Information » Law & Rights » Court Procedures » Jury Service
In This Section
Jury Service
During a court trial, 12 randomly chosen members of the public are asked to observe the trial and decide whether a defendant is guilty or not guilty. These 12 people are called the jury.
Once you are 18 you may be called for jury service. Jury service is not optional, however you will be compensated for your time. It’s not as scary as it might sound, and can actually be a very interesting experience. If you are called for jury service they will send you a letter explaining what is required of you in detail, and there will be contact information in case you have any questions or concerns.
To be called for jury service at a Crown court you will fit all the following criteria:
- Be 18 years of age or over
- Have your name on the electoral register and have lived in the UK since you were 13 years of age
You will be notified by post and you will normally get 6 weeks’ notice before the trial starts.
You have to serve as a juror when called unless you have a good reason not to.
There are a number of reasons that are accepted as exemption and you will have to explain why you want an exemption as soon as possible.
For more information, visit theSite.org.
