Section 517. Excuses and postponements

(a) (1) Except as otherwise provided
  in paragraph two of this subdivision, the commissioner of jurors may, in
  his or her discretion, on the application of a prospective juror who has
  been  summoned  to  attend, excuse such prospective juror from a part or
  the whole of the time of jury service or may postpone the time  of  jury
  service  to  a  later  day during the same or any subsequent term of the
  court. The application shall be presented to the  commissioner  at  such
  time  and  in  such  manner  as  he or she shall require, except that an
  application for postponement of the initial date for jury service may be
  made by telephone.
    (2) An application for postponement of jury service shall  be  granted
  hereunder  provided:  (i) such service has not already been postponed or
  excused, (ii) the application is made at such time and in such manner as
  the commissioner of jurors requires, and (iii) the postponement is to  a
  date certain when the court is in session not more than six months after
  the date on which such service otherwise is to commence and such date is
  selected by the prospective juror.
    (b) A person whose application has been denied by the commissioner, or
  who  has  not applied to the commissioner for an excuse or postponement,
  may apply to the trial court, or to the court having supervision of  the
  grand  jury,  as  the  case may be, which may, in its discretion, excuse
  such person from a part or the whole of the time of jury service, or may
  postpone the time of jury service to a later day during the same or  any
  subsequent  term  of  the  court.    If  the applicant cannot personally
  attend, he or she shall send the summons and  application  by  a  person
  capable of making the necessary proof in relation to the application.
    (c)  In  determining  whether  an  application  for  excusal should be
  granted, the commissioner  or  the  court  shall  consider  whether  the
  applicant  has  a mental or physical condition that causes him or her to
  be incapable of performing jury service  or  there  is  any  other  fact
  indicates  that  attendance  for  jury  service  in  accordance with the
  summons would cause undue  hardship  or  extreme  inconvenience  to  the
  applicant, a person under his or her care or supervision, or the public.
  Except  as provided in paragraph two of subdivision (a) of this section,
  in  determining  whether  an  application  for  postponement  should  be
  granted,  the  commissioner  or  the  court shall be guided by standards
  promulgated by the chief administrator of the courts.