Overview
Jury service is a public duty and almost any resident in the UK aged from 18 to 75 years may be summoned to serve on a jury. Once summoned, jury service is obligatory unless the individual is disqualified from serving, has the right to be excused or has a valid reason for discretionary excusal.
Some situations may render an individual ineligible for jury service such as those with less than five years’ residency, serious mental health problems, or certain previous convictions.
Employees who hold certain public positions have the right to reasonable time off to perform duties associated with that position. The amount of time spent away from work in pursuit of public duties must be negotiated and you can refuse a request that is unreasonable.