Juries in England and Wales - Eligibility For Jury Service

Eligibility For Jury Service

A jury panel is summoned from eligible persons who are:

• Registered electors aged 18 to 70 (Including the Republic of Ireland and Commonwealth countries);
• Resident in the UK for at least 5 years since age 13;
• Not mentally disordered; and
• Not disqualified for whatever reason.

Persons currently on bail are disqualified. Persons are disqualified for life if they have been sentenced to:

• A life sentence;
• Detention for public protection;
• An extended sentence; or
• Imprisonment or detention for 5 years or more.

Persons are disqualified for 10 years after:

• Sentence, or suspended sentence of imprisonment or detention;
• Imprisonment or detention (less than 5 years); or
• Community punishments or treatment orders.

Persons "not capable of acting effectively as a juror" may be discharged by the judge.

People are excused from jury service if:

• they are currently a resident in a hospital or other similar institution, due to attend a hospital appointment or operation or recovering from an operation;
• they regularly visit a medical practitioner for treatment;
• they are in guardianship under section 7 of the Mental Health Act 1983;
• a judge has decided they are not capable of managing and administering property or affairs because of mental disorder/mental health problem;
• other medical reasons preclude their service. Medical certificates are only required if the Jury Central Summoning Bureau asks for one;
• they have already booked and paid for an important family event such as a wedding or a holiday;
• they have urgent work commitments which, if not completed on time, would have a detrimental effect to their business;
• they have been on jury service in the past two years (except coroner's juries), or the individual has been exempted from jury service for a period of time that has not yet ended. For example, the judge presiding over the Harold Shipman murder trial excused jurors from serving again for life. Individuals need to show the Jury Central Summoning Bureau evidence of this.
• they are a full-time member of Her Majesty's naval, military or air forces and their commanding officer certifies that their absence would prejudice the efficiency of the service.