jury duty (idea)

The following writeup is regarding English law only.

You are qualified for jury service if:

• You are over 18 years of age
• You are under 70 years of age
• You are on the electoral register
• You have lived in the UK, Channel Islands or Isle of Man for a period of at least 5 years

If you don't conform to all of the above, get your coat - you're not allowed to serve on a jury.

You are NOT qualified for jury service if:

Convictions

• You have ever been sentenced to life imprisonment
• In the last 10 years you have served a sentence of imprisonment or received a suspended sentence for imprisonment
• You have been placed on probation in the last 5 years
• You are currently released on bail

Mental disorders

• You suffer, or have suffered, from a mental disorder and, because of that condition, you are resident in a hospital or you regularly attend for treatment by a medical practitioner
• You are in guardianship under section 37 of the Mental Health Act 1983
• A judge has decided that you are not capable of managing and administering your own property or affairs because of mental disorder

The Judiciary and other people concerned with the Administration of Justice

You are not qualified for jury service if you are or have ever been

• a judge
• a stipendiary magistrate (a paid magistrate)
• a justice of the peace

You are not qualified for jury service if you have been, at any time within the last 10 years

• an authorised advocate, or authorised litigator
• a barrister
• a solicitor
• a legal executive employed by solicitors
• a Public Notary
• a member of the staff of the Director of Public Prosecutions
• an officer employed under the Lord Chancellor and concerned with the day to day administration of the legal system
• a coroner, deputy coroner or assistant coroner
• a justice's clerk, deputy clerk or assistant clerk
• a shorthand writer in any court
• a court security officer
• a governor, chaplain, medical officer or other officer of a penal establishment
• a prison custody officer
• the warden, or a member of the staff, of a probation home, probation hostel or bail hostel
• a probation officer or someone employed to help them
• a member of a Parole Board, or of a local review committee
• a member of any police force
• a member of any police authority
• an Inspector or Assistant Inspector of Constabulary
• a civillian employed for police purposes or a member of the metropolitan civil staffs
• someone who is employed in a forensic science laboratory

The Clergy

• You are in holy orders
• You are a regular minister of any religious denomination
• You are a vowed member of any religious order living in a monastery, convent or other religious community

Gosh that was a long one. Are you any of the above? No? Well let's see if you have the right to be excused then...

You have the right to be excused if:

Parliament

You are

• a Peer or Peeress who is entitled to receive a writ of summons to attend the House of Lords
• a Member of the House of Commons
• an Officer of the House of Lords
• an Officer of the House of Commons

Medical and other Professions*

• a dentist
• a nurse
• a medical practitioner
• a Vetinary surgeon or a Vetinary practitioner
• a midwife
• a pharmaceutical chemist

*Only if you are practicing the profession and you are registered, enrolled or certificated under the law which relates to your profession

The Forces

You are a full-time member of

• the army, navy or air force
• the Queen Alexandra's Royal Naval Nursing Service
• any Voluntary Aid Detachment serving with the Royal Navy

and your commanding officer certifies to the jury summoning officer that your absence would be 'prejudicial to the efficiency of the service'

You may also ask to be excused if:

• You are more than 65 years old
• You have been on jury service during the past 2 years

(but these are at the discression of the summoning officer)

Some information about potential jurors

Approximately 150 summons are sent out to potential jurors for each case. They must then reply if they think they are exempt using the guidelines shown above. When these potential jurors arrive at the crown court, the court clerk separates them into groups of 15 and they are asked if there are any reasons why they should not be picked. If they have any previous convictions within the last 10 years and they do not reveal them, then they may be fined up to £5,000.

If no jurors turn up, which happened at Middlesex Crown Court on January 2nd 1992, then the Court Clerk can go out into the street and pick people at random. This process is called 'praying a talesman'.

The prosecution may challenge the selected jurors for any good reason before the trial, resulting in them being removed from the jury. This is called the right to stand by. The jurors are picked at random from a computer, if for any reason it is believed the choice was not at random either party may make a 'challenge to the array'.

Sources: My wonderful law teachers Caroline Buckley and Ruth Harrison, and my personal knowledge