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Home Office
Press Release
10 November 1999
JURY EXCUSAL AND DEFERRAL: RESEARCH FINDINGS PUBLISHED
Around 66 per cent of people summoned for jury duty were 'excused', according to
research published by the Home Office today.
Of the remaining 33 per cent who were available for jury service, half were
given a deferral to a later date, according to Research Findings No. 102
"Jury Excusal and Deferral" which took a sample of 50,000 people
summoned for jury service over a six week period in June and July 1999.
The research shows:
- Of the 50,000 in the sample, one-third was available for jury
service, half of whom were given deferral to a later date.
- Of the remaining two-thirds, 13% were ineligible, disqualified or
excused as of right, 15% either failed to attend on the day or had
their summonses returned as 'undelivered' and 38% were granted
discretionary excusal.
- The most common reasons for granting excusal were medical (40% of
all excusals) and care of young children or the elderly (20% of all
excusals).
- Three quarters of all deferrals were given for either work (39%) or
holidays (35%).
- A total of 315 people known to be disabled were excused during the
six weeks of the study. A third were deaf, a fifth in wheelchairs or
with severe mobility problems and 6% were blind.
Whilst the law makes it clear that there is a presumption in favour of people
with disabilities serving on juries, currently only jurors are allowed in the
jury room. This excludes disabled people who need assistance from another
person. Ministers wish to see better arrangements for the disabled and have
therefore agreed to review this law. A public consultation exercise will take
place next year.
NOTES TO EDITORS:
1. Jurors are selected from the electoral register at random and a jury summons
is issued to them. Once selected from the register, legislation enables those
summoned for jury service to apply for deferral or excusal from service if there
is a good reason why they should not serve. In addition, certain groups are not
eligible for jury service because they are:
- exempt (such as those under 18 or over 70)
- ineligible (such as those concerned with the administration of
justice)
- disqualified (such as individuals who have been convicted and
served certain sentences).
- excused as of right (such as those who have served on juries during
the preceding two years).
2. Media copies of "Jury Excusal and Deferral" Home Office Research
Findings No. 102 are available from the Home Office Press Office or from the
Home Office website on http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk.
