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What to do if…
you receive a jury summons but the name or address details are wrong

Short answer

Don’t ignore it: follow the summons instructions or contact the court’s jury office/clerk listed on the summons to correct the name/address issue, because jury processes are local and the court needs to update its records.

Do not do these things

Don’t pay anyone who calls/texts saying you missed jury duty and must pay immediately — that pattern is strongly associated with scams.
Don’t share sensitive personal or financial information with an unsolicited caller claiming to be “from the court” or “law enforcement”.
Don’t complete or sign a juror form pretending to be the named person if it isn’t you.
Don’t click links in unexpected texts/emails about jury duty; use the court’s official website or the contact info printed on the summons.
Don’t panic and make irreversible moves (closing accounts, sending money, giving SSN) before you’ve verified the contact is real.

What to do now

Identify the issuing court (and whether it’s state/county or federal). The summons will name the court (for example, a county/state court jury office or a U.S. District Court). Use the phone/address printed on the summons, or the court’s official website.
If the summons is meant for you but has wrong details: correct them exactly where the summons tells you to. Many courts have a juror questionnaire/qualification form or an online juror portal where you can correct your name/address and submit the response so the court updates its records.
If the summons is not for you (wrong person at your address): return it and/or notify the jury office.
- If unopened: mark the envelope “Return to Sender – Not at this Address” and put it back in the mail.
- If already opened: don’t fill anything out as the named person. Call/email the jury office listed on the paperwork and say only: “This person does not live at this address.”
If you received it late because it went to an old address: contact the jury office immediately and say so plainly. Use one sentence: “I only received this on [date] because it was sent to my former address.” Ask what they want you to do next (submit a correction, reschedule, or confirm you’re not the person).
If you get a threatening “pay now or be arrested” message: treat it as a scam and switch to verification mode. Hang up (or don’t respond). Then independently look up the court’s official number (or use the summons contact) and ask if there’s any real issue with your jury status.
- If it involves federal jury duty: U.S. Courts guidance says you can notify the Clerk of Court for the U.S. District Court in your area, and you can also report to the FTC.
After the immediate issue is contained: reduce repeats by updating your address where your area pulls jury pools from. This varies, but commonly includes driver license/DMV records and/or voter registration. Do this after you’ve handled today’s summons.

What can wait

You don’t need to determine “who made the mistake” today — just get the record corrected with the jury office.
You don’t need to update every agency record before you contact the court — do the court step first.
You don’t need to decide right now whether you’ll seek an excusal/deferral — first confirm the court’s expectations for this summons.

Important reassurance

Administrative mismatches happen a lot (moves, similar names, stale lists). Courts generally want a clean record and a clear response — the fastest way to calm this down is to contact the jury office through the official channels listed on the summons.

Scope note

These are first steps to prevent escalation and avoid scams. If the court tells you there’s already a missed response or a scheduled appearance you can’t make, follow the jury office instructions and consider contacting local legal aid or an attorney for jurisdiction-specific help.

Important note

This is general information, not legal advice. Jury procedures vary by state and by court, so your summons instructions and the court’s official jury office are the most reliable sources for your next step.

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What to do if…you receive a jury summons but the name or address details are wrong