Recently I was called for Jury service. Even though this could happen to anyone, on the electoral register, at any time I never really expected to be actually called for Jury service so when I received the notification I was unsure of what to do or what it really meant. With this in mind I have put these notes together to help anyone who might get called.

I should mention at this point Jurors are not allowed to discuss various aspects of their duties as a Juror. However, I did not have to sit on a trial, hear any arguments, or get involved with any votes so here I will be talking about the things around the periphery of Jury service. Most of this information is available in public form on various different information leaflets and websites and the rest is just my opinion based on what happened to me.

Firstly, you will be notified by letter – read this letter thoroughly and keep it safe as you will need to take it with you every day during your Jury service. When you are called you will be legally required to attend (unless you have a pretty good reason not to) and you should set aside at least ten working days (even though the actual requirement may be less or more than this).

Make sure you have at least two, up to date, forms of identification – if you are relying on your passport make sure it is valid. Particular identification may include a passport, driving license and/or utility bills – you will be notified on your initial letter which forms of identification will be accepted.

Next, you may be asked to telephone a Jury information service prior to attending to ensure you are actually needed on each day (things can often change at the last minute so you may end up not being needed at all). I had to call every day after 4pm though the telephone was often busy at 4pm so it is better to try and call later if you can.

If you have any special needs you should inform the Court at the earliest opportunity.

Make sure you know, in advance, where you will be required to attend – make no assumptions. On my first day I thought I knew where I was going but made a wrong turn into the Court, had to follow a one way system out, and ended up lost in some back road somewhere. It took another fifteen minutes of driving to figure out where I needed to go. I wish I had taken a map of the surrounding area just in case.

Decide how you intend to get there. If you drive ensure you know where the public car park is and get there very early – these spaces are limited and fill up quickly. When I got there (90 minutes early) there were only five spaces left – people arriving after me could not get a space and had to leave their cars in some unusual places – a couple were late because of parking issues. If you are using other transport be sure it will be timely and check with the Court beforehand about reclaiming the costs.

If driving, or being driven, make a note of the number of miles, each way, that are required as you may be able to claim these back. You will likely be asked to submit the formal expense sheet on the first day indicating the number of miles required for travel.

After you have parked you will need to make your way to the foyer. Whilst approaching and upon entering the building do not be tempted to break into conversation with other members of the public, especially anyone around the foyer – they may be at the Court for different reasons ! Keep a close eye on your personal belongings – do not let them out of your sight.

You will probably have to go through a security check including metal detection so be careful about what you wear and what you take inside the building. Inform security you are a Juror and they should help you out from there and escort you into the Juror waiting room. Our Juror waiting room was locked with a security code to prevent people wandering in. Whilst you can probably wander around it might be best to stay put until you are advised what is happening.

This bit is quite important. Jury Service involves a lot of sitting around waiting. This is an inevitable part of the way things work as lots of things need to happen behind the scenes. You may not be allowed to use your mobile phone – it may be required to be switched off (You will definitely need to switch it off in the Court room otherwise you may be fined!).

If you are not the chatty sort you might want to take some things to do with you to keep you occupied, say a book, magazine or puzzle. Whatever you take make sure it will keep you entertained for prolonged periods of time (we could be talking hours or even days). Take a snack to eat and make sure you have some loose change for the vending machine. There are usually places to eat and drink around the Court however you may be required to stay put in the Jury room for extended periods so be prepared.

You will need to decide which oath you want to take, in case you are selected as a Juror. There are various religious and non-religious oaths on offer so try and get it clear in your head which one will be acceptable to you.

You will be asked to sign in and out at the start of each day in the Juror register (ours was located in the Jury waiting room) – this is important to ensure you can cover any loss of income and that the Court knows you are in attendance.

At some point you will be shown the Juror video to familiarise you with the proceedings of what happens in Court and will tell you about any security precautions you may need to take – watch this video carefully.

When the time comes you will either be:

• Told to go home until the next day you are required
• Told to enter the Court room at which point a number of Jurors will be selected, probably at random, to sit the trial – the rest will be escorted back to the Juror room where they will have to wait for a short period before being sent home or replace a previously selected Juror.

At the end of your time on Jury service you should take a few moments to fill out the feedback form – usually available in the Jury room. This feedback can often help the Court understand areas where it may need to improve (or highlight areas where it excels).

If you have particular concerns about Jury Service you may be able to book a pre-visit to the Court prior to your Jury service commencement, in which case you should contact the Courts appointed Community Contacts Officer.

Good Luck.

Further Reading

Read more about Jury Service at Her Majesty’s Courts Service website.

watch the Jury Service Video on the DirectGov website.

Read the Juror Charter

BBC Radio 4: Jury Service, Your Verdict

Several Leaflets are available from http://www.hmcourts-service.gov.uk/ including

AJ21 – Courts Charter – The Crown Court

5222A – Living with the evidence – Advice to Jurors who are distressed by evidence

EX343 – I want to complain – What do I do?

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