compared
Court names link to the pages quoted; check your own summons too.
| Court | State | Shorts | Tank tops | Flip-flops | Hats | Jeans | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles County Superior Court | CA | Not allowed | Not allowed | Sandals: not allowed (sworn jurors) | Not stated | Not stated | Business casual; no bare midriffs |
| Circuit Court of Cook County | IL | Not allowed | Not allowed | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated | No mini-skirts; violators sent home |
| Harris County District Courts (District Clerk) | TX | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated | Business attire; wear socks for security |
| Maricopa County Superior Court | AZ | Not allowed | Not allowed | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated | Business casual; no uniforms; layers |
| San Diego County Superior Court | CA | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated | Business casual |
| Orange County Superior Court | CA | Not allowed | Not allowed | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated | Business casual; layers |
| Miami-Dade County courts (Clerk) | FL | Not allowed | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated | Business attire; no uniforms |
| Dallas County Jury Services | TX | Not allowed | Not allowed | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated | Job-interview clothes; may be rescheduled |
| New York State courts (Kings, Queens and New York counties) | NY | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated | Queens only: dress respectfully; temperature varies |
| Riverside County Superior Court | CA | Not allowed | Not allowed | Beach shoes: not allowed | Not stated | Not stated | Business-meeting clothes; may be sent home |
| Eighth Judicial District Court (Clark County) | NV | Not allowed | Not allowed | Not stated | Not allowed | Not stated | No T-shirts or jogging suits |
| King County Superior Court | WA | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated | Nothing on clothing |
| Tarrant County Jury Services | TX | Not allowed | Inappropriate ones: not allowed | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated | Job-interview clothes |
| San Bernardino County Superior Court | CA | Not allowed | Not allowed | Not stated | Not stated | Allowed | Business casual; may be sent home |
| Bexar County Jury Services | TX | Not allowed | Not allowed | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated | No skorts or capri pants |
| 17th Judicial Circuit (Broward County) | FL | Not allowed | Not allowed | Not allowed | Not stated | Not stated | Business casual; no uniforms |
| Santa Clara County Superior Court | CA | Not allowed | Not allowed | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated | Business-meeting clothes |
| Third Circuit Court (Wayne County) | MI | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated | Nothing on clothing |
| Massachusetts courts (Middlesex County) | MA | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated | No specific code |
| Alameda County Superior Court | CA | Not allowed | Not allowed | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated | Business-meeting clothes; no bare feet |
| Sacramento County Superior Court | CA | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated | Business casual |
| Palm Beach County courts (Clerk) | FL | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated | Business attire; bring a sweater |
| Hillsborough County courts (Clerk) | FL | Not allowed | Not allowed | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated | Business casual; walking shoes |
| First Judicial District (Philadelphia) | PA | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated | Casual is fine if dignified |
| Franklin County Court of Common Pleas | OH | Not allowed | Not allowed | Not stated | Not allowed | Not stated | Business casual; no mini-skirts |
| Fulton County Superior Court | GA | Not allowed | Not allowed | Not stated | Not allowed (religious exception) | Not stated | Business casual; no beachwear |
| Wake County (N.C. Judicial Branch) | NC | Not stated | Many judges ban | Not stated | Not stated | Cut-offs: many judges ban | Professional, not too casual; layers |
| District of Massachusetts (federal) | MA | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated | Nothing on clothing |
| Eastern District of New York (federal) | NY | Not allowed | Not allowed | Not stated | Not stated | Not allowed | Business casual; no sweats |
| Eastern District of Pennsylvania (federal) | PA | Not stated | Not allowed | Not allowed | Not stated | Not stated | Business casual; no sweatpants |
| Eastern District of North Carolina (federal) | NC | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated | No formal code |
| Southern District of Texas (federal) | TX | Not allowed | Not allowed | Not allowed | Not stated | Allowed (no rips) | Jeans without holes are fine |
| Eastern District of Michigan (federal) | MI | Not allowed | Not allowed | Not allowed | Not allowed | Not allowed | Business casual; no T-shirts or sneakers |
| Northern District of Illinois (federal) | IL | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated | Office clothes |
| District of Minnesota (federal) | MN | Not allowed | Not allowed | Not stated | Not allowed | Torn: not allowed | Courtrooms can be cool |
| Central District of California (federal) | CA | Not allowed | Not allowed | Not allowed | Not allowed (religious exception) | Not stated | Business attire; violators sent home |
| District of Utah (federal) | UT | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated | Casual is acceptable |
| Southern District of Florida (federal) | FL | Not allowed | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated | Not allowed | Casual business attire; no T-shirts |
| District of Columbia (federal) | DC | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated | Nothing on clothing |
How to dress for jury duty
An outfit that meets every rule in the table: slacks or chinos (not jeans or sweatpants) or a skirt that is not short, a collared shirt, blouse or sweater rather than a T-shirt, closed shoes other than sneakers, and a layer you can take off. None of the 39 courts requires a suit or tie, and three say outright that a tie or suit is not needed. No court asks for dark colors, but the quiet pieces from a guide to what to wear to a funeral suit a courtroom too.
