If you’ve received a ‘Notice to prospective juror’, it means you’ve been chosen randomly from the Queensland electoral roll to potentially serve as a juror.
You may apply to be excused from jury service if you have a valid reason.
You cannot postpone your jury service (you may only be considered for excusal).
Reasons you may be excused
You may be considered for excusal from jury service for the following reasons:
- you’ve served as a juror in the past 12 months
- ill health or disability
- carer commitments during all or part of the time you’d be required
- work or study commitments that make it absolutely impossible
- it would result in personal financial hardship
- it would result in substantial financial hardship for your employer
- it’s against your religious beliefs
- other reasons (which you’d need to explain)
Applying to be excused
To apply to be excused, complete the entire prospective juror notice questionnaire, including the ‘Application for excusal’ section.
How to apply
When applying to be excused from jury service, you can either:
When applying:
1. Provide details about why you can’t perform jury service.
2. Use a separate piece of paper if you need more space to explain your reasons.
3. Support your reasons with evidence, such as:
- work commitments—a written statement from your employer
- medical grounds—a medical certificate stating the period you can’t serve
- study commitments—a copy of your student ID and timetable
- holidays—a travel itinerary or tickets
- personal or financial grounds—an explanation, such as casual employment that would result in lost income.
How to submit your application
You can submit your application for excusal either:
- online—upload the supporting documentation within the online questionnaire and submit it
- post—mail the paper questionnaire and supporting documentation to us
What happens next
Once your application is assessed, you’ll be advised of the outcome by text message, email or post.
The Deputy Sheriff may decline your application for excusal.
Your employer cannot apply for you to be excused from jury service—only you can.
Letter from your employer
If you’re applying for work-related reasons, include a letter from your employer stating why you can’t attend court.
For example, that the jury service would result in:
- substantial financial or personal hardship to you due to your specific role or circumstances
- substantial financial hardship to the employer
- major inconvenience to the public
Upload or include this letter with your completed questionnaire.
Your rights and your employer’s obligations
By law, your employer can’t dismiss or disadvantage you for attending court for jury service.
Employers convicted of such an offence can be jailed for up to one year.
Family-related excusals
Jury service can occur any time during the year, including school holidays, and may require you to stay overnight in a hotel to reach a verdict.
If you have family or caring responsibilities and cannot make alternative arrangements, apply to be excused from jury service.
Give the exact reason you can’t perform jury service for the entire jury notice period.
Or, if you’re unavailable at specific times or days, include those details in your application.
Partial excusals
If you have a prior commitment, like a doctor’s appointment, you can apply for a partial excusal for specific days of your jury notice period.
Permanent excusals
You can be excused from jury service permanently if you:
- have a chronic illness or long-term disability (provide a medical certificate stating why you must be permanently excused)
- are 70 years or older and don’t want to undertake jury service:
- You don’t have to return the prospective juror questionnaire.
- However, it’s recommended you do so to avoid the possibility of receiving more prospective juror notices in future
If you’re a carer
If you’re a carer for someone unable to complete their questionnaire, return it uncompleted with a note explaining the circumstances.
Being excused later
If you make yourself available for jury service but your circumstances change, you can still apply for an excusal:
When you’re summoned
If you’ve been summoned for jury service, you can apply to be excused from jury service at that point.
You can apply online or write to the Deputy Sheriff at the location shown on your summons, who will decide if your request is reasonable.
Urgent excusal
If your application is urgent and won’t be received in time, phone the Deputy Sheriff using the number on your summons.
Partial excusal
If you need to be excused for a short time (e.g. for travel or work) you’ll need to provide proof, such as airline tickets or a letter from your employer.
During empanelment
Your last chance to be excused from jury service is when you’re going through the process for choosing jurors to serve on a particular trial (empanelment).
Let the bailiff know you want to be excused. The judge will ask you why and grant or decline your request.
If you’re overseas
If you’re overseas when your ‘Notice to prospective juror’ form is received:
- email the court detailed in the notice, or
- ask someone collecting your mail to send the notice to the court with a letter stating:
- the date you left the country
- how long you intend to be overseas
- your expected return date
Future jury service
Even if your application for excusal is granted, you’ll remain eligible for jury service in the future (unless you’ve been permanently excused).
If you receive another notice, you can re-apply for excusal, if necessary.
If you don’t apply for an excusal
Even if you don’t apply for excusal, you may not be required for jury service.
That’s because there are several steps in the process for selecting a jury for a trial.
At any one of those steps, you may not be chosen for selection.
