Receiving a jury notice

If you receive a jury notice

If you receive a jury notice, you could be called for jury service at any time over twelve months, from the beginning of July to the end of June the following year.

Form of Return

You'll receive a Form of Return in the juror notice booklet. 

You can complete your Form of Return online or return your form by post to the address on your Jury Notice.

Information you need to provide

The courts don't know any information about your medical history, family, personal circumstances, employment or financial situation, so the court will ask for more information about you on the Form of Return.

They need to know:

• if you are retired
• your job
• if you are unemployed
• if you are a student
• if you have any criminal convictions

You can find out what criminal convictions you need to tell the Courts about in Section A of the Jury Notice (Form1).

Completing your Form of Return

You can fill in an online Form of Return or send the form to the Juries Officer by post.

• Complete a jury notice Form of Return online

If you have any queries, contact:

• Northern Ireland Courts and Tribunals Service

You must fill in, sign and return your Form of Return to the Juries Officer within 14 days of getting the jury notice. If you don't return it within 14 days or give false information, you could be fined up to £1,000 by a magistrate's court.

Exemptions from serving as a juror

Some people don't have to serve as a juror. There are different reasons for excusing someone from jury service. The jury notice lists people who don't have to do jury service.

• Exemptions from jury service

If you're too ill to do jury service

If you're ill when you receive a jury notice, you should still complete and send a Form of Return within 14 days.

Jurors should not give the Courts medical evidence when you are returning a Form of Return, as decisions to excuse people from sitting on a jury on medical grounds are not made at this stage. 

Having anxiety or depression will not excuse you from jury service at this stage however if you receive a Jury Summons you may wish to ask to be excused from jury service on these grounds. 

You will then need to send a medical certificate from your GP. The GP should not charge for this service under the law.

If you changed address

If selected for jury service and your address has changed, you must let the Northern Ireland Courts and Tribunals Service know.

You should attach a letter to your jury notice telling the Juries Officer your new address.

If you lose the jury notice

If your jury notice is lost, you can contact the Courts and Tribunals Customer Service Centre to ask for your juror number and online reference number so you can complete the Form of Return online.

Your jury notice will have more information about exemptions from Jury Service.

Same name as someone in your household

If you have the same name as someone in your household who is over 18, you will need to contact the Customer Service Centre to confirm who the jury notice is for.

If you're selected for jury service, you'll receive a jury summons. This usually allows you at least 10 days' notice to make arrangements to be at court. 

• Summoned to jury service 

Useful information

• Frequently Asked Questions about Jury Service