What to wear to jury duty as a woman
Slacks, a midi skirt or a plain dress all work, with a blouse, knit top or cardigan. For dresses, skirts and tops, the rules are about coverage: Cook County, Franklin County and the Central District of California rule out mini-skirts; Los Angeles, Riverside, San Bernardino and Fulton counties bar bare midriffs or crop tops; and the Eastern District of Michigan lists plunging necklines. Put a cardigan over a sleeveless dress, since tank tops are the second most common item on the banned lists.
Jury duty attire for men
Chinos or dress pants with a button-down shirt, a polo or a sweater meet every rule in the table; Philadelphia’s courts name slacks and sport shirts. Skip the plain T-shirt: Clark County, the Eastern District of Michigan and the Southern District of Florida rule out T-shirts entirely. Leave work uniforms at home too. Maricopa, Miami-Dade and Broward counties do not allow them, and Maricopa’s definition is broad enough to take in nursing scrubs, military uniforms and dressed-down versions of any uniform.
Shoes and layers for a cold courtroom
Pick closed shoes you can stand and walk in; Hillsborough County’s clerk asks for comfortable walking shoes. Then plan for the temperature: the Southern District of Florida calls its courtrooms “generally very cool,” and Maricopa County suggests layers because rooms differ. Harris County’s screening involves removing footwear, which is why its District Clerk suggests wearing socks.
What not to wear to jury duty
The items the 39 courts rule out most often:
- Shorts (23 courts), plus skorts and capri pants in Bexar County
- Tank tops, halters and muscle shirts (21)
- Bare midriffs or crop tops (4), mini-skirts (3) and plunging necklines (1)
- Flip-flops (5), sandals or beach shoes (2) and bare feet (2)
- Hats (6), though two of them allow religious headwear
- Shirts with suggestive or inappropriate slogans or images (3), unsuitable T-shirts (1), and any T-shirt at all (3)
- Sweatpants, sweats or jogging suits (4), and uniforms (3)
- Jeans (3), or torn jeans (1)
What else to know before you go
In Los Angeles County, bags go through an x-ray machine and people through a metal detector, and the court’s banned list covers everyday things such as pocket knives, scissors and knitting needles. The Southern District of Florida suggests leaving spare jewelry and other metal behind. Phone rules differ by court: the Central District of California is fine with phones in the assembly room but not in courtrooms, while the Northern District of Illinois limits laptops and phones to the jury lounge.
Cook County warns that the process can take “a considerable amount of time” and suggests bringing something to read. Harris County’s District Clerk advises eating breakfast, since nobody can say when, or whether, a lunch recess will come. Fulton County suggests packing food that keeps without a fridge, though metal utensils and anything in glass or ceramic will be taken away.
What to wear to jury duty to not get picked
None of the 39 courts says clothing affects who is chosen. Juries are picked through voir dire. As the federal judiciary describes it, the judge and attorneys put questions to the pool, some people are sent away on the strength of their replies, and each side may strike a set number more with no explanation. Lying to get out of it is a bad bet: the federal trial jurors’ handbook warns that answering falsely on purpose can be severely punished.
What courts do describe is the cost of ignoring the dress code, and it is not an early exit. Cook County sends such jurors home to change at their own expense, San Bernardino and Riverside counties may send them home or call them back another day, Dallas County may reschedule them, Maricopa County asks anyone in a uniform to change or to leave and return on a new date, and the Central District of California orders them back on a future date.
Jury service: what to wear in England, Wales and Alberta, Canada
GOV.UK’s advice for England and Wales is looser than most U.S. rules above: everyday outfits, a T-shirt and jeans included, are fine, since there is “no strict dress code.” Beachwear and similarly casual outfits are out, as is headwear unless it has a religious purpose. For Canada, Alberta’s provincial guide asks people reporting for jury selection to look as they would at a job interview.
Frequently asked questions
Can you wear jeans to jury duty?
Sometimes. Only San Bernardino County and the Southern District of Texas say jeans are allowed, Texas with no holes or rips. The Eastern District of New York, the Eastern District of Michigan and the Southern District of Florida rule them out, and 32 of the 39 courts are silent. If you wear jeans where the court is silent, choose dark, undamaged ones with a collared shirt or sweater; slacks are safer wherever business attire is requested.
