Qualifications/Selection of Juries [Juries]

Question 1

Intro [Paragraph 1]

Answer 1

Jury is a public duty that has been performed in the English Legal System for over 1000 years. Usually, 12 jurors sit in a Crown Court to hear all indictable and some triable-either-way offences when the defendant has plead guilty.

Question 2

3 Formal Eligibility Criteria [Paragraph 2]

Answer 2

Juries Act 1974:

• aged 18 to 75 (amended by the Criminal Justice Act 2003)
• registered on the electoral register
• lived in the UK for 5 consecutive years

Question 3

Disqualification [Paragraph 3]

Answer 3

A person summoned is disqualified if:

• currently on bail
• has certain mental health conditions
• judge considers them unfit for service (deafness/blindness under s9(b) JA 1974)

Question 4

Deferral [Paragraph 4]

Answer 4

• impending exams
• pre-booked holiday
• pregnancy
• hospital appointment

means that one may ask for their period of service to be deferred to a later date within the next 12 months.

Question 5

Exclusions [Paragraph 4]

Answer 5

Only in extreme circumstances.

• performed jury service in the last 2 years
• they’re an MP
• full-time member of armed service

Question 6

Jury Central Summoning Bureau [Paragraph 5]

Answer 6

Randomly select names by a computer off the electoral register.

Jury Summons is sent out with dates and times one is required to attend court and it must be completed and returned within a week.

Question 7

Vetting [Paragraph 6]

Answer 7

A list of potential jurors are made available to the prosecution and defence who can remove unsuitable jurors.

• routine police check to ensure no-one has a criminal record
• wider background checks [of political affiliations/ social beliefs] in cases of terrorism/national security with the express consent of Att-General

Question 8

Allocation [Paragraph 7]

Answer 8

• Jurors wait in Jury Waiting Area
• 15 jurors are allocated to court
• selection in court (s11 JA 1974) court clerk selecting 12 names at random by ballot in open court