Attending court as a juror
If you get a jury summons for jury service on a certain date, you might be sworn in as a juror on a trial. You need to bring photographic ID to the court. You should tell the court immediately if you can't go that day.
During the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic there is advice and guidance for all courts and tribunals users
Information guide for jurors during Covid-19
What you need to bring with you
You must bring your jury summons with you each day. You should also bring identification. Acceptable forms of ID are:
- full passport
- photo driving licence
- EU National Identity card
- Home Office documents confirming UK immigration status
Alternatively, you can also bring any two of the following:
- birth certificate (issued within six weeks of birth)
- credit card with three statements and proof of signature
- cheque book and bank card with three statements and proof of signature
- three utility bills showing your name and address
Court staff will ask you to show these to confirm your identity when you arrive at court on your first day.
Travel and parking
You should use public transport to get to the courthouse. To get information about bus and train timetables, go to:
The juror pack has information about local car parks. If you drive to the courthouse, check how long you can pay for parking in the car park you use. If you're sworn onto a jury, you won't be able to leave the courthouse to top up your ticket.
Jurors with disabilities
If you have a disability and you are worried about access to the court or you need certain facilities during your jury service, you should contact the court.
On the first day of jury service
When you arrive at court, you will be:
- directed to the jury assembly area or courtroom
- introduced to a court official who will be available to deal with any queries you have
- shown a jury information video and be able to ask any questions you may have
If you have been convicted of an offence since receiving your summons, you must tell court staff.
Each day the court clerk will make a roll call of all jurors in court or in a jury assembly area. This is done in private to make sure that jurors’ identities are protected.
The court clerk will call your name and jury panel number which appears at the top right hand corner of your jury summons. You need to respond when the clerk calls your jury panel number.
Attendance
You can be fined for not turning up for jury service. If you think you're going to be late or you're sick and can't go, you must contact the juries officer before 9.30 am that day.
The contact number is on your jury summons.
Jury allowances and claiming
You could be entitled to travel and food expenses as a juror. You may be entitled to an allowance for financial loss during the period you had to be at court. You’ll get a claim form with your jury summons. You must send your claim within 14 days of completing jury service.
Length of waiting time before a trial begins
When you have been summonsed to appear as a jury panel member, this doesn't mean that you will be on the jury. You don't become a juror until you have been called into the jury box and ‘sworn’ or ’affirmed’.
You may be called to serve on a trial immediately or you might need to wait while a court deals with matters that don’t involve the jury.
To pass the time, you can bring a laptop, book, magazine or paper to read in the waiting room. But you must not read in the courtroom.
The judge and court staff usually release the people that are not likely to be needed as soon as possible. But a reserve of jurors is often needed.
Jury panel information
Usually the jury officer or the judge if you have been sworn as a juror, will tell you at the end of each day if you need to come back. You should contact the jury line to see if you're needed:
Serving on a trial
You won’t know which trial you will sit on until you are sworn in. Trials can last a few days or a number of weeks. A typical jury panel usually remains in place for around four weeks. Jurors could be selected to sit on more than one trial during this time. Sometimes the case isn't ready to go to court. Sometimes the defendant pleads guilty and the trial doesn't go ahead.