Can you wear shorts to jury duty?
Not at most courts. Shorts are the item courts rule out most often, at 23 of the 39 here. Light slacks or a skirt, plus a cardigan for the chilly air, work in any season.
Can you wear leggings to jury duty?
None of the 39 courts mentions leggings or hoodies. Four rule out sweatpants, sweats or jogging suits, so leggings worn as gym clothes may draw the same objection. Slacks remove any doubt.
Can you wear a hat to jury duty?
Plan to take it off. Six courts rule out hats, and Clark County goes further: hats and sunglasses come off once a juror is inside a courtroom. The Central District of California and Fulton County allow them for religious reasons, as does GOV.UK.
Do you have to dress up for jury duty?
Not formally. No court here requires a suit or tie, and business casual is the most common request, so dressing up means neat and covered rather than formal.
What should you wear to jury duty to not get picked?
Wear what your court asks for. None of the 39 courts says clothing affects who is chosen; jurors are excused through voir dire questions and the lawyers’ limited strikes, and the courts that mention dress code violations send jurors home or call them back rather than excusing them.
Sources
All pages were accessed on November 2, 2026.
- Superior Court of Los Angeles County, Juror FAQs
- Circuit Court of Cook County, For Jurors
- Harris County District Clerk, Getting Prepared; Juror Information
- Maricopa County Superior Court, Prepare for Jury Service at Maricopa County Superior Courts
- Superior Court of California, County of San Diego, Jury Services
- Superior Court of California, County of Orange, Jury Services: Central Justice Center
- Miami-Dade Clerk of the Court and Comptroller, Jury Duty Guidelines
- Dallas County Jury Services, What to Expect; Frequently Asked Questions
- New York State Unified Court System, Juror Questions & Answers (FAQs); Petit Juror’s Handbook; Daily Juror Information for Kings, Queens and New York counties; jury pages of the Kings, Queens and New York County Clerks
- Superior Court of California, County of Riverside, Jury FAQs
- Eighth Judicial District Court, Clark County, Jury Services
- King County Superior Court, Superior Court Jury Duty; Jury Duty: Frequently Asked Questions
- Tarrant County Jury Services, Reporting for Duty
- Superior Court of California, County of San Bernardino, Jury Information: Basic Information
- Bexar County Jury Services, Jury Services
- Seventeenth Judicial Circuit of Florida, Jury Duty
- Superior Court of California, County of Santa Clara, Jury Duty: General Information
- Third Judicial Circuit Court of Michigan, Jury Services pages and Juror Reporting Instructions
- Massachusetts Office of Jury Commissioner (Mass.gov), What to expect on the day of your jury service
- Superior Court of California, County of Alameda, Jury Service
- Superior Court of California, County of Sacramento, Jury Service FAQs
- Palm Beach County Clerk of the Circuit Court and Comptroller, Jury Web
- Hillsborough County Clerk of Court and Comptroller, Jury Services
- First Judicial District of Pennsylvania, Jury Service
- Franklin County Court of Common Pleas, Dress Code
- Superior Court of Fulton County, Jury Duty FAQs
- North Carolina Judicial Branch, Wake County Jury Service
- U.S. District Court, District of Massachusetts, Jurors
- U.S. District Court, Eastern District of New York, Jury FAQ
- U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Pennsylvania, Jury FAQs
- U.S. District Court, Eastern District of North Carolina, Jurors: Frequently Asked Questions
- U.S. District Court, Southern District of Texas, Jury Service FAQs
- U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Michigan, Jurors: Frequently Asked Questions
- U.S. District Court, Northern District of Illinois, Jury Information
- U.S. District Court, District of Minnesota, Jury Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
- U.S. District Court, Central District of California, Jurors Dress Code; Security
- U.S. District Court, District of Utah, Jury FAQs
- U.S. District Court, Southern District of Florida, Frequently Asked Questions: Jury
- U.S. District Court, District of Columbia, Jury Information; Jury Service; Requirements for Entry
- GOV.UK, Jury service: How jury service works; Going to court as a juror
- Government of Alberta, Jury duty
- United States Courts, Juror Selection Process
- United States Courts, Handbook for Trial Jurors Serving in the United States District Courts
- U.S. Census Bureau, county population estimates, Vintage 2024 (co-est2024-alldata)
- Legal Information Institute, Cornell Law School, 28 U.S. Code sections 41, 84, 88, 89, 93, 101, 102, 103, 112, 113, 118, 124 and 125
Lead photo: The West courtroom of the Howard M. Metzenbaum U.S. Courthouse in Cleveland, Ohio, with the jury box at right. Photo: Carol M. Highsmith, public domain, Library of Congress, via Wikimedia Commons (cropped).
